An electro-pop musical with strong instrumentals and phenomenal talent, this two-time Tony® award winning musical is taking a unique spin at ZACH.

If you’ve never sat on the stage during a ZACH Theatre performance in Austin,  now would be a great time to give it a try. Part of the Topfer theatre’s on-stage seats, available only at certain performances, you’ll have direct access to the talent’s facial expressions, and during certain scenes, you may even be pulled in to be part of the show!

A lively set up, you’ll be right near the orchestra as actors and actresses elegantly dance their way past you for the two-and-a-half hours long show. Adding to the direct engagement, you can opt to take a tequila shot with the cast during one bar scene.

Music lovers will certainly delight at ZACH’s rendition of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, as it includes one of the largest varieties of musical styles that I’ve seen in a musical. Rock, pop, soul, and folk – all take center stage with more than five instrumentals, including everything from percussion, bass to a cello and a beautiful clarinet. Actress Kelly Belarmino, who plays Natasha Rostova, also wows the audience with her multi-talented acting, singing, dancing, and authentic violin playing.

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 tells the story of 19-year-old Natasha who travels to Moscow to wait for her fiancé Andrey to return from war, but instead falls for a young rebel named Anatole. Though it sounds hopeless, there is a strong glimmer of hope at the end – that you’ll have to go to ZACH, now until March 31 to experience.

Based on 70-pages from Leo Tolstoy’s 1869 novel, War and Peace, and a full music book from Dave Maloy, the musical is based on Natasha’s romance with Anatole and Pierre’s search for meaning in his life.

Our Central Texas local version of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 is directed by Dave Steakley with musical direction from Allen Robertson and choreography by Josh Assor. Susan Branch Town knocks it out of the park with exquisite era-appropriate costumes throughout the entire production.

Another standout item in this musical is the lighting, compliments of lighting designer, Austin Brown. Definitely something you’ll notice with any seating, but especially on the stage – contrasts and dramatic changes in lighting make this performance even more suspenseful.

Tickets for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 start at $30 and are available at ZACH theatre’s website.

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Cover photo courtesy ZACH Theatre

Britni Rachal lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She is a fifth generation Texan who enjoys all things fashion, shoes, tennis, and traveling. In addition to writing, she is a full-time marketer.