Penny Fuller joins the cast of Anastasia on Broadway

Fuller assumes the role of the Dowager Empress in the hit Broadway musical.

Her "Journey to the Past" began last night... Emmy Award winner and two-time Tony Award nominee Penny Fuller assumed the role of the Dowager Empress in Broadway's hit musical Anastasia at yesterday evening's performance at the Broadhurst Theatre. Two-time Tony Award winner Judy Kaye played her final performance in the role on January 6, 2019.

Penny Fuller earned Tony Award nominations for her performances in The Dinner Party in 2001 and Applause in 1970. She was last seen on the Great White Way in the 2017 Jake Gyllenhaal-led revival of Sunday in the Park with George and her other Broadway credits include Dividing the Estate, An American Daughter, and the role of Sally Bowles in Cabaret, among others. She won an Emmy Award in 1982 for her performance as Madge Kendal in "The Elephant Man," and has since received a total of five further Emmy Award nominations for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "China Beach," "Miss Rose White," "NYPD Blue," and "ER".

The principal cast of Anastasia currently includes Christy Altomare (as Anya / Anastasia), Australian singer-songwriter Cody Simpson (as Dmitry), Constantine Germanacos (as Gleb Vaganov), John Bolton (as Vlad Popov), Vicki Lewis (as Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch), and Emmy Award winner Penny Fuller (as Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna).

Anastasia began previews at the Broadhurst Theatre on March 23, 2017, ahead of an official opening on April 24.

The new musical, based on the popular 1997 animated feature film by Twentieth Century Fox, is directed by Tony Award winner Darko Tresnjak and features a book by four-time Tony Award winner Terrence McNally, with music by Tony Award winner Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Tony Award winner Lynn Ahrens.

Synopsis: "From the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, the new musical, Anastasia, is the romantic, adventure-filled story of a brave young woman attempting to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love and family."

The creative team behind Anastasia features choreography by Peggy Hickey, dance arrangements by David Chase, music supervision & direction by Thomas Murray, orchestrations by Doug Besterman, scenic design by Alexander Dodge, costume design by Linda Cho, lighting design by Donald Holder, sound design by Peter Hylenski, projection design by Aaron Rhyne, hair & wig design by Charles LaPointe, and make-up design by Joe Dulude II.

Anastasia is produced on Broadway by Stage Entertainment USA, Bill Taylor, Hunter Arnold and Tom Kirdahy Productions.

Twentieth Century Fox's 1997 animated feature film Anastasia was nominated for two Oscars: Best Score (for Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and David Newman) and Best Original Song (for Ahrens and Flaherty for "Journey To The Past"). It features the voice talents of Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Christopher Lloyd, Hank Azaria, Bernadette Peters, Kirsten Dunst, Andrea Martin, and Dame Angela Lansbury.

Anastasia Tickets are available now for performances through to September 29, 2019.