Character guide
Vlad
from Anastasia
Vlad is the comic former aristocrat who helps orchestrate Anya's scheme in Anastasia, the 2017 musical by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.
- Show
- Anastasia
- Broadway premiere
- 2017
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- Stephen Flaherty
Vlad: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 1997 animated film
John Bolton originated Vlad on Broadway in 2017; Kelsey Grammer voiced him in the 1997 animated film. The name changes slightly: the film's Vladimir Vasilovich becomes Vladimir Popov on stage. The woman he reconnects with in Paris changes too. In the film she is Sophie, the Dowager Empress's cousin and lady-in-waiting, voiced by Bernadette Peters. On stage she becomes Countess Lily, Vlad's former flame, and the two rekindle their scandalous romance in the comic duet The Countess and the Common Man.
He also keeps the film's Learn to Do It.
Vlad: role facts
- Originated on Broadway by
- John Bolton (2017)
- Notable performers
- Edward Staudenmayer played Vlad on the 2018 North American tour; Kelsey Grammer voiced Vlad in the 1997 animated film.
- Voice type and range
- Baritone
- Songs Vlad sings
- A Rumor in St. Petersburg (with Dmitry and ensemble)
- Learn to Do It (with Anya and Dmitry)
- Stay, I Pray You (with Count Ipolitov, Anya, Dmitry, and ensemble)
- We'll Go From There (with Anya, Dmitry, and ensemble)
- Paris Holds the Key (To Your Heart) (with Dmitry, Anya, and ensemble)
- The Countess and the Common Man (with Lily)
- Meant to Be (solo)
- The Press Conference (with Lily and ensemble)
Who is Vlad?
Vlad is a former member of the Russian aristocracy reduced to conning his way through post revolutionary life, and it is his idea, along with Dmitry, to train Anya to impersonate the missing Grand Duchess. His charm and connections, including a past romance with Countess Lily, help smooth the group's path from Russia to Paris.
Despite his role in an elaborate deception, Vlad provides much of the show's comic relief and warmth, functioning as a mentor figure to both Dmitry and Anya even as his own motives remain partly self interested.
Vlad's role in Anastasia
Vlad is a supporting role built for comic charm and seasoned stage presence, most notably in his flirtatious duet with Countess Lily, "The Countess and the Common Man." The role rewards an actor with strong comic instincts and easy chemistry with the rest of the cast.
John Bolton originated the role on Broadway, praised for his light comic touch amid the show's more dramatic political plot. Audiences remember Vlad for injecting humor and heart into a story that could otherwise lean heavily into melodrama.
Vlad: frequently asked questions
What is Vlad's full name in Anastasia?
In the stage musical his full name is Vladimir Popov, known as Vlad. A former member of the Russian imperial court turned con man, he and Dmitry groom Anya to pose as the missing Grand Duchess in hopes of a payout from the Dowager Empress. The 1997 animated film's Vlad has a different surname.
Is Vlad in the 1997 Anastasia movie?
Yes. In the 1997 animated film, Vlad is a former nobleman turned con artist and Dimitri's partner in the scheme, voiced by Kelsey Grammer. The stage musical calls him Vlad Popov and pairs him with Countess Lily, its version of the film's Sophie, for the duet The Countess and the Common Man.
Is Vlad based on a real historical figure?
No. Vlad is a fictional character. He first appeared in the 1997 animated film (the 1956 live-action Anastasia used different con men) and was carried into the stage musical as Vlad Popov, rather than being based on a real member of the imperial court.
What show is Vlad from?
Vlad is a supporting character in Anastasia, which opened on Broadway in 2017.
Is Vlad a lead or supporting role?
Vlad is a supporting role, one of the con men who trains Anya.
Who wrote the music for Anastasia?
Stephen Flaherty composed the music, with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.
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