An extravaganza this afternoon with Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812.
So what does a show with 12 Tony nominations look like? Well, for one, the entire theater is the stage. No matter where you sit, you will come within a few feet away from the performers. (I’m in rear mezz today and have on-stage seating next week.)
Lighting, costumes, scene design, and the interactive atmosphere are all super unique and unlike anything else. Love the choreographies especially ones where the cast sprawl across the entire theater. Kudos to the ensemble member who barrel rolls his way around the entire center stage. I hope the show wins in these categories! (Well, you also can’t top the tap dancing in Holiday Inn, another nominee for choreography.)
The cast and band members are scattered, often singing and playing their instruments as they climb up and down between the stage, orchestra, and the balcony. We got to interact with the band! While original, the acoustics inevitably suffer. I find it difficult to understand parts of the play, especially with characters who don’t speak loud enough.
The most surprising of all, however, is how small a part the two lead characters have in the show. Both are nominated for the Tonys, but we were genuinely confused whether Pierre or Anatole was the lead actor. (Josh Groban didn’t appear today. Hope to catch him next week, but I’m talking about the characters’ roles here.)
On the other hand, love Lucas Steele as Anatole and Brittain Ashford as Sonya!