A multitalented Chester Countian gets to play a Russian servant, peasant and comrade lady in the first act of the currently touring "Anastasia The Musical." Then, in Act 2, that same West Chester native -- Madeline Raube -- shines wondrously in the role of Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch, a fun-loving aristocrat.
The national touring company of Anastasia came to Philadelphia's Merriam Theater in November, and Madeline was part of the cast. Being Madeline's tour debut, she says she's more than enjoying performing in a show that's inspired by several beloved "Anastasia" films, including the 1997 animated version in which the title character is voiced by Meg Ryan.
The Anastasia Broadway musical transports audiences 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. Many relish that the storyline is about discovering "who you are yet defining who you're meant to be."
The show played in Indiana, Arkansas and Mississippi, before delivering eight performances in Philadelphia. Then it was on to Ohio, New Jersey, Canada and the West Coast for January and February. They return to Pennsylvania July 26-31 to perform at Hershey Theater. The show is slated to tour through the summer, concluding in Boston.
Prior to this, Madeline's recent theater credits include the lead role of Nina Volkova in "Life of the Party" at New York City's Provincetown Playhouse and the lead role of Lily Craven in the "The Secret Garden" at NYU's Frederick Loewe Theatre in New York City. She attended Oberlin Conservatory, where she earned bachelor's degree in classical voice. She then earned a master's degree in musical theatre performance at New York University.
In keeping with the magazine's monthly theme of health and wellness, West Chester Lifestyle asked Madeline how she maintained a fitness schedule while constantly on the road. Although she's a Zumba instructor, she admits it's tricky to exercise during a 12-hour a day performance schedule while moving frequently from city to city on a bus. Here's a peek into her pursuit to inject cardiovascular activities into her hectic routine.
1 | Carving out time for mental and physical wellness is a constant challenge, Madeline says. Of course, there are hotel ftiness machines when the cast stays at one with a gym available.
2 | Her preferred form of exercising is hiking or biking, so she says she tries to get out on walking trails anywhere she can.
3 | Before every show, she does a dance core warm-up.
4 | Physical therapists and certified athletic trainers from a Georgia-based company called NeuroTour Performing Arts Medicine visit the Anastasia cast on-site periodically, and leaves them with a basket of exercise tools, such as resistance bands, small weights and balls.
5 | After waking at 10 a.m., often performing two shows per day (each show is 2.5 hours long) and with only a 1.5-hour break between the shows, then not getting to bed until 1 a.m., Madeline says she has to get pretty creative sometimes, so will resort to jumping rope.
6 | When all else fails, Madeline says she uses hotel towels, desks and chairs for exercise props -- even beds for yoga mats.
After living in New York City, Madeline returned to West Chester during the COVID-19 pandemic. For details about the musical or its schedule, visit AnastasiaTheMusical.com.
