Meet the Cast of Anastasia

Annie Else will star as Anya! She is from Sioux Center and is currently a full-time student at Northwestner!
  1. Describe your character in 3 words:
    1. Determined, driven, hopeful
  2. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. This is my first one!
  3. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. The nostalgia. I’ve been going to the Tulip Festival since I was a baby. It’s just like Disney World – the magic only intensifies the older you get.
  4. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. I’ve always wanted to be a part of the Night Show, especially so when I found out that the production was Anastasia this year. This show holds such a special and tender place in my heart, and I’m truly honored to be portraying Anya.
  5. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. My favorite moment is In A Crowd Of Thousands when Anya remembers.
  6. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. I am most excited for audiences to see Anya win in a fight against a group of drunk men!
  7. Favorite song from the show?
    1. The Land of Yesterday
Donna Muilenburg will play The Dowager Empress!
  1. Describe your character in 3 words:
    1. Profoundly bitter and sad.
  2. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. I’ve stopped counting.
  3. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. The night show of course.
  4. Do you participate in any other areas of the festival? If so, what?
    1. Pofferjes stand, information booth.
  5. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. A part in my age group.
  6. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. I love the musical number Land of Yesterday.
  7. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. The mass of local talent.
  8. Favorite song from the show?
    1. Land of Yesterday.
Megan Hegstad will star as Young Anastasia! She lives in Orange City and is a 4th grade student at MOC-Floyd Valley Elementary.
  1. Describe your character in 3 words:
    1. Strong, fearless, playful
  2. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. This is my first year.
  3. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. The Night Show and Dutch Dancing
  4. Do you participate in any other areas of the festival? If so, what?
    1. Dutch Dance, floats, scrubbing streets
  5. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. I love to act and sing. I have done some plays with my friends and cousins, and I was excited about this opportunity.
  6. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. The scene with the song “Land of Yesterday” and Scene 5 in the garden.
  7. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. The train.
  8. Favorite song from the show?
    1. The Land of Yesterday
Amanda Lemke is playing Lily and assisting with the costumes for the show! She is from Orange City and spends her days as a seamstress!
  1. Describe your character in 3 words:
    1. Sassy, Sarcastic, Sentimental
  2. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. I’m pretty sure this is year 14!
  3. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. Though I love all the things, night show will always be my favorite! Though Klederdracht sewing is a very close second!
  4. Do you participate in any other areas of the festival? If so, what?
    1. Ok here we go… I sew Dutch Costumes, I sing the Dutch National anthem for the parades, I run the information booths with Susan, I walk in the mode show, and I speak at the Klederdracht Tea with Amanda!
  5. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. Night show is a family affair for us! My husband and I love to act along with my sister Ashlyn. My dad builds sets. And my mom does a whole lot of babysitting for us to be able to be involved! I think the world of all of our night show friends and love the community so much. The people on this stage are just the best people.
  6. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. I’m a pretty big fan of Vlad and Lily’s reuniting in the Countess and the Common Man.
  7. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. Im excited for people to see the train set, it’s a pretty cool one!
  8. Favorite song from the show?
    1. You can always catch me belting “Journey to the Past”!
Drew Lemke will play Vlad Popov in Anastasia! He lives in Orange City, where he directs the MOC-Floyd Valley Middle School Bands.
  1. Describe your character in 3 words:
    1. Charismatic, passionate, con-man
  2. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. 12
  3. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. Besides the night show?  Probably the deep-fried almond patties!
  4. Do you participate in any other areas of the festival? If so, what?
    1. I march through each parade twice!  First with my 6th-grade band, then with the 7th- and 8th-graders!
  5. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. It’s a fantastic show, but more importantly, I love the community of the night show cast and crews, and couldn’t imagine spending Tulip Festival doing anything else!
  6. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. I love getting to be on stage with my wife, Amanda, during our scenes. It’s a lot of fun to be in opposite roles!
  7. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. The cast is so talented.  I’m excited for people to get to see and hear from all of them!
  8. Favorite song from the show?
    1. Learn to Do it-  it’s been a challenging song to work up as the lines pass from one character to another so quickly, but the energy of the scene is super fun!

Meet the Production Team of Anastasia

Leanne Bonnecroy serves as the Stage Director! She lives in Orange City, and as a retired teacher, still finds herself back in the classroom as a substitute when possible!
  1. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. 15 years
  2. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. Fietzen Zangers- bicycle singers
  3. Do you participate in any other areas of the festival? If so, what?
    1. Info booth, court mom, sew costumes, Fietzen Zangers
  4. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. Anastasia is my favorite musical ever!
  5. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. Crowd of Thousands- Dmitry and Anya discover a connection to their youth.
  6. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. Emotion, Compassion and Elegance
  7. Favorite song from the show?
    1. Crowd of Thousands
Jack Bonnecroy serves as the Orchestra Director! He lives in Orange City and works as the communications director for MOC-Floyd Valley CSD.
  1. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. 16
  2. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. I’m always impressed by how the town comes together to provide a fun small-town heritage festival. Also, getting to be a part of an excellent community theater is a plus!
  3. Do you participate in any other areas of the festival? If so, what?
    1. I manage all of the marching bands that come in for the parades.
  4. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. I’ve always been interested in the directing aspect of the night show and it worked out well to direct with my mom this year.
  5. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. Crowd of Thousands is my favorite song in the show. I think it’s a crucial turning point and great moment for the characters.
  6. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. The train!
  7. Favorite song from the show?
    1. Crowd of Thousands
Susan Henrich is producing this year’s show! She lives in Orange City and works at Beaver Eye Care.
  1. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. 5
  2. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. Welcoming all the people to our community.
  3. Do you participate in any other areas of the festival? If so, what?
    1. Yes! I help run the Information Booth.
  4. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. The community of people!
  5. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. I really enjoy the scene where Dmitry and Vlad teach Anya how to be Anastasia.
  6. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. All the hard work so many people have put into this show! Each person involved gives so much!
  7. Favorite song from the show?
    1. Countess and the Common Man
  8. Anything else you’d like to share?
    1. This show has you go through all of the emotions! Be prepared for the range of emotions!
McKenzie Kuiken serves as the Choreographer! She lives in Orange City, where she owns Kweken Co. in downtown Orange City!
  1. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. This is my fourth year being involved in some way!
  2. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. As an alum, it’s hard to beat hearing the POD come down the street!
  3. Do you participate in any other areas of the festival? If so, what?
    1. Aside from serving customers at Kweken Co., I also make poffertjes at the Little White Store and volunteer at the Century Home!
  4. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. The amazing team and the opportunity to work on this specific show, which has such a variety of music and dance styles.
  5. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. I love the energy and dancing in Paris Holds the Key, which is the opening scene of Act 2.
  6. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. The AMAZING local talent of all our actors!
  7. Favorite song from the show?
    1. This is such a hard question! Stay I Pray You always makes me tear up, and Learn to Do It is always stuck in my head!
Pam Anderson serves as the Vocal Music Director! She lives in Orange City and works as an elementary music teacher at MOC-Floyd Valley!
  1. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. 11 years
  2. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. The mode show!
  3. Do you participate in any other areas of the festival? If so, what?
    1. Walking in the Mode Show, volunteering in the Little White Store, and taking tickets at Dutch Dozen
  4. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. I wanted to support and encourage the singers!
  5. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. Stay, I Pray You
  6. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. For the audience to hear the powerful & beautiful music!
  7. Favorite song from the show?
    1. In a Crowd of Thousands
Jaden Vander Berg will be this year’s Stage Manager! She lives in Orange City and is a School Counselor!
  1. How many years have you been involved in Tulip Festival Night Shows?
    1. 2
  2. What is your favorite part of the Tulip Festival?
    1. Seeing everyone in their costumes and getting involved & the POD
  3. What made you want to be part of the Night Show this year?
    1. I love Anastasia and when Leanna asked, I knew I couldn’t say no.
  4. What is your favorite scene or moment in Anastasia?
    1. Crowd of Thousands is probably my favorite song, but the first scene in Act One is so fun. It’s a bit chaotic on stage, but everyone is having a great time and brings their own personality to their characters.
  5. What are you most excited for audiences to see?
    1. How much fun the cast has on stage.
  6. Favorite song from the show?
    1. Crowd of Thousands or Countess and Common Man
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