Judy Kaye to Join Anastasia as the Dowager Empress

Two-time Tony Award winner Judy Kaye will return to Broadway to play the Dowager Empress in Anastasia on September 28, stepping in for original company member Mary Beth Peil, who will play her final performance on September 23.

Anastasia opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on April 24, 2017. The musical features a book by Terrence McNally and an original score by Tony winners Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics). Tony winner Darko Tresnjak directs. Ahrens and Flaherty penned the tunes for the 1997 animated film on which the stage musical is based, and have expanded their score, which contains the songs "Once Upon a December" and "Journey to the Past," for the theatrical production.

Kaye received the 2012 Tony Award for her work as Duchess Estonia Dulworth in Nice Work If You Can Get It and the 1988 Tony for her performance as Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera. She is also known for roles in the original companies of Mamma Mia! and Ragtime.

The company is also led by Christy Altomare, Zach Adkins, John Bolton, Vicki Lewis, and Max von Essen. The rest of the cast includes Alex Aquilino, Lauren Blackman, Kathryn Boswell, Maria Briggs, Kyle Brown, Justin Scott Brown, Kristen Smith Davis, Colby Dezelick, Janet Dickinson, Wes Hart, Anika Lore Hatch, Ken Krugman, Dustin Layton, Brian Munn, Kenneth Michael Murray, Delilah Rose Pellow, James A. Pierce III, Molly Rushing, Tally Sessions, Jennifer Smith, Lyrica Woodruff, and Kelli Youngman.