When people describe what they know of the story surrounding Nicholas II and the overthrow of the czar government in 1917, they usually recall the story of Anastasia, his daughter, and the theories that sprung up from her disappearance.
The young child escaped and was never found. Years down the road, many women impersonated the Grand Duchess in an attempt to join the Imperial Family.
Due to the mystery surrounding her whereabouts and the 1997 release of a Disney film loosely based on her story, it is only natural that people remember Anastasia when reminded of this part of Russian history.
However, there is more to the story.
Saint Louis University’s theatre department is putting on a performance that will reveal more of the story to those interested.
“OTMA,” directed by new faculty member Nancy Bell, is a depiction of the story surrounding the four daughters of Nicholas II as they were captured and kept together at a merchant’s house.
“The four girls were referred to collectively, and the first letter of each of their names—Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia—is where ‘OTMA’ comes from,” John Lamb, Coordinator of Publicity for SLU Theatre, said.
Lamb explained that due to the historical context of the play, some knowledge of history would aid understanding. “OTMA” will begin when the girls are kept at the merchant’s house in a “house arrest” type of situation, as Lamb referred to it.
The play is fictional because there is not a true account of what the young duchesses said or did during their last days in confinement. Kate Moira Ryan wrote the script.
The play tells the story of how the girls survived their imprisonment and what they did during this time. For example, the girls were not allowed to see anybody. They got their daily food when a guard pushed it through a door. To pass time, the girls played scenes from “The Cherry Orchard” by Anton Chekhov.
“Much of it is a play within a play,” Lamb said.
Bell explained that the girls use “The Cherry Orchard” to “grapple with the desperate situation they are in.”
“[OTMA] is about how we use art to mediate the experience of desperate situations to manufacture hope or to come to terms with despair,” Bell said.
This will be the first show at SLU directed by Bell.
Before coming to work at the University, Bell worked in New York and Los Angeles.
She has an abundance of work experience in theatre and has also contributed to movie productions, including, but not exclusive to, “Little Man” starring the Wayans brothers and “Possession” starring Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Bell has been in “Guiding Light” and many other soap operas, Lamb said.
“The students are getting someone very experienced. They will have the advantage of some of her experience,” Lamb said.
Bell said that she wanted to be able to live in a small, livable city and raise her daughter. This was one of the reasons she moved to St. Louis from Los Angeles. She also was drawn by the fact that St. Louis is a “vibrant theatre city.”
Bell also said that the faculty of the theatre department is one of the best-kept secrets on campus.
In addition to the expertise of Bell, “OTMA” has the advantage of being performed in SLU’s black box theatre.
The theatre is named the University Studio Theatre and is located in Xavier Hall on the lower level.
Black box theatre gets its name because it consists of a small theatre with a completely black interior.
This theatre is beneficial for performances because there is nothing to pull students’ attention away from the play, and it also creates a more intimate space, Lamb said.
“If anyone has never experienced black box theatre, they would be surprised at how engaging it is. It gives you the feeling of being there, like you’re almost on stage with them,” Lamb said.
“OTMA” runs for only one weekend, April 8-10.
The Friday performance will begin at 8 p.m. and will include a talkback after the show with the moderator, Elizabeth A. Blake, Ph.D., and the cast.
Blake is a faculty member in the department of modern and classical languages with a specialization in Russian literature. She worked with the cast in rehearsal to make certain they knew the background behind “OTMA,” Lamb said.
The Saturday performance will be at 8 p.m. as well, with the Sunday production at 2 p.m. General admission is $10, student tickets are $7 and SLU faculty and staff tickets are $9.
Reservations are recommended because the theatre is limited to 68 seats. To make a reservation, call the box office at 314-977-3327.
Additional reporting by Ashley Jones.
