Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
By Dave Malloy
From the celebrated and award-winning composer Dave Malloy comes Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, "both the most innovative and the best new musical to open on Broadway since Hamilton!" — The New York Times.
With an astronomical 12 Tony Award® nominations, including Best Musical and Best Original Score, this unprecedented Broadway sensation has been hailed by critics and audiences worldwide as a “ground-breaking modern masterpiece”. Featuring a breathtaking and daring score inspired by folk, indie-rock and electro-pop, this form-defying musical is one of the most exciting shows ever seen on Broadway.
Now making its way from New York City to Te Whanganui-a-Tara in 2024, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 invites audiences to step inside a world of opulent excess, hedonism, and profound passion to experience this musical adaptation of a scandalous slice of Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century Russia, refracted through a modern lens, young and impulsive Natasha Rostova arrives in Moscow to await the return of her fiancé from the front lines of war. When she falls under the intoxicating spell of the roguish Anatole, it falls to Pierre, a family friend in the middle of an existential crisis, to pick up the fragments of her shattered fate.
Playing at the newly reopened Hannah Playhouse, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 is set to be nothing short of an extraordinary musical experience.
Presented by WITCH Music Theatre
Co-Directors Maya Handa Naff & Nick Lerew
Music Director Hayden Taylor
Choreographer Greta Casey-Solly (Te Atiawa) & Emily McDermott
Creative Producer Ben Tucker-Emerson
Technical Producer Joshua Tucker-Emerson
This performance contains flashing lights, sudden loud noises, prop guns, and mature themes including addiction, mental illness, self-harm, suicide, and a derogatory term for Romani people is used.
20 April – 4 May
Hannah Playhouse
Preview 19 April
Tuesdays - Saturdays: 7.30 pm
Saturday Matinee: 2 pm
Sunday: 4 pm
Tickets from $35 - $55
Run time: 2 hours 20 minutes (including 20 minute interval)
Broadway premiere presented by Howard & Janet Kagen, Paula Marie Black, Carole Shorenstein Hays, Jenny Steingart and Jason Eagan, Mary Lu Roffe and Susan Gallin, Diana DiMenna, Mary Maggio/Sharon Azrieli/Robin Gorman, Darren Sussman/Roman Gambourg/Lev Gelfer, Tom Smedes, John Logan, Lisa Matlin, Margie and Bryan Weingarten, Daveed Frazier, Argyle Productions/Jim Kierstead, In Fine Company/Hipzee, Gutterman & Caiola/Backdrop Partners, Siderow Kirchman Productions/Sunnyspot Productions, Gordon/Meli Theatricals, Rodger Hess/Larry Toppall, Daniel Rakowski/Matt Ross/Ben Feldman, Mike Karns, The American Repertory Theatre (Diane Paulus, Artistic Director; Diane Quinn, Executive Producer; Diane Borger, Producer), and Ars Nova. Originally commissioned, developed, and world premiere produced by Ars Nova; Jason Eagan, Founding Artistic Director; Renee Blinkwolt, Managing Director. Further developed and produced by the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University; Diane Paulus, Artistic Director; Diane Quinn, Executive Producer; Diane Borger, Producer.
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 is presented by arrangement with ORiGiN™ Theatrical on behalf of Samuel French Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company.
Listen to the Broadway cast recording
The Hannah Playhouse has an accesible lift. There are designated accesible seats available, including a wheelchair seats. There is an accesible toilet on level 1. Please find out more on Hannah Playhouse's website.
Great Comet is proudly supported by
Reviews
"Immersive theatre at its best"
“Directors Maya Handa Naff and Nick Lerew and team have created one of the best nights of contemporary musical theatre to remember for a long time to come.”
Awards
Nominated for 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
Winner of 2 Tony Awards for Best Scenic Design and Lighting Design
Winner of 4 Drama Desk Awards.
"Impeccable"
“The show featured an all-star Wellington cast with wonderful clear voices, some of the best in the City. I expect it to be one of the most discussed and posted on social media shows of the year, and it deserves to be.”
Media
Reviews
"Kaleidoscopic"
“The two leads are very good: Lane Corby is utterly believable as the girlish and naïve Natasha, her voice pure and unaffected, while William Duignan’s Pierre cuts a convincingly halting and frustrated figure.
– The Post
Gallery
Roles
Creative team
Directors
Maya Handa Naff & Nick Lerew
Music Director
Hayden Taylor
Choreographers
Greta Casey-Solly & Emily McDermott
Technical Producer & Set Designer
Joshua Tucker-Emerson
Creative Producer & Costume Designer
Ben Tucker-Emerson
Lighting Designer
Alex Fisher
Sound Designer
Oliver Devlin
Stage Manager & Props
Vanessa Woodward
Production team
Audio Systems Technician
Patrick Barnes
Lighting Operator
Scott Maxim
Assistant Stage Manager
Hannah Doogan
Production Assistant & Sound II
George Kenwood-Parker
Ticketing Manager
Charlette Potts
Immersive Ushers
Maeve O'Connell & Anna Smith
Front of House
Millie Fuller, Ellie Smith, Rachel Te Tau, Emily Brown
Wardrobe, Tayloring & Garment Creation
Polly Crone, Rhys Tunley, Nadia Newman, Emma Stevens, Ruscoe Rustenera-Kirby
Costume design Assistant
Jade Merematira
Styling Assistant
Raureti Ormond
Intimacy Coordinator
Aimée Sullivan
Marketing
Ben Tucker-Emerson
Lighting Intern & Swing Operator
Allikins
Cast
Natasha
Lane Corby
Pierre
Roving Guitar, Piano, Accordion, Tambourine
William Duignan
Sonya
Áine Gallagher
Anatole
Roving Guitar
Henry Ashby
Marya
Frankie Leota
Hélène
Jade Merematira
Dolokhov
Roving Guitar
Kevin Orlando
Andrey/Old Prince Bolkonsky
Roving Clarinet
Glenn Horsfall
Mary/Alternate Natasha
Roving Violin
Rachel McSweeney
Balaga/Alternate Pierre
Patrick Jennings
Ensemble/Alternate Mary/u.s. Hélène
Adriana Calabrese
Ensemble/Alternate Balaga
Raureti Ormond
Ensemble/u.s. Marya
Roving Flute
Kirsty Huszka
Ensemble/u.s. Sonya
Roving Flute
Tess Lavanda
Ensemble/u.s. Anatole
Roving Guitar
Mackenzie Htay
Ensemble/u.s. Andrey/Old Prince Bolkonsky/u.s. Dolokhov
Roving Percussion
Finlay Morris
Aerialist
Roving Accordion
Jackson Cordery
Orchestra
Piano/Conductor
Hayden Taylor
Clarinet/Bass Clarinet
Patrick Hayes
Oboe/Cor Anglais
Calvin Scott
Accordion/Keyboard
Elliot Lee
Viola
James Mills Workman
Cello I
Esther Lee
Cello II
Alex Hoare
Guitar
Steve 'Shack' Morrison
Double Bass
Alex Huang
Drums
Bec Watson
Violin
Sarah Lawrence
Cello (Swing)
Nathan Parker