With twelve Tony award nominations, Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812 is the most nominated broadway show of 2017.  This electropop opera adaptation of a portion of Tolstoy’s classic novel War and Peace is completely different from anything that has ever been produced on Broadway before.  

   This musical focuses around the story of Natasha Rostova, portrayed brilliantly by Denée Benton, a young girl who travels to Moscow while waiting for her fiance to return from the Napoleonic wars.  She falls into a destructive and lascivious crowd whilst waiting for her beloved fiance to return and even falls in love with another man.  But this man is not who or what he seems to be.  Benton portrays Natasha as the perfect heroine: emotional, vulnerable, and strong hearted with a passionate voice that forces all viewers to put themselves in her shoes.

    The Imperial Theater has been completely renovated to fit the needs of the production.  Seats have been removed and tables were placed throughout the audience space and on the stage to create the feel of an old style Russian diner.  The show is performed all over the theatre, with actors singing directly to audience members and occasionally interacting them.  Every seat in the Imperial Theater provides a unique and wildly different perspective of the spectacle that is The Great Comet.

    With a cast including Josh Groban and a simply unbeatable, soul-moving score, this show is an absolute must-see for anyone who is a fan of musical theater, opera, and drama.