GOODNESS.
Let the record show – I had absolutely no intention of writing anything about Nastasha. Or Pierre. Or The Great Comet of 1812. I wasn’t there in a work capacity. I was just there to see the show. I was on a date with my boyfriend. It was pure leisure.
But OH! What an evening.
And alas, here we are, me typing away at my keyboard. Trying to come up with the words that encapsulate this show.
Celestial. Wild. Unlike anything I’ve ever seen on Broadway. And it’s a must see for theater goers everywhere!
For those of you that don’t know, Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 is written by Dave Malloy (I’m talking music, lyrics, book, AND orchestrations) and is adapted from War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
Vocally, it’s stunning. The cast is led by Denée Benton and Josh Groban, (who are both making their Broadway debuts), and they are joined by Brittain Ashford as Sonya, Gelsey Bell as Princess Mary, Nicholas Belton as Bolkonsky/Andrey, Nick Choksi as Dolokhov, Amber Gray as Helene, Grace McLean as Marya D, Paul Pinto as Balaga, Scott Stangland as Pierre (standby), and Lucas Steele as Anatole. The ensemble includes Sumayya Ali, Courtney Bassett, Josh Canfield, Ken Clark, Erica Dorfler, Lulu Fall, Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Paloma Garcia-Lee, Nick Gaswirth, Alex Gibson, Billy Joe Kiessling, Mary Spencer Knapp, Reed Luplau, Brandt Martinez, Andrew Mayer, Azudi Onyejekwe, Pearl Rhein, Heath Saunders, Ani Taj, Cathryn Wake, Katrina Yaukey, and Lauren Zakrin.
Each and every one of these performances is a treasure, and while the show is vocally stunning, visually, it’s in a category all in itself.
Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 is an immersive musical. The action happens all around you, and what they’ve done with the design of the Imperial Theatre is practically a character in the show. The walls are draped in red velvet and donned with photographs, hundreds of lightbulbs and chandeliers hang from the ceiling. (The lighting design by Bradley King provided a stunning layer to the story and the decadence of the theatre, and was one of my favorite parts.) There is no stage – the action happens everywhere. In the aisles, on the seats, right up next to you (if you’re lucky.)
The staging is pure brilliance, and the captain of this ship, Rachel Chavkin, is now my new hero. For to move something so beautifully whereas the entire theatre feels as though they’re part of the story is something of a superhero directing skill. It was unbelievable.
If you’re looking for a theatrical experience that is unlike any other – I’d highly recommend going to Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812. Tickets are available here.