Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
by Zach Theatre

Jan. 31 - Mar. 03
Wednesdays-Sundays

An electropop opera ripped from a slice of Tolstoy's War and Peace. From the celebrated and award-winning composer Dave Malloy comes Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, an electropop opera based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Young and impulsive, Natasha Rostova arrives in Moscow to await the return of her fiancé from the front lines. When she falls under the spell of the roguish Anatole, it is up to Pierre, a family friend in the middle of an existential crisis, to pick up the pieces of her shattered reputation. Following a critically exalted premiere at Ars Nova in New York City, a subsequent Off-Broadway transfer, and an acclaimed run on Broadway, this award-winning musical expands the possibilities for the genre with its daring score and bold storytelling.

 

Age Recommendation: 12 and up (for adult situations and some violence)

Review by Sabrina Wallace for Austin Broadway World, February 12, 2024

Review by Michael Barnes, Austin360 (Austin Statesman), February 14, 2024

 

 

ZACH Theatre announces the cast and creatives for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Central Texas premiere. Directed by DAVE STEAKLEY with musical direction by ALLEN ROBERTSON and choreography by JOSH ASSOR, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 brings a ZACH360 immersive musical experience with on stage seating January 31-March 3 to The Topfer at ZACH. 

The Tony Award®-winning new modern musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy is based on a scandalous slice of the epic novel “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy and has swept the world off its feet. The Topfer Theatre will transform into a 19^th century Russian nightclub with cabaret tables for a captivating surround experience of this electric pop-opera. 

ZACH360 provides dynamic immersive theatre experiences that are intimate, revelatory, and fun. Actors are in close proximity to the audience allowing for opportunities of active participation during the performance with engaged storytelling. 

“Dave Malloy has created one of the most exciting new musical experiences to come along in a very long time. It is a highly original sung-through opera that pulses with musical influences as diverse as Russian folk music, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, traditional musical theatre, indie rock band Arcade Fire, and EDM (electronic dance music),” said Producing Artistic Director Dave Steakley. “I was immersed in this extraordinary world for the first time in a tent in NYC's trendy meatpacking district that had been transformed into an intimate Russian café. As I sat shoulder to shoulder with musicians and roving actors were within inches living out these complicated lives, I knew it was an event I wanted to share with Austin audiences. This story of Pierre, a man on a deep spiritual quest through thoughtful introspection, as a war wages on "out there somewhere", feels like the perfect way to begin this new year.”

The cast includes KELLY BELARMINO as Natasha Rostova, RYAN EVERETT WOOD as Pierre Bezukhov, JACKSON MATTEK as Anatole Kuragin, DAISY WRIGHT as Sonya Rostova, CARMELLA LORENZO MANAPAT as Hèléne Bezukhova, MEREDITH MCCALL as Marya Dmitriyevna, JOHN ALEJANDRO JEFFORDS as Fedya Dolokhov, HAYDEN STANES as Andrey Bolkonsky/Old Prince Bolkonsky and Balaga, MAGGIE ANDERSON as Mary Bolkonskaya, LOGAN FOSTER as Opera Singer/Servant/Ensemble/Guitar/ Cover for Pierre, Andrey, Anatole, Dolokhov, Bolkonsky, and Balaga, MARIEL ARDILA as Opera Singer/ Servant/ Ensemble/Cover for Natasha, Sonya, Mary, and Ensemble, ZACK CRISSMAN as Ensemble/Accordion Player, and SHARON ROBINSON as Cover for Marya D, Natasha, Sonya and Mary/Opera Singer/Servant/Ensemble.

NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 is directed by DAVE STEAKLEY with musical direction by ALLEN ROBERTSON and choreography by JOSH ASSOR. Additional production team includes BOB LAVALLEE as scenic and properties designer, SUSAN BRANCH TOWNE as costume designer, ANNA FUGATE as hair and makeup designer, AUSTIN BROWN as lighting designer, JACOB ZAMARRIPA as assistant lighting designer, K. ELIOT HAYNES as sound designer, BROOKE COX as assistant choreographer, and CAROLINE RAGLAND as stage manager. 

 

 

 

---

Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
by David Malloy
Zach Theatre

January 31 - March 3, 2024

Wednesdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
ZACH360 at The Topfer, ZACH Theatre
Mainstage Series