There’s a war going on out there, somewhere … and while the soldiers are away, young Natasha encounters the decadent world of 19th-century Moscow, and it changes the course of her life. Based on a short extrication from Tolstoy’s War and Peace, Out of the Box Theatre Company presents Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, a cult favorite musical known for its complex orchestration, memorable party scenes, and shades of high art/anarchy. The score, written by Dave Malloy, is influenced by Russian folk and classical music, but also modern indie rock and EDM.
Director Samantha Eve has been following Great Comet since before its Broadway run. “I fell in love with it back when it was in a pop-up tent through Ars Nova…. I remember thinking, ‘This is different. This is exciting.’ … I have always held the utmost respect for traditional musical theater,” she says, “but there’s also this urge to dismantle it. To honor the history but allow it to keep developing.”
The story follows Natasha (Maile Kai Merrick), a young woman who bids farewell to her beloved fiancée, Andrey. While he’s serving in the Napoleonic wars, innocent Natasha stays with her godmother in Moscow and becomes enchanted by a high-society circle of drinkers, dancers, philanderers, scoundrels, and depressives, all living with under the arrogant disillusionment of “chandeliers and caviar, the war can’t touch us here.”
Out of the Box is offering on-stage table seating for those who want a closer eye on the action. “When you’re performing at Center Stage, you can make eye contact with every single person in the house,” says Eve. “It allows you to connect with the audience and bring them into the story. We’re leaning into that.”
On-stage tables include small bites and a shot of vodka (provided by Ventura Spirits) so you can be part of the second act bacchanal.
Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 runs April 4-13 at Center Stage Theater (751 Paseo Nuevo). See bit.ly/4j1uBcB.
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