Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812.jpg
The Great Comet
Music Dave Malloy
LyricsDave Malloy
Book Dave Malloy
Basis War and Peace
by Leo Tolstoy
PremiereOctober 1, 2012 (2012-10-01): Ars Nova, New York City
Productions2013 Off-Broadway
2015 Massachusetts
2016 Broadway
2024 London
Awards Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theater
Nominated for 2017 Tony Award for Best Musical

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (or simply The Great Comet) is a sung-through musical adaptation of a 70-page segment from Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel War and Peace . The show was written by composer, lyricist, playwright, orchestrator Dave Malloy and originally directed by Rachel Chavkin. It is based on Part 8 of Tolstoy's novel, focusing on Natasha's romance with Anatole and Pierre's search for meaning in his life. [1]

Contents

The musical originally ran at the Ars Nova in 2012, followed by 2013 stagings in both the Meatpacking District and the Theater District of Manhattan, a 2014 Spanish-language staging in Quito, Ecuador, and a 2015 remounting at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Great Comet premiered on Broadway in November 2016 at the Imperial Theatre, and closed in September 2017.

The original Off-Broadway production of the show had Phillipa Soo and Dave Malloy playing the roles of Natasha Rostova and Pierre Bezukhov respectively. Once the show was taken to Broadway, Denée Benton and Josh Groban made their Broadway debuts in the roles of Natasha and Pierre.

The musical received positive reviews, particularly for Phillipa Soo, Denée Benton, and Josh Groban's leading performances, as well as for the production's score, direction, and scenic design. The show was nominated for 12 awards – the highest number of nominations in the season – for the 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical for Benton, Best Actor in a Musical for Groban, Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Lucas Steele, and Best Direction of a Musical for Chavkin. It won two awards: Best Scenic Design for Mimi Lien and Best Lighting Design in a Musical for Bradley King.

Synopsis

Act I

The musical starts in 1812, Moscow, Russia, by introducing the characters ("Prologue"). The audience is then introduced to Pierre Bezukhov, a depressed, unhappily married man who feels he is wasting his life ("Pierre"). He is a good friend of Andrey Bolkonsky, who is away fighting in the war. Andrey has recently become engaged to Natasha Rostova. Natasha and her cousin, Sonya Rostova, arrive in Moscow to visit Natasha’s godmother, Marya Dmitrievna, and wait for Andrey to come home ("Moscow"). Natasha is to meet her future in-laws, Andrey’s sister, the lonely Mary Bolkonskaya, and his father, the old Prince Bolkonsky who are trapped in a hateful co-existence ("The Private and Intimate Life of the House"). However, their meeting ends in disaster, as Natasha finds Mary cold and Mary finds Natasha vain, with Bolkonsky behaving bizarrely and dismissing Natasha ("Natasha & Bolkonskys"). Natasha leaves, missing Andrey more than ever and recalls the time they first met ("No One Else").

The next night, Natasha watches an opera with Sonya and Marya. Natasha catches the eye of Pierre's brother-in-law Anatole Kuragin, a notorious rogue and womaniser ("The Opera"). Anatole visits Natasha in her box to flirt and leaves her with feelings she has never experienced before ("Natasha & Anatole").

Anatole arrives home after the opera and goes out drinking with his friend, Fedya Dolokhov, and Pierre. They are met by Hélène Bezukhova, the unfaithfully promiscuous wife of Pierre and shamelessly suggestive sister of Anatole. Anatole lusts for Natasha, although it is revealed he is already married. Hélène flirts with Dolokhov, who taunts Pierre by raising a toast to "married women and their lovers". A drunk Pierre finds Dolokhov's behaviour insulting and challenges him to a duel. Pierre accidentally wounds Dolokhov and Dolokhov, despite being a renowned crack shot, miraculously misses him. Before they all leave, Anatole asks Hélène to invite Natasha to a ball that evening and she agrees ("The Duel"). They leave Pierre, who reflects on his near-death experience and realizes that despite wasting his life, he wishes to live and find love ("Dust and Ashes").

The next morning, as Natasha is preparing for church, she is confused about her feelings for Anatole at the opera and questions whether they mean she has betrayed Andrey, fearing that something may stop them from being together ("Sunday Morning"). Later that day, Hélène visits Natasha and invites her to the ball, praising her beauty, and Natasha agrees to attend. Hélène privately revels in the scandalous idea of her brother and Natasha getting together ("Charming").

That night at the ball, Natasha is met by Anatole, and they dance. Anatole professes his love to Natasha, who tries to tell him that she is already engaged. Ignoring this, Anatole kisses Natasha, leading her to fall in love with him in return ("The Ball").

Act II

After his duel with Dolokhov, Pierre begins studying to search for enlightenment. Natasha is further torn between her feelings for both Andrey and Anatole ("Letters"). Sonya discovers letters between Natasha and Anatole and learns of their relationship. She confronts Natasha and desperately explains her distrust of Anatole, but Natasha bursts out in anger at her and leaves. Natasha writes to Mary and breaks off her engagement with Andrey ("Sonya & Natasha"). Alone, Sonya reflects on her love for her cousin and her determination to save her, even if she will lose her closest friend ("Sonya Alone").

That evening, Anatole and Dolokhov prepare for an elopement between Anatole and Natasha. Dolokhov attempts to change Anatole's mind, but is unsuccessful ("Preparations"). Balaga, their troika driver, arrives to take them to Natasha's house where they will retrieve her before departing ("Balaga"). When they arrive at Natasha's house, citizens of Moscow are there to bid their goodbyes to Anatole and Natasha, but are thwarted at the last moment by Marya ("The Abduction").

Marya scolds Natasha, who then reveals to Marya and Sonya that she broke off her engagement with Andrey and reaffirms her love for Anatole, whom she still believes is unmarried. Natasha screams at Marya and Sonya and bursts into tears as she waits all night for Anatole ("In My House"). Marya calls on Pierre in the middle of the night and explains the situation to him, begging him to handle the crisis. Pierre tells Marya that Anatole is already married ("A Call to Pierre"). Pierre, outraged, searches Moscow for Anatole while Marya and Sonya tell a grief-stricken Natasha that Anatole is already married. Pierre eventually finds Anatole at Hélène’s house ("Find Anatole"). Pierre, close to violence, orders Anatole to leave Moscow and burn all his correspondence with Natasha. A terrified Anatole agrees, but manages to squeeze travelling money out of Pierre in the process ("Pierre & Anatole"). Natasha attempts to take her own life by poisoning herself with arsenic, but lives ("Natasha Very Ill").

The next day, Andrey returns home from the war and is disoriented about the refusal of marriage he received from Natasha, which he asks Pierre about. Pierre explains the scandal to him and pleads with him to be compassionate, but Andrey is unable to forgive Natasha and cold-heartedly tells Pierre that he will not ask for her hand in marriage again ("Pierre and Andrey"). Pierre visits a shattered Natasha, meeting her for the first time, and comforts her. During their conversation he expresses if he were the best man on Earth and if he were free he would gladly marry her, giving her hope ("Pierre & Natasha"). After their meeting, Pierre experiences a moment of enlightenment as he watches the Great Comet of 1812 soar across the night sky ("The Great Comet of 1812").

Music

The score, written and orchestrated by Malloy, merges Russian folk and classical music with indie rock and EDM influences. The piece, described by Malloy as an "electropop opera," is sung-through, with just one line of spoken dialogue coming in Pierre and Natasha's only scene together. [2] On stage, nearly all of the actors play musical instruments augmenting the show's orchestra. Pierre plays the accordion briefly, and plays large sections of the score on the orchestra's piano. [3]

The libretto contains many passages taken word-for-word from Aylmer and Louise Maude's 1922 translation of Tolstoy's novel. [4]

Musical numbers

Note: An aria for Natasha, "Natasha Lost", was cut during the Broadway production but is included on the original cast recording between number 8 ("Natasha & Anatole") and number 9 ("The Duel"). "Dust and Ashes" was added for the A.R.T. production. In 2020, Malloy released a song titled "Epilogue", a solo for Pierre after the finale that wasn't a part of the original musical. [5] [6]

Productions

Off-Off-Broadway

Ars Nova

The musical premiered on October 16, 20s12, at Ars Nova. Directed by Rachel Chavkin [7] the show was staged as an immersive production, with action happening around and among the audience. The set designed by Mimi Lien and lights by Bradley King transformed Ars Nova into a Russian supper club. The creative team was completed by Paloma Young as costume designer, Matt Hubbs as sound designer, and Dave Malloy as musical director. The cast included Malloy as Pierre, Phillipa Soo as Natasha, Lucas Steele as Anatole, Amber Gray as Hélène, Brittain Ashford as Sonya, Manik Choksi as Dolokhov, Gelsey Bell as Mary, Amelia Workman as Marya, Blake DeLong as Andrey/Old Prince Bolkonsky and Paul Pinto (who also served as associate music director) as Balaga. The show was the first production of Ars Nova to ever transfer to Broadway.

Off-Broadway

Kazino

On May 16, 2013, the show opened in the Meatpacking District at Kazino, [8] a temporary structure designed as an opulent Russian club, where the immersive production was staged, again by the same creative team. The cast reprised their roles, except Choksi, now replaced by Ian Lassiter (who temporarily took over the role for a month after which Choksi returned), and Workman, replaced by Grace McLean. Malloy left the cast on June 21 and was temporarily replaced by Luke Holloway. David Abeles then took over the role of Pierre on July 9, 2013. The show closed on September 1, 2013. [9]

The show opened for a 14-week limited engagement starting on September 24, 2013 at the Kazino and moved to the Theater District, with the final cast of the previous production: Bell was replaced by Shaina Taub (Katrina Yaukey later took over the role from Taub on February 4) and Pinto was replaced by Ashkon Davaran. On December 10, 2013, the two-disc cast recording was released. The show was extended and ran until March 2, 2014. [10]

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.)

The team behind the original production remounted the show at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with performances beginning December 6, 2015 to January 3, 2016. [11] Now expanded to a proscenium stage, the set put some of the audience onstage. Scott Stangland took over the role of Pierre, Denée Benton starred as Natasha, Lilli Cooper portrayed Hélène, and Nicholas Belton played Andrey/Old Prince Bolkonsky. The rest of the cast reprised their roles.

Broadway

The Broadway production at the Imperial Theatre began previews on October 18, 2016 and opened on November 14, 2016, starring Josh Groban as Pierre and Denée Benton as Natasha, both making their Broadway debuts. The remainder of the cast featured Lucas Steele as Anatole, Brittain Ashford as Sonya, Amber Gray as Hélène, Grace McLean as Marya, Manik Choksi as Dolokhov, Gelsey Bell as Princess Mary, Nicholas Belton as Andrey/Old Prince Bolkonsky, Paul Pinto as Balaga, and Scott Stangland as the standby for Pierre. The production had choreography by Sam Pinkleton, sets by Mimi Lien, costumes by Paloma Young, lights by Bradley King, sound by Nicholas Pope and music direction by Or Matias. [12] [13] With sets similar to the A.R.T. remounting, the production took the proscenium stage, but removed almost 200 seats from the audience to accommodate the design. Again, the options of stage seats, in banquettes or dining tables, were available. The Broadway production cost about $14 million to stage, most of which was not recouped. [14] In July 2017, Hamilton alum Okieriete Onaodowan took over the role of Pierre, singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson took over the role of Sonya and Courtney Bassett took over the role of Princess Mary, both for temporary engagements. [15] On August 15, Stangland temporarily took over the role of Pierre and Ashford returned to the role of Sonya. On August 22, Bell returned to the role of Princess Mary and Dave Malloy took over the role of Pierre for the remainder of the Broadway run.

The Broadway production played its final performance on September 3, 2017, having played 32 previews and 336 performances. [16]

London

On 25 June 2024, it was announced that The Great Comet would have its United Kingdom premiere at London’s Donmar Warehouse from 9 December 2024 to 8 February 2025. The show was directed by Timothy Sheader and choreographed by Ellen Kane. [17] Sheader said this production would return the show to its Ars Nova roots, with a cast of 12 and band of 10 (as opposed to the Broadway edition, which had a cast of 33). [18] On 17 October, the cast was announced with Jamie Muscato, Declan Bennett and Chumisa Dornford-May starring as Anatole, Pierre and Natasha, respectively. Also featured in the cast are Cedric Neal as Balaga, Daniel Krikler as Dolokhov, Eugene McCoy as Prince Bolkonsky/Andrey, Annette McLaughlin as Marya, Maimuna Memon as Sonya, Cat Simmons as Helene and Chloe Saracco as Princess Mary. [19]

The production opened officially on 16 December to rave reviews, with critics particularly praising the strength of the cast and originality of the material.

United States Regional

The Capital City Theatre of Madison, Wisconsin staged the musical from June 3-12, 2022. [20] The West Coast premiere occurred in the fall of 2022 with the Shotgun Players in Berkeley, California. [21]

The Great Comet returned to the Loeb Drama Center, home of the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, under the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club in April 2023.

The Idaho Shakespeare Festival staged ‘The Great Comet’ in August of 2023.

The Great Lakes Theater, Cleveland, Ohio, staged The Great Comet in September and October 2023 with Chris McCarrell as Anatole. [22]

The Horizon Theatre Company, Atlanta, Georgia, staged The Great Comet in October and November 2023. [23]

The Zach Theatre in Austin, Texas, staged The Great Comet in January-March 2024. [24]

The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities in Arvada, Colorado staged The Great Comet in February-March 2024. [25]

Seacoast Repertory Theatre, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, staged The Great Comet in March and April 2024. [26]

Cygnet Theatre, San Diego, California, staged The Great Comet in April and May 2024. [27]

Pioneer Theatre Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, staged The Great Comet in May 2024 starring Ali Ewoldt as Natasha and Kevin Earley as Pierre [28]

Writers Theatre of Glencoe, Illinois, staged The Great Comet from September through November 2024 starring Aurora Penepacker as Natasha and Evan Tyrone Martin as Pierre. [29]

International

The show had its international premiere in Quito, Ecuador in September 2014, in a Spanish-language production produced by Teatro Parapluie.

A Brazilian production opened in August 2018, in Portuguese, with Bruna Guerin as Natasha, André Frateschi as Pierre and Gabriel Leone as Anatole. The production won the Prêmio Reverência popular vote Award for "Best Musical."

A Japanese production, helmed by the entertainment company Toho, opened at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre on January 5, 2019 and ran through January 27, 2019. It starred Nogizaka46's Erika Ikuta as Natasha and Yoshio Inoue as Pierre. [30]

The Korean production ran from March 2021 until May 2021, starring Haena and Jung Eun-ji as Natasha, and Hong Kwang-ho and K.will as Pierre. [31] In 2024, the production returned to Korea featuring Lee Jisoo, Yoo Yeon-jung, and Park Soobin as Natasha, and Ha Do-kwon, K.Will, and Julian Jootaek Kim as Pierre. [32]

Variety also reported that productions in London and Korea were under discussion, with additional interest in China and the Philippines. [33]

The Canadian premiere produced by Musical Stage Co. and Crow's Theatre was set to run from January 26 to February 14, 2021 at the Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto, [34] but was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent shutdown of theaters. [35] It was rescheduled for December 5, 2023 to March 24, 2024 at the Crow's Theatre. [36] In summer 2025, it will transfer to the Royal Alexandra Theatre. [37]

The European premiere was in February 2023 at the Landestheater in Linz, Austria. [38]

The Australian premiere was mounted by the Darlinghurst Theatre Company, running at the Eternity Playhouse from 7 July to 20 August 2023. [39] Reviews were positive, citing the staging and diverse casting. [40]

The Chinese premiere ran from December 2023 to March 2024 at the Nine Trees Future Art Center and the Bank of Communications Qiantan 31 Performing Arts Center with Cooper Grodin starring as Pierre. [41]

A New Zealand production, produced by WITCH Music Theatre, opened at the Hannah Playhouse Theatre, Wellington in April 2024. [42]

Characters

Character [43] Description [44]
Countess Natasha Rostova "Natasha is young": A nineteen-year-old ingenue who is innocent, doe-eyed, and profoundly, lethally romantic. She is betrothed to Andrey and loves him dearly. She goes to Moscow under the care of her godmother, Marya D., with her cousin and best friend Sonya. During her first three days there, she meets Anatole Kuragin and falls in love with him.
Pierre Bezukhov "Dear, bewildered, and awkward Pierre... rich, unhappily married Pierre": The illegitimate son of a Russian aristocratic family. Socially awkward with a melancholy streak, he is an outsider in society despite his wealth. He is a good friend of Andrey and keeps an eye on Natasha for him while he is away at war.
Anatole Kuragin "Anatole is hot": An aristocratic, seductive hedonist, who "spends his money on women and wine," and sees no needs except his own. He is the brother of Hélène and friend of Dolokhov. During the course of the show, he meets Natasha at the Opera and immediately wants her, despite her engagement and him being already married to a woman in Poland.
Sonya Rostova "Sonya is good, Natasha's cousin and closest friend": She is fiercely dedicated to her cousin and will do anything and everything to keep her safe.
Marya Dmitriyevna Akhrosimova"Marya is old-school, a grand dame of Moscow": She is Natasha's godmother, an old friend of Pierre, and a very strict but kind woman. Natasha and Sonya go to live with her during their time in the city of Moscow. She loves Natasha very much and tries to help and protect her, especially when Natasha makes the mistake of falling for Anatole and breaks off her engagement with Andrey.
Hélène Kuragina Bezukhova "Hélène is a slut": Anatole's sister, who married Pierre for money. She is highly sexualized and dedicated to her brother.
Fedya Dolokhov"Dolokhov is fierce, but not too important": An extremely talented marksman. He is Anatole's closest friend and participates in his pleasure-loving lifestyle. He is having an alleged affair with Hélène.
Prince Andrey Bolkonsky "Andrey isn't here": He is a good friend of Pierre and betrothed to Natasha. He is fighting in the war for much of the show. He is serious and bitter.
Old Prince Nikolay Bolkonsky"Old Prince Bolkonsky is crazy": and suffering from many age-related ailments. He is taken care of by his daughter Mary, but he torments her regardless.
Princess Mary Bolkonskaya "Mary is plain": the daughter of Bolkonsky and Andrey's sister. She lives at home with her father as his carer, where she is tormented and abused by him. She is confined to the home and has no friends.
Balaga"Balaga's just for fun": He's a famous troika driver, and assists Anatole in his plot for eloping with Natasha. He is wild and mystical.

(Lines in quotations are lyrics from the opening song, "Prologue," which introduces the characters) [45]

Original principal casts

CharacterArs NovaOff-BroadwayBroadwayOff-West End
2012201320162024
Natasha Rostova Phillipa Soo Denée Benton Chumisa
Dornford-May
Pierre Bezukhov Dave Malloy Josh Groban Declan Bennett
Anatole Kuragin Lucas Steele Jamie Muscato
Sonya Rostova Brittain Ashford Maimuna Memon
Marya Dmitriyevna
Akhrosimova		Amelia Workman Grace McLean Annette McLaughlin
Hélène Kuragina
Bezukhova 		Amber Gray Cat Simmons
Fedya DolokhovManik ChoksiDaniel Krikler
Andrey Bolkonsky Blake DeLong Nicholas BeltonEugene McCoy
Old Prince Bolkonsky
Princess Mary
Bolkonskaya 		Gelsey Bell Chloe Saracco
BalagaPaul PintoCedric Neal

Notable Replacements

Off-Broadway (2013-14)

Broadway (2016-17)

Critical response

The piece was very well received by the New York press. Charles Isherwood in The New York Times called it "a vibrant, transporting new musical," and both Times theater critics included the show on their Best of the Year lists. [51] The Times' classical critic, Anthony Tommasini, called it "a breathless, roughish and ravishing quasi-opera. This is a pastiche score of a cavalier sort. Mr. Malloy lifts styles with such abandon, making willful shifts – from punk riffs to agitated Broadway ballads, mock-pompous recitative to gritty Russian folk songs or drinking choruses with klezmer clarinets – that you lose track of what is being appropriated and really don't care." [52] Time Out New York gave the piece five out of five stars, and also included it on both critics' Best of lists, stating "this is theater like no other in New York. It grounds you and transports you at once, and leaves you beaming with pleasure.” [53]

Onaodowan/Patinkin controversy

Josh Groban played his final performance in the Broadway production on July 2, 2017. Okieriete Onaodowan assumed the role of Pierre on July 11; he was supposed to begin performances on July 3 but needed more time to prepare. The show's creator and former Pierre, Dave Malloy, played the role from July 3 to 9. [54] Onaodowan's performance was well received, but the show continued to struggle financially with the departure of Groban. The producers attempted to bring in Broadway legend [55] Mandy Patinkin to boost ticket sales and prevent the show from closing. On July 26, 2017, a day before the official announcement, the website Broadway Black broke the news that Patinkin was set to replace Onaodowan as Pierre for three weeks, cutting Onoadowan's run short by a couple of weeks due to Patinkin's busy schedule. [56]

Many fans and actors were angered by this casting decision because Patinkin is white, and Onaodowan is black. A Twitter campaign was begun by Rafael Casal, a friend of Onaodowan's, who coined the hashtag #makeroomforoak. [57] Patinkin withdrew from the show two days later, stating: "I hear what members of the community have said and I agree with them. I am a huge fan of Oak ... and I will, therefore, not be appearing in the show." [58] Pierre standby Scott Stangland played Pierre for the first week after Onaodowan’s departure. [49] Malloy then assumed the role of Pierre for the remainder of the run. The show closed a little over a month later, on September 3, 2017, citing this controversy and the declining ticket sales. [59]

Awards and nominations

Original Off-Broadway production

Sources: TheaterMania [60] Internet Off-Broadway Database [61] Village Voice [62]

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2013 Obie Award [63] Special Citations Dave Malloy & Rachel Chavkin Won
Drama League Award [64] Distinguished Performance Award Phillipa Soo Nominated
Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway MusicalNominated
Drama Desk Award [65] Outstanding Musical Nominated
Outstanding Music Dave Malloy Nominated
Outstanding Lyrics Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Musical Rachel Chavkin Nominated
Outstanding Costume Design Paloma YoungNominated
Off-Broadway Alliance Awards [66] Best New MusicalWon
2014 Lucille Lortel Award [67] Outstanding MusicalNominated
Outstanding Director Rachel Chavkin Nominated
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical Phillipa Soo Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Lucas Steele Won
Blake DeLong Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Brittain Ashford Nominated
Shaina Taub Nominated
Outstanding Scenic Design Mimi Lien Won
Outstanding Costume DesignPaloma YoungWon
Outstanding Lighting Design Bradley King Nominated
Outstanding Sound DesignMatt HubbsNominated

Original Cambridge production

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2016 Elliot Norton Award [68] [69] Outstanding Musical Production by a Large TheatreWon
Outstanding Design, Large TheatreWon
Outstanding Director, Large Theatre Rachel Chavkin Won
Outstanding Performance by an Actor Lucas Steele Nominated
Scott Stangland Won
Outstanding Performance by an Actress Denée Benton Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble, Large TheatreNominated
IRNE Awards [70] Outstanding New PlayWon
Best Set Design Mimi Lien Won
Best Costume DesignPaloma YoungWon
Best Lighting Design Bradley King Won
Best Sound DesignMatt HubbsWon
Best Actor in a Musical Scott Stangland Won
Best Actress in a Musical Denée Benton Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Brittain Ashford Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical Lucas Steele Nominated
Best Director of a Musical Rachel Chavkin Won
Best MusicalWon

Original Broadway production

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2017 Tony Awards [71] Best Musical Nominated
Best Book of a Musical Dave Malloy Nominated
Best Original Score Nominated
Best Orchestrations Nominated
Best Actor in a Musical Josh Groban Nominated
Best Actress in a Musical Denée Benton Nominated
Best Featured Actor in a Musical Lucas Steele Nominated
Best Scenic Design in a Musical Mimi Lien Won
Best Costume Design in a Musical Paloma YoungNominated
Best Lighting Design in a Musical Bradley King Won
Best Direction of a Musical Rachel Chavkin Nominated
Best Choreography Sam Pinkleton Nominated
Drama Desk Awards [72] Outstanding Director of a Musical Rachel Chavkin Won
Outstanding Set Design Mimi Lien Won
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical Bradley King Won
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical Nicholas PopeWon
Drama League Award [73] Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway MusicalNominated
Distinguished Performance Award Denée Benton Nominated
Josh Groban Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award [74] [75] Outstanding Set Design Mimi Lien Won
Outstanding Lighting Design Bradley King Won
Outstanding Sound DesignNicholas PopeNominated
Theatre World Award [76] Denée Benton Honoree
Josh Groban Honoree
Amber Gray Honoree
Dave Malloy Special Award Honoree
Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography [77] [78] Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway ShowWon
ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus [79] Sumayya Ali, Courtney Bassett, Josh Canfield, Kennedy Caughell, Ken Clark, Erica Dorfler, Lulu Fall, Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Paloma Garcia-Lee, Nick Gaswirth, Alex Gibson, Billy Joe Kiessling, Mary Spencer Knapp, Blaine Alden Krauss, Reed Luplau, Brandt Martinez, Andrew Mayer, Mary Page Nance, Shoba Narayan, Azudi Onyejekwe, Pearl Rhein, Celia Mei Rubin, Heath Saunders, Ani Taj, Cathryn Wake, Katrina Yaukey, and Lauren Zakrin Recipient
Extraordinary Excellence in Diversity [80] Recipient
Smithsonian Ingenuity Award History Award Dave Malloy & Rachel Chavkin Won

Recordings

On December 10, 2013 Ghostlight Records released a two-disc cast album of the entire score. The cast featured Dave Malloy as Pierre, Phillipa Soo as Natasha, Lucas Steele as Anatole, Brittain Ashford as Sonya, Manik Choksi as Dolokhov, Grace McLean as Marya D, Amber Gray as Hélène, Blake DeLong as Andrey/Old Prince Bolkonsky, Gelsey Bell as Princess Mary, and Paul Pinto as Balaga. [81] Later, another disc containing highlights from the show was released.

The original Broadway cast recording was released on May 19, 2017 on Reprise Records. It went on to chart at number 87 on the Billboard 200 chart, number 26 on the Top Album Sales chart, and number 23 on the Digital Albums chart.

Book

On November 22, 2016 the book Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812: The Journey of a New Musical to Broadway was released. The book, edited and compiled by Steven Suskin, includes interviews with many of the original cast members, as well as the annotated script and photos of both the Kazino and Broadway casts. The book also includes a CD with five songs from the show: three from the original cast recording, and two featuring Josh Groban and a 25 piece orchestra.

Notes

  1. ↑ Dave Malloy alternated in the role with Josh Groban as Pierre from May 4 to June 27 and portrayed the role as principal actor from July 3 to 9. He portrayed the role for the final 2 weeks of the run from August 22 to September 3.
  2. ↑ Okieriete Onaodowan took over the role of Pierre from Dave Malloy on July 11, 2017. He was originally contracted to star until September 3. However, his run ended early on August 13.
  3. ↑ After performing the role at the American Repertory Theatre, Scott Stangland served as the Pierre standby from the Broadway opening to August 13. He then took over the role from Onaodowan as principal actor from August 15 to 20, 2017. He then continued serving as the standby performing twice before the show closed.
  4. ↑ Ingrid Michaelson temporarily replaced Brittain Ashford as Sonya from July 4 through August 13. Ashford returned to the role August 15.

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War and Peace is a 1956 epic historical drama film based on Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel of the same name. It is directed and co-written by King Vidor and produced by Dino De Laurentiis and Carlo Ponti for Paramount Pictures. The film stars Audrey Hepburn as Natasha, Henry Fonda as Pierre, and Mel Ferrer as Andrei, along with Vittorio Gassman, Herbert Lom, Oskar Homolka, Anita Ekberg in one of her first breakthrough roles, Helmut Dantine, Barry Jones, Anna Maria Ferrero, Milly Vitale and Jeremy Brett. The musical score was composed by Nino Rota and conducted by Franco Ferrara.

Prince Andrei Nikolayevich Bolkonsky is a fictional character in Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel War and Peace. He is the son of famed Russian general Nikolai Bolkonsky, who raises Andrei and his sister Maria Bolkonskaya on a remote estate. Andrei is best friends with Pierre Bezukhov.

Sofya Alexandrovna "Sonya" is a character in Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel War and Peace, and in Sergey Prokofiev's 1955 opera War and Peace and Dave Malloy's 2012 musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 based on it. She is the orphaned niece of Count and Countess Rostov. Although sometimes called Sonya Rostova, it is not clear if that is her surname or not; the novel does not say. Alexandrovna is a patronymic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louise Pitre</span> Canadian actress in musical theatre (born 1957)

Louise Pitre is a Canadian actress in musical theatre. She performs on Broadway and in Canada. She is best known for her role as Donna Sheridan in the ABBA-themed musical Mamma Mia!, which earned her a 2002 Tony Award nomination.

Lauren Ashley Zakrin is an American musical theatre actress. She was a finalist in MTV's Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods, coming in fourth place overall. She has appeared on Broadway, as well as in national tours and regional theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Malloy</span> American composer and actor

Dave Malloy is an American composer, playwright, lyricist, singer, orchestrator, and actor. He has written several theatrical works, often based on classic works of literature. His most well known work is the Tony Award winning Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, an electropop opera based on War and Peace. His other works include Ghost Quartet, a song cycle about "love, death, and whiskey"; Preludes, a musical fantasia set in the mind of romantic composer Sergei Rachmaninoff; Octet, a chamber choir musical about internet addiction; and Moby-Dick, an adaptation of Herman Melville's classic novel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Chavkin</span> American theatre director

Rachel Chavkin is an American stage director best known for directing the musicals Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 and Hadestown, receiving nominations for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for both and winning for Hadestown in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Okieriete Onaodowan</span> Nigerian-American actor

Okieriete "Oak" Onaodowan is an American actor and singer known for his work in musical theatre and television. On the stage, he's known for originating the dual roles of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in the 2015 Broadway musical Hamilton. He starred in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 as Pierre Bezukhov on Broadway in 2017. On television, he's known for the role of Dean Miller in the ABC drama and Grey's Anatomy spin-off series, Station 19. He also appeared in the main role of Ade in the Amazon Prime Video series Jack Ryan. He returned to Broadway in 2023 as Nills Krogstead in A Doll's House.

Lucas Steele is an American stage actor, violinist and singer best known for his role as Anatole Kuragin in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denée Benton</span> American actress and singer (born 1991)

Denée Ayana Benton is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her performance as Natasha Rostova in the 2016 musical Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 on Broadway, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. Benton’s other Broadway credits include the role of Eliza Hamilton in Hamilton (2018) and the role of Cinderella in Into the Woods (2022). Her television acting credits include UnREAL and The Gilded Age.

Brittain Ashford is an American actress, singer and songwriter best known for portraying Sonya Rostova in the 2016 Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and her performance in the original cast of Ghost Quartet. She also fronts the band Prairie Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">71st Tony Awards</span> 2017 awards ceremony

The 71st Annual Tony Awards were held on June 11, 2017, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2016–17 season. The ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and was broadcast live by CBS. Kevin Spacey served as host.

Gelsey Bell is an American singer, songwriter, and actress, best known for her experimental music, as well as her portrayal of Princess Mary in the 2016 Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 and her performance in the original cast of Ghost Quartet.

Grace McLean is an American actress, playwright, composer and singer. She is known for her roles in various Broadway and off-Broadway productions such as Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Bad Cinderella, Suffs, Bedbugs, Alice by Heart, and In The Green, the latter of which she wrote. She is also known for her work as a music educator and for fronting the band Grace McLean and Them Apples. Her debut full-length album My Lovely Enemy was released on May 10, 2024.

Scott Stangland is an American actor and singer. He's most well known for his performances as Eamon in Once and Pierre Bezukhov in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, both on Broadway. For the latter performance, he won an Elliot Norton Award and IRNE Award in the pre-Broadway run at the A.R.T. When Great Comet transferred to the Imperial Theatre, singer-songwriter Josh Groban took over the role of Pierre and Stangland became the standby. However, later in the run, he took over the role for a temporary stint in between the runs of Okieriete Onaodowan and the show's creator, Dave Malloy.

References

  1. ↑ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (October 17, 2012). "Over the Moon For Comet". The NY Post. New York.
  2. ↑ Clarke, David. "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (Original Cast Recording) is Astonishingly Complex", Broadway World, December 22, 2013, accessed April 7, 2014
  3. ↑ Amodio, Joseph V. (January 17, 2017). "Josh Groban talks Broadway debut in Great Comet of 1812". Newsday . Archived from the original on March 12, 2017.
  4. ↑ Original Cast Recording [CD booklet]. New York: Sh-k-boom Records.
  5. ↑ McHenry, Jackson (February 10, 2020). "Watch Josh Groban and Dave Malloy Perform an Epilogue to The Great Comet". Vulture.
  6. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812: "Epilogue" by Dave Malloy". December 4, 2020 – via YouTube.
  7. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812". ARS NOVA. 2016-03-29. Archived from the original on 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2017-01-25.
  8. ↑ "Richard Rodgers Award-Winning Musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Opens May 16 at NYC's Kazino | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2017-01-25.
  9. 1 2 "Once's David Abeles Will Join Off-Broadway's Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 | Playbill".
  10. 1 2 "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 Brings Russian Romance to the Theater District for a New Limited Run". Broadway.com.
  11. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 | A.R.T." americanrepertorytheater.org. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  12. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Will Play the Imperial", Playbill, March 7, 2016. accessed March 7, 2016.
  13. ↑ Isherwood, Charles. "Review: Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, on the Heels of Hamilton" The New York Times, November 14, 2016
  14. ↑ Paulson, Michael (2017-08-29). "Race, Money and Broadway: How 'Great Comet' Burned Out". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  15. ↑ "The Great Comet Alights with New Stars Okieriete Onaodowan & Ingrid Michaelson". Broadway.com.
  16. ↑ Lefkowitz, Andy (2017-08-08). "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 Will Close on Broadway; Creator Dave Malloy to Rejoin Cast". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
  17. ↑ "The Great Comet Will Get U.K. Debut at Donmar Warehouse | Playbill".
  18. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 to Have UK Premiere This Winter - TheaterMania.com". June 25, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 cast announced for London premiere | West End Theatre". www.westendtheatre.com. October 17, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Capital City Theatre presents Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812". Capital City Theatre. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  21. ↑ "Dave Malloy Makes a Special Announcement". YouTube. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  22. ↑ "natasha-pierre-and-the-great-comet-of-1812-at-great-lakes-theater-is-mandatory-viewing-even-if-it-defies-easy-description". Clevescene. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  23. ↑ "'Comet'-presents-sexy-parts-of-Tolstoy-in-constellation-of-musical-talent". Artsatl. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  24. ↑ Martinez, Caesar. "2023-24 Season". ZACH Theatre. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  25. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812". Arvada Center. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  26. ↑ "2024 Mainstage Season - Seacoast Repertory Theatre". Seacoast Repertory Theatre. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  27. ↑ Fernandes, Manny (July 21, 2021). "Cygnet Theatre presents Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812". Cygnet Theatre.
  28. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812". Pioneer Theatre Company. April 1, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 | Writers Theatre". www.writerstheatre.org. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  30. ↑ Hershberg, Marc. "The Great Comet to Rise Again in Tokyo". Forbes. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  31. ↑ "Musical: Great Comet".
  32. ↑ "'Great Comet' blazes back to Seoul with Shownu, Leo". koreatimes. 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
  33. ↑ "What's Next for 'Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812'". Variety. 20 February 2018.
  34. ↑ Nestruck, J. Kelly (18 February 2020). "Crow's and Musical Stage to combine forces for Canadian premiere of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at Winter Garden - The Globe and Mail". The Globe and Mail.
  35. ↑ "2020/21 Season Update - Streetcar Crowsnest".
  36. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812". Crow's Theatre. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  37. ↑ Wild, Stephi. "NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 Joins Mirvish Season". BroadwayWorld.com.
  38. ↑ "Landestheater Linz detail".
  39. ↑ Malloy, Dave. "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812". Darlinghurst Theatre Company. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  40. ↑ Le Cross, Allanah. "Review: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812". Time Out Australia. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  41. ↑ "Immersive Broadway musical 'The Great Comet' makes Asian debut in Shanghai". SHINE.
  42. ↑ "Broadway musical 'The Great Comet' makes New Zealand debut".
  43. ↑ "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 | Samuel French". Samuelfrench.com. Retrieved 2016-05-22.
  44. ↑ "Audition for NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 at Off Broadway Theatre TBA in New York on 01/25". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  45. ↑ "Dave Malloy (Ft. Dave Malloy & Phillipa Soo) – Prologue". Genius. Retrieved 2017-06-05.
  46. ↑ "The Great Comet Creator Dave Malloy Steps in for Josh Groban Starting May 4 | Playbill".
  47. 1 2 "'Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812' to Close on Broadway". The New York Times .
  48. ↑ Paulson, Michael (2017-02-15). "A Hamilton Star Is to Replace Josh Groban in Great Comet". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  49. 1 2 "Scott Stangland | Playbill".
  50. ↑ Henry, Alan (2017-08-02). "Brittain Ashford Confirms Great Comet Return; Who Will Play Pierre?". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  51. ↑ Isherwood, Charles. "Review", The New York Times, May 16, 2013
  52. ↑ Tommasini, Anthony. "Pastiche, Parody, Homage and Theft", The New York Times, May 22, 2014
  53. ↑ Feldman, Adam. "Review" Time Out New York, October 16, 2012
  54. ↑ Sblendorio, Marissa (2017-06-30). "Hamilton's Okieriete Onaodowan Will Make His Great Comet Debut on July 11". BroadwayWorld.com . Retrieved 2017-07-01.
  55. ↑ "Ask a Star: Broadway (and "Evita"!) Legends Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin". YouTube. January 22, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  56. ↑ "Okieriete "Oak" Onaodowan Departs The Great Comet; Mandy Patinkin Will Replace". broadwayblack.com. 26 July 2017. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  57. ↑ "What About Oak? GREAT COMET Producer Explains Okieriete Onaodowan's Exit". BroadwayWorld.com. 2017-07-26. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  58. ↑ Hetrick, Adam (July 28, 2017). "Mandy Patinkin Withdraws from Broadway's The Great Comet". Playbill.com. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  59. ↑ Paulson, Michael (29 August 2017). "Race, Money and Broadway: How Great Comet Burned Out". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  60. ↑ Levitt, Hayley. " 'Here Lies Love' and 'Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812' Break Lucille Lortel Award Records" theatermania.com, April 2, 2014
  61. ↑ " 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' Off-Broadway" lortel.org, accessed May 18, 2016
  62. ↑ "Obies" villagevoice.com, accessed May 18, 2016
  63. ↑ "2013 | Obie Awards". Obie Awards. Archived from the original on 2019-05-28. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  64. ↑ Miller, Gregory E. (2013-04-23). "2013 Drama League Awards nominations announced". New York Post. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  65. ↑ "The 58th Annual Drama Desk Award Winners Are Announced!". TheaterMania.com. 2013-05-19. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  66. ↑ "2013 OBA Awards – Off Broadway Alliance". Offbroadwayalliance.com. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  67. ↑ "2014 Nominations". Lortelaward.com. Archived from the original on 2014-05-08. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  68. ↑ "THEATER: 2016 ELLIOT NORTON AWARD NOMINATIONS!". Joyce's Choices. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  69. ↑ "Elliot Norton Awards". Elliot Norton Awards. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  70. ↑ Mancuso, Christina. "2016 IRNE Awards Winners Announced - THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, Jessie Mueller in WAITRESS, Abby Mueller in BEAUTIFUL and More!". BroadwayWorld.com.
  71. ↑ "The 2017 Tony Awards – And the Nominees Are... Complete List! NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 and HELLO, DOLLY! Lead Pack". BroadwayWorld.com. 2017-05-02. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  72. ↑ "2017 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  73. ↑ Cox, Gordon (2017-04-19). "Daniel Craig, Cate Blanchett, Allison Janney Nominated for Drama League Awards". Variety. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  74. ↑ "Outer Critics Circle Nominations Announced: Hello, Dolly!, Anastasia, Groundhog Day and More!". BroadwayWorld.com. 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-04-25.
  75. ↑ "Breaking News: HELLO, DOLLY! & COME FROM AWAY Top Outer Critics Circle Winners; Full List!". BroadwayWorld.com. 2017-05-08. Retrieved 2017-05-08.
  76. ↑ "Breaking: Stars from GREAT COMET, ANASTASIA, MISS SAIGON & More Earn 2017 Theatre World Awards!". BroadwayWorld.com. 2017-05-11. Retrieved 2017-05-11.
  77. ↑ "Bandstand, Cats, Holiday Inn, Sweet Charity Among 2017 Chita Rivera Award Nominees". BroadwayWorld.com. 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  78. ↑ Lefkowitz, Andy (2017-09-11). "Corbin Bleu, Megan Sikora & More Win Chita Rivera Awards". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  79. ↑ "Actors' Equity Association Honors GREAT COMET with Outstanding Broadway Chorus Award". BroadwayWorld.com. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  80. ↑ "A Doll's House, Part 2, Come From Away, Great Comet Receive Equity Diversity Award". TheaterMania.com. 2017-06-22. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  81. ↑ Gioia, Michael (September 24, 2013). "Two Disc Cast Album of Natasha Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Will Be Released in 2013". Playbill. New York.
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