LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT are thrilled to announce full casting for the final show of its record-breaking 2025-26 season, a gorgeous new production of ANASTASIA, book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, inspired by the Twentieth Century Fox Motion Picture, by special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical, from the play by Marcelle Maurette as adapted by Guy Bolton, musical direction by Ryan O’Connell, and direction and choreography by Parker Esse. ANASTASIA will preview on Friday, June 5 at 8 pm and Saturday, June 6 at 2 pm, have its official Press Opening on Saturday, June 6 at 8 pm, and run through Sunday, June 28 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada.
Inspired by the beloved 1997 film, ANASTASIA transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family. With its opulent settings, dazzling costumes, and a soaring score including the song favorites from the hit animated film, “Journey to the Past” and “Once Upon a December,” ANASTASIA is perfect for the whole family — a spectacular musical about discovering who you are and defining who you’re meant to be. 
The Cast of ANASTASIA will feature: Lena Ceja as “Anya/Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov,” Dillon Klena as “Dmitry Sudayev” (Dillon’s older brother Derek Klena originated the role of “Dmitry” on Broadway), Peyton Crim as “Vladimir ‘Vlad’ Popov,” Richard Bermudez as “Deputy Commissioner Gleb Vaganov,” Sarah Wolter as “Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch,” Suzanna Guzmán as “Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna Romanov,” and Annabelle Bergold and Elayne Cowden as “Young Anastasia/Alexei.” The Ensemble will feature Sofia Aniceto, Tucker Knowlton Boyes, Wes Dameron, Lauren Decierdo, Michael Deni, Christopher Ho, Anton Harrison LaMon, Tayler Mettra, Shanon Mari Mills, Natalie Palmgren, Rasha Willes-Samaha, Kyle Vaughn, and Toni White. The Swings will be Michael Laverde and Sabrina Marielle.
PARKER ESSE (Direction/Choreography) After performing on Broadway in the Tony-winning Fosse, Parker was Associate Director for Broadway’s Finian’s Rainbow, A Tale of Two Cities, Follies (pre-Broadway), and five City Center Encores! productions. Other credits include Light in the Piazza and Sondheim and Marsalis’ A Bed and a Chair (Encores!), Oklahoma! 50th Anniversary (Arena Stage), West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof (The Muny), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and White Christmas (Fulton Theatre), Arena Stage (18 productions), Goodspeed Musicals (10 productions), Ed Mirvish (Toronto), Kennedy Center, Washington National Opera, Paper Mill Playhouse, Omaha Symphony/NBC Holiday Televised Specials, Lyrics and Lyricists 92nd St. Y, York Theatre, Signature, Ogunquit, and Bucks County. Parker also recently directed Funny Girl (Shaw Festival). Upcoming: A Chorus Line (Barrington Stage) and Something Rotten (The Muny).
RYAN O’CONNELL (Musical Director/Conductor) has worked on more than 100 productions as a musical director, orchestrator, and composer. For La Mirada Theatre/McCoy Rigby Entertainment: Legally Blonde, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, and Grease. Other favorite credits include: Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (2nd Stage NYC), Ragtime (1st National Tour), Mary Poppins (Musical Theatre West), and Private Jones (Signature Theatre). He has also been part of music teams for NBC, CBS, Fox, Netflix, Cartoon Network, Disney World, and Disneyland, where he works as a musical director.
TERRENCE McNALLY (Book) was an American playwright, librettist and LGBTQ+ trailblazer, described by the New York Times as “the bard of the American Theater.”
One of the few playwrights of his generation to pass successfully from the avant-garde to mainstream acclaim, Terrence redefined American playwriting for six decades and was the recipient of five Tony Awards (two for his plays Love! Valour! Compassion! and Master Class, two for the books to his musicals Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime, and the 2019 Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement). Terrence received many honors throughout his life, including the Dramatists Guild Lifetime Achievement Award (of which he was Vice President from 1981 to 2001), the Lucille Lortel Lifetime Achievement Award, and inductions into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1996 and the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2018. His incredible legacy lives on in his plays, musicals, and operas that are still performed all over the world, as well as in his papers, which are kept and open to the public at the Harry Ransom Center in the University of Texas at Austin.
LYNN AHRENS (Lyrics) & STEPHEN FLAHERTY (Music) have been collaborators since 1983, creating an array of notable Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals, including Ragtime, Once on This Island, Seussical The Musical, Rocky, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance and the animated feature film Anastasia. In 2017, they brought Anastasia to Broadway, making it their third musical collaboration with Terrence McNally. They’ve won Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Olivier Awards, and have been nominated for two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes and four Grammys. They serve on the Council for the Dramatists Guild of America and co-founded the DGF Fellows Program for Emerging Writers, which has nurtured new generations of playwrights and musical theatre writers since 2000. In 2014, they received the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement, and in 2015, they were inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
The Design Team for ANASTASIA is as follows: Lighting Design by Jennifer Edwards; Sound Design by Josh Bessom; Projections Design by Aaron Rhyne; Costume Coordinator is Adam Ramirez; Hair/Wig Design by Kaitlin Yagen; Properties Supervisor by Kevin Williams. The Casting Director is Julia Flores. The Production Stage Manager is Julian Olive.
ANASTASIA will preview on Friday, June 5 at 8 pm and Saturday, June 6 at 2 pm, have its official Press Opening on Saturday, June 6 at 8 pm, and run through Sunday, June 28, 2026, at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada.
Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 pm; Fridays at 8 pm; Saturdays at 2 pm & 8 pm; and Sundays at 1:30 pm & 6:30 pm. There is no performance on Sunday, June 7 at 6:30 pm.
There will be an Open-captioned performance on Saturday, June 20 at 2:00 pm. Talkbacks with the cast and creative team will be on Thursday, June 11 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, June 25 at 7:30pm.
Tickets range from $24 – $120 (prices subject to change) and can be purchased on La Mirada Theatre’s website www.LaMiradaTheatre.com or by calling the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310. Group, student, and military discounts are available.
Recommended for ages 7 and up. Children under 3 will not be admitted into the theatre.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue where the 91 and 5 freeways meet. Parking is FREE.
The Tony-nominated LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “one of the best Broadway-style houses in Southern California.” This beautiful state-of-the-art theatre has been presenting quality productions since 1977. The theatre has produced several national tours and is the recipient of numerous accolades, including Tony, Emmy, and Ovation Award nominations and the L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award for “Best Season of the Year.” The theatre is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, California, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue.
Parking is theatre-adjacent and free. For further information call (562) 944-9801 or visit
Celebrating its 32nd season at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT (MRE) is one of the world’s premier theatrical production companies and continues to be grateful to share a wildly successful collaboration with the City of La Mirada. Headed by Executive Producers Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby, MRE has produced over one hundred musicals, plays, and concerts featuring some of the biggest stars in the industry today and garnering many Emmy Awards, Tony nominations, and LA Ovation Awards.
In addition, MRE has launched several Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated Broadway, international, and national touring productions including: ASIA; Dreamgirls (Japan), Miss Saigon (China), Peter Pan (China), SAUDI ARABIA – Peter Pan (the first Broadway musical ever to play in Saudi Arabia), USA; Seussical the Musical, and Annie Get Your Gun, starring Cathy Rigby; Jesus Christ Superstar starring Carl Anderson and Sebastian Bach, Camelot starring Michael York and Lou Diamond Phillips, Happy Days written by Gary Marshall and Paul Williams, BROADWAY; Frank Wildhorn’s Jekyll and Hyde starring Grammy Award nominee Deborah Cox and “American Idol” and Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis, and The Little Mermaid, the Musical. Peter Pan, starring Cathy Rigby, has made four stops on Broadway and received four Tony Award nominations including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical.
The A&E TV network premiere of “Peter Pan” received one Emmy Award and four Emmy Award nominations. La Mirada Theatre productions of A Night with Janis Joplin starring Mary Bridget Davies and Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby are now streaming on Broadway HD.
