NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
book, music, & lyrics by Dave Malloy
directed by Heidi McKerley
THE GREAT COMET RETURNS FOR A THIRD RUN!
JANUARY 17-FEBRUARY 16, 2025
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Step into a mesmerizing world of passion, love, and intrigue in a groundbreaking theatrical experience like no other! This Tony Award-winning musical, inspired by a scandalous slice of Tolstoy’s War & Peace, is a “heaven-sent fireball” (NY Times).
Be transported by the thrilling immersive staging swirling around the audience and our onstage bar. Journey to the glamorous land of chandeliers and vodka in the salons and opera houses of Moscow where passions ignite.
Mixing pop, soul, folk, and electronic dance music with classic Broadway, this innovative musical brings to life the heart of an epic tale of love and fate.
If you saw and loved Horizon’s Once in 2020 (or heard about it and couldn’t get tickets), get your tickets now for The Great Comet now!
Choose theatre seating – or sit at our onstage bar, our balcony couches, or our 3 onstage tables for two.
Performance Dates
2025 REMOUNT:
JAN 17-FEB 16, 2025, Press Opening Jan 24
2024 REMOUNT:
JAN 26-FEB 18, 2024, with an extension thru MAR 3, 2024
Original Run Dates:
OCT 20-NOV 26, 2023
Press Opening: OCT 27
Show Times
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:00 PM
Saturday at 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM
Sunday at 5:00 PM
The show runs 2 1/2 hours including a 15-minute intermission.
Content Advisory – Recommended for 13 and up. References to drinking, infidelity, and sex. Parents should read the detailed synopsis below to understand the content more specifically or call the box office with questions.
There are two scenes that take place in a bar/club setting with characters drinking, and the main plot revolves around several love affairs. The story is intended for adults, but younger audiences will enjoy the immersive nature of the play and the high energy scenes.
Ticket Prices for the 2025 Return of The Great Comet
STAY TUNED
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ACCESSIBILITY: If you need front-row or special seating for accessibility reasons, please call the Box Office at 404.584.7450 so that we can arrange proper seating for you. If you do not call in advance, we cannot guarantee accessible seating.
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Bring your neighbors!
Group pricing is available for parties of 10+. Groups of 10-24 receive $3 off the general admission ticket price. Groups of 25+ receive $5 off the general admission ticket price. Call 404.523.1477 x100 or e-mail groups@horizontheatre.com for more information.
Ticket prices are subject to change. Buy early for best pricing. Internet convenience fee added to all online orders. No refunds, exchanges, or late seating. Cannot combine discount offers.
About the Play & Production
After the success of her hit Once at Horizon in 2020, director and Horizon Artistic Associate Heidi McKerley is back with another intimate and amazing immersive musical experience with triple-threat actors/musicians.
“Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 is a unique, electric and immersive experience that audiences won’t want to miss,” says director and Horizon Artistic Associate Heidi McKerley. “We are transforming the theatre into a multi-leveled supper club with an onstage bar, a few choice tables, and a balcony area with cozy couches and chairs in addition to regular theatre seating. The cast performs on every level, right next to audience members, with the top of the bar as a central playing area. Our outstanding multi-talented cast are also the show’s musicians, playing cello, violin, bass, accordion, clarinet, piano, guitar and more. You’ll be up close to soul-stirring music, life-changing love affairs, souls turned inside out, existential crises, and high-stakes risks.”
“The musical’s fusion of classic and contemporary in the music, characters, costumes, and staging are the pre-cursor to Hamilton in style, and remind us that some human truths are universal no matter the time or place. We are bursting with excitement to bring this award-winning musical to life in Atlanta in the intimate Horizon space. You can’t get what we will be offering on any screen you own.”
The Story & Characters
Natasha is a beautiful ingenue visiting Moscow while she waits for her beloved fiancé Andrey to return from the war. In a moment of indiscretion, she is seduced by the dashing (but already married) Anatole and her position in society is ruined. Her only hope lies with Pierre, the lonely outsider whose love and compassion for Natasha may be the key to her redemption—and to the renewal of her soul.
Natasha (Alexandria Joy*) is a young innocent engaged to Andrey, whom she loves dearly. But since Andrey (Hayden Rowe) is off fighting the war, she comes to visit relatives in Moscow and be introduced to wealthy society. She stays with her godmother Marya (Terry Burrell*) an old-school, a grand dame of Moscow, who is her guide and protector, along with her loving cousin Sonya (Anna Dvorak). Andrey’s good friend Pierre (Daniel Burns) also keeps an eye on Natasha while Andrey is away. Pierre is wealthy, generous, awkward, and unhappily married to a Hélene (Janine Ayn) who married him for his money and now takes other lovers, including Dolokhov (Terrence J. Smith). While at a society event, naive Natasha is swept off her feet by Helene’s hot brother and Dolokhov’s closest friend Anatole, a wildly attractive young aristocrat and hedonist who seduces her, even though he is secretly married.
Other key players are Andrey’s elderly, cruel father The Prince (Jeff McKerley*) and his sister who is their father’s care-taker, Mary (Kendra Johnson) who both resent Natasha’s care-free youth and beauty; and Balaga (Skyler Brown), the fun-loving and wild troika driver.
Rounding out the cast, the ensemble members include Alyssa Easterly (guitar, piano), Miro Gomez (cello), Ruth Mehari (cello, bass), Eric Nabeth (accordion, piano), Eden Mew (percussion), Marissa Romanoff (viola) and Molly Ann Tucker (clarinet).
2024 Remount Cast & Creatives
(Click name for bio)
ENSEMBLE
ADDITIONAL UNDERSTUDIES
- Natasha: Alexandria Joy*
- Pierre/Bass/Keyboard/Accordion: Daniel Burns
- Anatole/Guitar: Jordan Patrick
- Sonya/Keyboard/Accordion: Anna Dvorak
- Marya: Terry Burrell*
- Helene: Kendra Johnson
- Dolokhov: Terrence J. Smith
- Andrey/Violin: Hayden Rowe
- Balaga/Guitar: Skyler Brown
- Mary: Brandy Bell
- The Prince/Asst. Choreographer: Jeff McKerley*
- Ensemble Musicians: Alyssa Easterly (guitar/piano, glockenspiel, understudy Helene, Marya), Miro Gomez (cello, understudy Andrey, Prince), Ruth Mehari (cello/bass), Eden Mew (percussion, u/s Sonya), Eric Nabeth (accordion/piano, u/s Balaga, Pierre), Marissa Romanoff (viola), Molly Ann Tucker (clarinet, u/s Sonya, Mary)
- Additional Understudies: Skyler Brown (Dolokhov), Anna Dvorak (Natasha), Terrence J. Smith (The Prince), Hayden Rowe (Anatole), Maurice Jerry (Dolokhov), Akasha Nelson (Sonya), Paul Gary (Pierre), Paul Glaze (ensemble, cello)
- Percussion: Jen Hodges
CREATIVE TEAM
- Director & Choreographer: Heidi McKerley
- Co-Music Directors/Keyboard: Bethany Irby • Holt McCarley
- Producer/Artistic Director: Lisa Adler
- Scenic Designers: Moriah Curley-Clay and Isabel Curley-Clay
- Costume Designer: Dr. L. Nyrobi N. Moss
- Lighting Designer: Mary Parker
- Sound Designer: Tyehimba Shabazz/Multiband Studios
- Props Master: Leah Thomas
- Asst. Director & Asst. Choreographer: Jeff McKerley
- Asst. Costume Designer: Carrie Giglio
- Stage Manager: Gina Barone
- Asst. Stage Managers: Madeline Bavely, Bonnie Devon Smith, Caro Kok
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association
2023 & 2024 Press & Reviews
- PRESS & INTERVIEWS: PeachtreeTV
- REVIEW: ArtsATL: ‘Comet’ presents sexy parts of Tolstoy in constellation of musical talent
- REVIEW: Atlanta Theatre Buzz: Letters from Moscow
- REVIEW: Atlanta Arts Scene
- REVIEW: Macaroni Kid: Date Night
- PRESS & INTERVIEWS: WABE City Lights Interview with Director Heidi McKerley
- PRESS: AJC Things to Do: “Horizon puts audience onstage for buzzy Broadway musical ‘Great Comet’”
Family Tree
See how everyone connects in this “ravishing” (NY Times) show!
Media
Production Photos
These are cell phone shots from tech and previews. Official Production Photos, when available, will be uploaded here.
Full Synopsis
ACT I
PROLOGUE: Moscow, 1812, just before Napoleon’s invasion of Russia and the burning of the city. As the story begins (“Prologue”) we meet Pierre, a wealthy aristocrat having an existential crisis, living a slothful life of wine, philosophy, and inaction.
PART ONE: Meanwhile, the young, newly engaged Natasha Rostova (also called Natalie) and her cousin Sonya arrive in “Moscow” to stay the winter with Marya D., Natasha’s godmother, while Natasha waits for her fiancé, Andrey, to return from the war. Marya D. tells Natasha that she must visit her future in-laws, the demented, miserly old Prince Bolkonsky and his spinster daughter, Mary (“The Private and Intimate Life of the House”), to win their affection and secure the marriage, which is critical to the Rostovs’ status and fortune. However, Natasha’s visit ends in disaster (“Natasha & Bolkonskys”), and she leaves missing Andrey more than ever (“No One Else”).
PART TWO: The next night, Natasha is introduced to decadent Moscow society at “The Opera”; there she meets Anatole, a young officer and notorious rogue (“Natasha & Anatole”); their interaction leaves Natasha feeling confused.
PART THREE: Anatole, his friend Dolokhov, and Pierre go out drinking; they are met by Hélène, Pierre’s wife and Anatole’s sister, who taunts Pierre. Anatole declares his intention to have Natasha, although he is already married. Pierre finds his wife’s familiarity with Dolokhov offensive and challenges him to a duel, almost getting himself killed (“The Duel”). Afterward, Pierre reflects on his life (“Dust and Ashes”). Natasha and her family go to church (“Sunday Morning”); later, Hélène arrives and invites Natasha to the ball that night (“Charming”), where Anatole seduces Natasha (“The Ball”).
INTERMISSION
ACT II
PART FOUR: Natasha and Anatole make plans to elope, and Natasha breaks off her engagement with Andrey (“Letters”). Sonya finds out about the plan and realizes it will mean Natasha’s ruin (“Sonya & Natasha”); she determines to stop her at any cost (“Sonya Alone”). That evening Anatole and Dolokhov plan for the elopement (“Preparations”) and call on their trusted troika driver, “Balaga”, to take them to Natasha’s house. However, (“The Abduction”) is thwarted at the last moment by Marya D.
PART FIVE: After scolding a grief-stricken Natasha (“In My House”), Marya D. sends out “A Call to Pierre”, asking him to help handle the crisis. Pierre kicks Anatole out of Moscow (“Find Anatole” / “Pierre & Anatole”); Natasha poisons herself (“Natasha Very Ill'”); Andrey returns. Pierre explains the scandal to him and asks him to be compassionate, but Andrey is unable to forgive (“Pierre & Andrey”). Finally, Pierre visits Natasha (“Pierre & Natasha”). After their meeting, Pierre experiences a moment of enlightenment while seeing “The Great Comet of 1812” in the night sky.
Song List
ACT 1
“Prologue” – Pierre, Natasha, Sonya, Marya D., Anatole, Hélène, Dolokhov, Bolkonsky, Mary, Balaga and Ensemble
“Pierre” – Pierre and Ensemble
“Moscow” – Natasha, Marya D. and Sonya
“The Private and Intimate Life of the House” – Bolkonsky, Mary and Natasha
“Natasha & Bolkonskys” – Servant, Mary, Natasha and Bolkonsky
“No One Else” – Natasha
7.1 “The Opera (Part 1)” – Marya D., Servant, Sonya, Hélène, Pierre & Ensemble
7.2 “The Opera (Part 2)” – Opera Soloists, Natasha, Sonya and Ensemble
7.3 “The Opera (Part 3)” – Natasha, Sonya, Hélène, Opera Soloists and Ensemble
“Natasha & Anatole” – Natasha and Anatole
“The Duel” – Anatole, Pierre, Dolokhov, Hélène, Servant and Ensemble
“Dust and Ashes” – Pierre and Ensemble
“Sunday Morning” – Sonya, Natasha and Marya D.
“Charming” – Hélène and Natasha
“The Ball” – Anatole and Natasha
ACT 2
“Letters” – Mary, Natasha, Anatole, Dolokhov, Pierre and Chorus
“Sonya & Natasha” – Natasha and Sonya
“Sonya Alone” – Sonya
“Preparations” – Pierre, Anatole and Dolokhov
“Balaga” – Balaga, Anatole, Dolokhov and Ensemble
“The Abduction” – Anatole, Pierre, Dolokhov, Maidservant and Ensemble
“In My House” – Marya D., Sonya and Natasha
“A Call to Pierre” – Marya, Pierre, Servant and Ensemble
“Find Anatole” – Pierre, Anatole, Hélène, Natasha, Servant and Ensemble
“Pierre & Anatole” – Pierre and Anatole
“Natasha Very Ill” – Sonya
“Pierre & Andrey” – Sonya, Andrey and Pierre
“Pierre & Natasha” – Pierre and Natasha
“The Great Comet of 1812” – Pierre and Company