The Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts will be premiering "Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812", a creative adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.”
Originally published in the year of 1865, the book takes place during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. The opera, written and composed by Dave Malloy, focuses on a small segment of the over 1000 page novel, unraveling the dramatic tales of Russian aristocracy centered around Natasha and Pierre.
After its initial debut in 2012 at the Ars Nova Theater in New York City, The Great Comet took residence at Broadway's Imperial Theatre from November 2016 to September of 2017. The musical went on to win two Tony Awards along with 12 nominations.
Karen Boyd Bethel, choreographer for The Great Comet, is professor of dance at the University of Oklahoma, a position she has now held for ten years. The show doesn’t conform to typical musical theatre style choreography, Bethel describes it as more “experimental and organic”.
The Great Comet is a sung-through performance. The score is an eclectic mix of several music types spanning from classical to electronic dance, and mimics the heartbeat of the show in many places. Symbolism in the music runs deep and draws the audience into the story.
“The music really never stops,” Bethel said. “There’s always an orchestra playing underneath, there’s always some sort of rhythm or pulse that is guiding their acting choices, which I think makes for a total collaboration between the music and the actor and the story. Which really, I think, is what musical theatre is all about.”
The first few rows in the theatre have been removed for the performances, allowing the stage to extend into the audience. The stage envelopes the entire room, making the watchers feel as if they are really in Moscow with these characters. Audience members can look forward to a visually appealing show that compliments the play’s storyline.
Senior musical theatre student Sydney Jones will be playing the role of Natasha. Jones spoke about how interactive the play is, and why that makes the show so unique.
“As an audience member, I don’t think there’s any other show experience like this,” Jones said. “(The audience is) involved in the story.”
The opera deals with a lot of intense themes. The range of emotion that is expressed as the main characters navigate new experiences and come to terms with themselves is impressive to say the least.
Professor Ashton Byrum has taught at the University of Oklahoma for five years, and is the director of the show.
“The point of the show to me is that Tolstoy’s novel is a huge, epic novel that takes place over many generations,” Byrum said, “And with war, and love affairs, and people making huge mistakes, there’s redemption and forgiveness. Hopefully they will see a story they can identify with.”
The University of Oklahoma’s production of the musical will be an unofficial regional debut in the Midwest, which means many people in the area will be seeing it for the first time. This also allows the actors to present a fresh take on characters that have only been played by a handful of other people.
“It is not a ‘let's sit back and relax and watch a movie’, it’s a come in and see everything happening around you.” Byrum said. “It should feel like an epic adventure.
"Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812" will hold performances on Oct. 14, 20, 21, 22 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 16 and 23 at 3 p.m. at the Elsie C. Brackett Theatre. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the box office located in Catlett Music Center, or online at the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts website. Ticket prices will be $15.00 for students and $40.00 for adults.
Select performances will also be available for livestream on Oct. 14, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23. Tickets can be bought online at the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts website.
