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Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Written by Dave Malloy

Directed & Choreographed by Katie Spelman

Music Direction by Matt Deitchman

September 5 - November 3, 2024

Location: | Get Directions ›
Theatre: Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre

Running Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes, including a 15 minute intermission

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Recipient of two Tony Awards
and 12 nominations

About
Showtimes
Artists
Special Events

About the Play

"There’s a war going on somewhere out there, and Andrey isn’t here.” Young and impulsive, Natasha Rostova arrives in Moscow to await the return of her fiancé from the front lines. But when she falls under the spell of the roguish Anatole, family friend Pierre must push through his existential crisis to help Natasha pick up the pieces of her shattered reputation. Based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel War and Peace, this innovative musical spectacle took Broadway by storm with its “electropop opera” score, receiving two Tony Awards and 12 nominations. Katie Spelman and Matt Deitchman, the inspired creative team behind WT’s hit production of Once, reunite to bring this modern spin on a literary classic to Chicago for the first time.

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com

SEE THE FULL SHOW PROGRAM

Audience Guide

Enhance your play-going experience with these videos, podcasts, and articles!

WATCH A video of director/choreographer Katie Spelman talking about her passion for Great Comet

LISTEN TO to our latest episode of The Green Room with director/choreographer Katie Spelman and Music Director Matt Deitchman

READ

About the writing of Great Comet and its adaptation from War and Peace Read full article >
A brief overview of life in Russia in the early 19th century Read full article >
Our Great Comet plot synopsis Read synopsis >

Showtimes

Evenings
Wednesdays – Saturdays 7:30pm
Sundays 6pm

Matinees
Saturdays 3pm
Sundays 2pm
Select Wednesdays at 3pm

This is a reserved seat venue. Doors to the performance space will open approximately 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the performance.
Due to the natures of our venue and for the safety of our actors and crew, there is no late seating or re-entry permitted during this production
For performances listed as “Sold Out,” contact the Box Office for more information about our standby and wait list options as well as for assistance locating currently available dates and times.

See Full Show Calendar ›

MEET THE ARTISTS

	Joseph Anthony Byrd* (Anatole)
	Jesse Bhamrah* (Balaga starting 10/23)
	John Gregorio* (Bolkonsky starting 10/30)
	Carisa Gonzalez (Mary starting 10/30)
	Sophie Grimm* (Ensemble, Hélène US, Dance Captain)
	Teressa LaGamba* (Marya D starting 10/16)
	Julia Wheeler Lennon (Mary/Sonya US thru 10/27)
	Will Lidke Ensemble, (Dolokhov US)
	Rob Lindley* (Bolkonsky thru 10/27)
	Evan Tyrone Martin* (Pierre)
	Andrew Mueller* (Dolokhov)
	Aurora Penepacker (Natasha)
	Maya Rowe (Sonya)
	Bri Sudia* (Hélène)
	Bet hany Thomas* (Marya D thru 10/16)
	Jonah D. Winston* (Balaga thru 10/20)
	Matthew C. Yee* (Andrey)
	Bridget Adams-King (Ensemble/Mary US thru 10/27)
	Darilyn Burtley (Marya US/ Ensemble US)
	Crystal Claros (Mary US/Sonya US)
	Ian Paul Custer* (Andrey/Bolkonsky US)
	Vasily Deris* (Pierre US)
	Darryl D’Angelo Jones (Balaga/Ensemble US)
	Isabel Kaegi (Natasha US)
	Shraga D. Wasserman (Anatole US)

CREATIVE TEAM

Courtney O’Neill^ ( Scenic Designer)
Raquel Adorno^ ( Costume Designer)
Yael Lubetzky^ ( Lighting Designer)
Eric Backus^ (Sound Designer)
Ethan Deppe (Electronic Music Designer)
Amber Wuttke (Violence Director)
Melissa Foster (Vocal Coach)
Miranda Anderson* (Stage Manager)
Katie Galetti, CSA (Casting Director)
Bobby Kennedy (Dramaturg)
Charlotte Rivard-Hoster (Assistant Music Director and Conductor)
Roger Ellis (Associate Director)
Heather Boehm (Music Coordinator)
Natalie Cohen* and Lexie Wiley (Assistant Stage Managers)

*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers
** Denotes member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
^ Denotes member of the United Artists Local 829
All musicians are members of the Chicago Federation of Musicians, Local 10-208

Special Events

The *Great War & Peace** Read ALoud of 2024:

well, ok, not all of War & Peace*

Saturday, October 5, 2024
10am-2:30pm @ Writers Theatre

In 1812, a comet streaked across Russian skies. In 1869, Leo Tolstoy wrote the literary classic War & Peace. In 2012, composer and playwright Dave Malloy adapted 70 pages of the book into the musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. On October 5, 2024, Writers Theatre, the Glencoe Public Library, and the Woman’s Library Club of Glencoe team up for a marathon community read-aloud of those 70 pages.

Featuring special guest readers and community members, attendees are welcome to participate as a reader and/or listener and to come and go over the course of the event. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Sign up for a reading slot via this form.

The Read-Aloud is drop-in and free of charge. Feel free to register if you’d like an event reminder. Register here >>

ASL-INterpreted Performance

Saturday, October 19, 2024
3:00pm @ Writers Theatre

$30.00 Ticket Promo Code: ASLNatasha

The Final word audience discussion: NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812

Sunday, October 27, 2024
12:00pm @ Writers Theatre

Seeing the show is just the beginning of the conversation. Join fellow audience members and dive deeper into the music, characters, and themes of Great Comet at this audience discussion facilitated by Writers Theatre Artistic staff. Register here >>

GREAT COMET in performance

(Showing 9 of 23)

Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 1st Rehearsal

(Showing 9 of 15)

Patron Advisory

Writers is producing the Chicago premiere of Great Comet; book, music and lyrics by Dave Malloy
A smash Broadway hit, recipient of two Tony Awards and 12 nominations, the most of any production in the 2016 season.
Adapted from a 70-page section of Leo Tolstoy’s celebrated novel, War and Peace.
Sung through from beginning to end, the score has been described as an “electropop opera,” taking inspiration from “Russian ballet and opera to golden age musical theatre to contemporary indie rock and electronica.”
Director/Choreographer Katie Spelman and Music Director Matt Deitchman reunite after collaborating on WT’s hit production of Once in 2023.
A cast of 13 and a band of eight musicians bring this incredible story and music to life on a grand set with opulent costumes, mere feet away from audience members in the intimate Nichols Theatre.
For comprehensive information about the cast, creative team, dramaturgy and special events, please visit our website for the full Great Comet program:
Writers Theatre - Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (audienceaccess.co)
This production includes the use of flashing lights and haze, the display of a firearm, and the sound of gunshots.
Additional information on the content of the play follows and may contain spoilers.

This production contains drinking, mentions of suicide, and gun violence.

Please note that late seating and re-entry is at the discretion of house management and is not guaranteed.

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