For Helena Badiali, the “journey to the past” of Anastasia is also an emotional yet satisfying end to her time at Central Bucks East’s Patriot Players.
“It feels so bittersweet but amazing,” she said.
Badiali, a senior, plays the lead role of Anya, a Russian girl with amnesia who desires to go to Paris and learn about her identity. The musical is predominantly set in 1927, ten years after the Russian Revolution of 1917, which overthrew the rule of the Romanov dynasty. The premise of the show is based on historical rumors that Anastasia, one of the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II, survived the murder of the Romanov family.
“I think it’s really cool to explore that kind of idea where someone could’ve been her and you don’t know for sure,” Badiali said.
This intriguing drama serves as the backdrop for a significant milestone in Badiali’s remarkable theatrical journey. Approaching her final performance with Patriot Players, she recalled the long road that she has taken to get to where she is now.
“My mom has always been a huge singer, and because of that, I have also been a huge singer,” Badiali said. “In third grade, I did a community production of Annie.”
Since then, she has taken on a wide variety of roles, with some of her favorites ranging from the moody Wednesday in The Addams Family to the tragic Fantine in Les Misérables. But she didn’t immediately get to play these leading characters.
“You don’t always start out with lead roles,” she said. “I played the dog in Annie.”
Now, as Anya, Badiali is enjoying performing her favorite songs from Anastasia, including “Once Upon a December,” “Stay I Pray You,” “Journey to the Past,” and “Quartet at the Ballet.”
However, there are also challenges that come with portraying Anya, a character who must deal with trauma and uncertain identity.
“She’s been through a lot,” Badiali said. “A lot more than the average Doylestown kid has had to deal with.”
In general, putting together all the pieces to perform a musical takes significant time and effort, not only in school but also with outside commitments. Badiali takes dance classes and sees an acting coach and a voice teacher outside of East.
And while audiences this week will be delighted by Badiali’s skills on stage, she also works extensively behind the scenes as a leader of Patriot Players. She was an assistant music director for the fall production, The SpongeBob Musical, and she also led the Cabaret, an annual event at East that brings together performers from all three Central Bucks high schools and raises money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Additionally, she choreographed a tap dance number for Tohickon Middle School’s production of Beetlejuice Jr.
Beyond East, Badiali is interested in continuing her many pursuits and honing her talents in the performing arts.
“I really want to do Broadway. I would love to do TV, film, anything under the sun… I love writing, I love choreographing,” Badiali said. “So hopefully you’ll see me around doing different things.”
Accordingly, she applied to performing arts programs at 27 different colleges, with the process involving electronic and in-person auditions. She is waiting to hear back as the schools respond on a rolling basis.
Regardless of what her bright future has in store for her, Badiali is currently looking forward to putting on a spectacular show for audiences at East. She said that viewers should expect “beautiful costumes, amazing songs and ensemble power, and a beautiful story.”
She also offered encouraging words for anyone else who is interested in theater.
“Learn to love yourself and be confident in yourself because you’re the only person who can do what you can do,” she said. “And never give up on your dreams because musical theater is a dream. Work hard, never stop learning, and don’t give up.”
She had one additional, final message: “Buy your tickets!”
You can purchase tickets for Anastasia on Purplepass. The showtimes are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (April 3–5) at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday (April 6) at 2:00 p.m. Be sure to get your seats before they sell out!
