Imagine yourself sitting in the middle of Moscow on a cold winter night. Only you see dancers, singers, and musicians light up the town. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, a musical by Dave Malloy, premiered on Broadway November 2016 at the Imperial Theater and closed September 3 of this year. Based on Leo Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace, the musical takes place in Moscow before and after the Patriotic War of 1812, in which Napoleon invaded the Russian empire. The unique stage, setup to enhance audience members’ feelings of being in the midst of the action, even had some musicians perform during some of the ensemble musical numbers. Specifically, star Josh Groban, as Pierre, intertwined his vocal and musical skills with playing the accordion, as well as some pieces of the piano during the show. “The musical itself was the best two hours of my life. There’s items that the actors pass out during the musical like pierogis and musical shakers shaped like eggs. I was lucky enough to have a table seat that was on the bottom part of the main stage. No other musical could bring you anything close to this experience,” recalled senior Melissa Braun.

Before going onto Broadway in the Imperial Theater, the musical was also shown in many other locations. Ars Nova, an Off-Broadway theater in NYC, was where it was written and first shown in 2012. Following this, there were Off-Broadway performances in the Kazino Meatpacking District in Manhattan as well as Times Square in 2013, and the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2015 (nytimes.com).

Both starring in their Broadway debut, Josh Groban (Pierre) and Denée Benton (Natasha) were immediate hits. Natasha, waiting for her fiancé Andrey, played by Nicholas Belton, to return from the war, blames her own reputation in the Moscow society for engaging in relations with another man by the name of Anatole, played by Lucas Steele, whom was already married. Pierre, a bright philosopher who is unable to connect with people socially, is there for her. His dependability is due to his passionate love for her and hope to find himself and embrace a new sense or meaning of life.

The musical received 12 Tony Award nominations in its run on Broadway. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be “the next Hamilton” came to an end due to controversy over casting and race in the show. The controversy centered around a last-minute recasting of one of the title roles (Pierre), replacing a young African American actor. Consequently, an increase in social-media fervency over questions of diversity and representation riddled show, leaving audiences and fans disappointed about the closing this past September. Thus, some decided to take up the opportunity of possibly meeting cast members at the stage doors during the last weeks of the shows’ running.

“Meeting the cast was an unreal experience. I’ve been to the stage door twice. I waited outside the stage door for the last performance for a total of about six hours…everyone is so modest and kind, and it’s such a real interaction. Meeting Josh Groban was one of the best moments of my life,” said Braun. Senior Leah Hetrick added, “I ’stage-doored’ the final show on September 3 with Melissa Braun and Lindsay Marrione. A black SUV pulled up, and every single person there was taken aback seeing Josh Groban; he was not supposed to be there. We were all so excited! He signed our playbills. It was so cool meeting a high-ranking celebrity. I sent my mom a picture the second after it happened. I was so lucky to be sitting on the stage. The energy was always at 110%, and everything was so much fun, especially the songs ‘Preparations’, ‘Balaga,’ and ‘The Abduction’ because everything was hyped up. The actors and actresses were incredible, and the musicians played on stage and interacted with the cast. Everyone interacted with the audience…I’m so sad that it closed.”

The revival of Richard Rogers and Hammerstein’s II of the musical production, Carousel, will be replacing The Great Comet at the Imperial Theater.