As the drunken Russians belt their final note, a bittersweet aura swept over the audience in the Imperial Theater in New York City as the Tony® nominated show, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, closed on September 3rd, 2017. This unique, experimental show was the start to a new age of musical theatre, combining aspects of rock, funk, electro punk, classical, and modern music elements all into one musical.
Comet not only was an experimental show musically, but also in the way that it was blocked. Audience members were put inside the show, as actors would drink, laugh and sweat inches from the audience members’ faces. Not only that, but actors would play music to accompany the vocalists on stage. For example, the song Dust and Ashes begins with the lead male, Pierre, playing chords on the piano. These elements of the show truly made it stand out against it’s Tony® competitors, like Dear Evan Hansen. “It’s a shame that such an incredible show not only acting and music wise, but also technically genius is closing before it got the attention that it deserved.” says senior costume designer London Bicknell, “It’s shows like Comet that give the genre variation in the oversaturation of rock and jazz musicals and open doors to even more types of theatre.”
There was an abrupt stop to the musical as well, but the blame ultimately fell on the producers of the show. When celebrity Josh Groban had to discontinue playing his role of Pierre, the producers looked for a big name to fill his spot. They found former Hamilton star Okieriete “Oak” Onaodowan to play the role of Pierre. Seeing a drop in sales, the producers introduced a contract to former Princess Bride star Mandy Patinkin to play the role of Pierre, interrupting Oak’s run on Comet. This resulted in a backlash by the public due to a person of color being shut out of his contract by a white actor and ultimately led both signed actors leaving the show in response to the public outburst. The decision was made to close the show early instead of causing any more conflict. “The producers ended up making a terrible move, sacrificing what made Comet so important in the sake of a quick cash grab.” says senior actor and technician Maaz Ahmed. “When Oak played Pierre, it helped convey the ideas of these stories being meant for anyone and everyone to understand, even if they don’t carry the same identity as more ‘accurate portrayals’. Comet is about storytelling and immersion, and to deny Oak the opportunity to finish his run as Pierre was the final nail in the coffin to the show’s demise.”
While it’s sad that the amazing work of composer and playwright Dave Malloy is coming to an end, people can not deny the impact and legacy Comet has left on the musical theatre genre, and it is probable that there may be a similar show on Broadway in the near future.
