The rehearsals for First Year Players, the University’s premier theater organization of entirely first-year and transfer student actors, is a hub of artistic talent. Bringing together star performers, musicians, directors, tech crew and more, all members of the student-run Contracted Independent Organization play a key role in crafting each semester’s production. This fall, the group set its sights on the musical “Anastasia,” which opens Thursday night.
After having its Broadway debut in 2017, “Anastasia” has since become a popular choice for theater troupes all over. The story follows young-adult orphan Anya — played by first-year College student Mattie Ellis — as she journeys with two con-men in search of answers surrounding her blurry past. Drawing inspiration from the disproved legend of Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia and the popular animated film of the same name, the musical puts a new spin on this old tale.
This sense of newness is what drew Nicole Burroughs, director and third-year College student, to the musical, leading her to pitch the production to an internal selection committee of FYP executive members as the total package.
“It has such great elements, great music, great acting, great dancing,” Burroughs said. “It's just going to be a great experience, and it's something new. It's something FYP hasn't done before.”
“Anastasia” is a show which maximizes the resources available to the CIO, drawing on the ensemble, live orchestra, set designers and more to fill the space. Even without access to a Broadway-level theater or funding, the production has the look, feel and sound of a professional show due to the dedication of FYP members to sourcing costumes, building sets and rehearsing complex numbers day in and day out.
First-year Engineering student Ryder Clark, who plays Gorlinsky — one of the antagonists in Anya’s search for her past — described how he feels “Anastasia” is special, particularly in its feature of a large dance sequence.
“There's a lot of different types of lifts, a lot of partner sequences,” Clark said. “It's something that I think looks very different from a normal musical … but it's very cool and a unique part of the show.”
To make this ballroom scene even more unique, Burroughs cast a featured ballerina — played by first-year College student Kaelyn Gardner — to perform a solo. The equal importance of dance, vocal and acting training aids in building a balanced show, primed to shine a spotlight on the talents of the University’s new class of artists.
“It's a beautiful show — amazing dance numbers, amazing singing, amazing voices, so much talent,” Clark said. “And it's been a long time that we've been putting a lot of hard work in. So to see that hard work pay off, you should definitely come out and see the show.”
With rehearsals up to five times a week for “Anastasia,” the cast makes the time to show up for one another to teach, rehearse, support and improve with every run. This demanding schedule allows the finished production to shine bright, and is another testament to the commitment to craft that members of FYP maintain. While most of the FYP cast come in with previous theater or musical experience, rehearsals serve as a space of pushing boundaries and learning new skills.
Burroughs — a former two-time cast member, club historian, publicity chair and member of the artistic staff that assists the director — is a resident expert of FYP and has used her experience to bring a vibrant performance to life. She describes her directorial style as “more hands-on,” supporting her choreographers and vocal directors, providing constructive feedback during rehearsals. In this way, she can ensure that all the pieces of the puzzle connect perfectly to create a cohesive final show.
For Burroughs, however, FYP is more than the grand finale — it is a place for new students at the University to find community, connect with older students and grow strong bonds with castmates that last far beyond the show. This mission is reflected in auditions, open to all first-years and new transfers at the beginning of each semester and made to capture a student’s talent through short dance routines, monologues and song snippets.
“We like to take as many people as we can, because it's a very inclusive organization,” Burroughs said. “Making sure we're creating a community of people that will get along and have fun together is so important.”
Ellis echoes the sentiments of her director, affirming that FYP is a prime place to find support and friendship early into college. She discovered the program through her vocal coach, and as an avid fan of “Anastasia,” knew immediately that she had to audition. Now, she gets to perform her favorite show with not just castmates, but newfound friends.
“I’m from Mississippi, so I didn’t come here knowing a whole lot of people, and [FYP]’s definitely been great. You just immediately have a built-in community, and it really feels like we’re all there for each other,” Ellis said.
FYP maintains many traditions that keep this fun spirit alive — pairing first-years with a “big” who acts as a mentor and friend, hosting parties at the FYP house and, each semester, dedicating the last performance of the weekend as “Prank Night.”
The key for the cast and crew to be able to bring this fun into the production is their love for the craft, with each member dedicated to their role and truly enjoying their work, as Ellis describes. There is no pressure to perform for a grade or in any specific manner — instead, FYP is about highlighting the natural talent of everyone involved.
“Everyone in FYP is so passionate about what they do that there's just no way that the product isn't amazing,” Ellis said. “It really is going to be such a passion-filled show, which you don't want to miss.”
“Anastasia” will run Nov. 20-23 in the Student Activities Building, with tickets available now on FYP’s website.
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