Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 [SEP] based on
[{"answer": "War and Peace"}]
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 is a sung-through musical adaptation of a 70-page segment from Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace" written by composer/lyricist Dave Malloy and directed by Rachel Chavkin. It is based on Volume 2, Part 5 of Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace", focusing on Natasha's affair with Anatole and Pierre's search for meaning in his life. The musical originally ran at the Ars Nova in 2012, followed by 2013 stagings in both the Meatpacking District and the
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


distraught girl, giving her hope. After their meeting, Pierre experiences a moment of enlightenment himself while seeing The Great Comet of 1812 in the night sky (“The Great Comet of 1812”). Malloy's original score (orchestrated by the composer) merges Russian folk and classical music with indie rock and EDM influences. The piece is described by the composer as an "electropop opera" and is through-composed, with just one line of spoken dialogue, in Pierre and Natasha's only scene together. On stage
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Great Comet of 1811


and brilliant comet [...] which was said to portend all kinds of woes and the end of the world". The comet was popularly thought to have portended Napoleon's invasion of Russia (even being referred to as "Napoleon's Comet") and the War of 1812, among other events. In the widely acclaimed musical "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812," Pierre witnesses the comet. When asked why the comet made it into the title of the show, the composer Dave Malloy responded "
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


Sales chart, and number 23 on the Digital Albums chart. On November 22, 2016 the book "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812: The Journey of a New Musical to Broadway" was released. The book, edited and compiled by Steven Suskin, includes interviews with many of the original cast members, as well as the annotated script and photos of both the Kazino and Broadway casts. The book also includes a CD with five songs from the show: three from the original cast recording, and
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Rachel Chavkin


" and "Architecting". She directed "Three Pianos" which ran Off-Off-Broadway at the Ontological-Hysteric Theater in March 2010 and then at the New York Theatre Workshop in December 2010 to January 2011. She won the 2010 Obie Award, Obie Special Citation for "Three Pianos". Chavkin directed Dave Malloy's "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812", which ran Off-Broadway in 2013-2014. "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" received the 2013
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Brittain Ashford


Brittain Ashford is an American actress and musician best known for portraying Sonya Rostova in the 2016 Broadway musical "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812", as well as fronting the band Prairie Empire. Born in Seattle, Washington, Ashford attended Roosevelt High School. She attended college at the University of Washington, Seattle. Ashford's first theatrical performance was as Sonya Rostova in the 2012 Ars Nova production of close friend Dave Malloy's "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812." Ashford continued to perform
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


to attacking him in rage, but instead gives him money and orders him to leave Moscow (”Pierre & Anatole”). Natasha poisons herself with arsenic ("Natasha Very Ill") but lives. The next day Andrey returns. Pierre explains the scandal to him and asks him to be compassionate, but Andrey is unable to forgive Natasha and will not ask for her hand in marriage again ("Pierre & Andrey"). Finally, Pierre visits Natasha ("Pierre & Natasha") and he comforts the
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


breaks down and waits for Anatole to come back for her all night ("In My House"). Marya D. calls on Pierre in the middle of the night ("A Call to Pierre"), begging him to handle the crisis, and Pierre finally learns that the object of Anatole's conquest is Natasha. Marya D. finds out that Anatole is married and tells a grief-stricken Natasha. Pierre, outraged, searches for Anatole ("Find Anatole"). When Pierre finds Anatole, he comes close
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Dave Malloy


next work was "Beardo," a Russian indie rock musical based on the life of Rasputin, which Malloy wrote with "Beowulf" collaborator Jason Craig. It played in 2011 in San Francisco and had its New York premiere in February 2017 in a production by Pipeline Theater Company. For "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812", Malloy was the composer, lyricist, orchestrator, music director and performer in the role of Pierre Bezukhov. "Comet" was commissioned by Ars Nova and premiered there in October
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


next night Natasha is introduced to decadent Moscow society and watches an amazing performance with Marya and Sonya ("The Opera"). There she meets Prince Anatole Kuragin, a young and handsome man, who turns out to be a notorious rogue. He comes to visit Natasha's box and leaves her with feelings she has never experienced before ("Natasha & Anatole"). Anatole comes home after the opera and he, his friend Dolokhov, and Pierre go out drinking; they are met by Pierre's unpleasant wife,
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


—she still does not know that he is married—and Natasha tearfully breaks off her engagement with Andrey, while Pierre writes to him of his belief that Napoleon is the biblical Beast of Revelation, and that he is destined to be Napoleon's assassin ("Letters"). Sonya finds out about the plan and realizes it will mean Natasha's ruin ("Sonya & Natasha"); Sonya determines to save Natasha from herself even if it means she will lose her closest friend ("Sonya Alone").
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


. He is best friends with Prince Andrey Bolkonsky (also sometimes spelt as Andrei), who has left to go to war. Andrey has recently become engaged to the young, beautiful countess Natasha Rostova. Natasha and her cousin Sonya arrive in Moscow to stay the winter with Natasha's godmother, Marya D., while Natasha waits for Andrey to return from the war. Marya D. is an old friend of Pierre's ("Moscow"). Marya D. advises Natasha that she must visit her future in-laws, the
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Amber Gray


she received a BFA in Acting and New York University where she received an MFA in Acting. In 2012, Gray first became involved with "Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812", an electro-pop opera based on "War and Peace". Gray portrayed Countess Hélène Bezukhova in the musical's performances at the Off-Off-Broadway Ars Nova Theater. Gray continued with "Great Comet" when it moved to Kazino Meatpacking in 2013, Kazino Times Square in 2014, and when it opened on
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


. Before they all leave, Anatole asks Hélène to convince Natasha to come to the costume ball that she is hosting that evening. She agrees and they leave Pierre. Alone, Pierre reflects on his near-death experience and realizes that despite wasting his life, he wishes to live ("Dust and Ashes"). Natasha and her family go to church the next morning. She is confused about her interaction with Anatole the night before, and questions if she is spoiled of Andrey's love ("Sunday Morning"
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


and dining tables added. Scott Stangland took over the role of Pierre, Denée Benton starred as Natasha, Lilli Cooper as Hélène, Nicholas Belton as Andrey/Prince Bolkonsky and the rest of the cast reprised their roles. The Broadway production at the Imperial Theatre began previews on October 18, 2016 and opened on November 14, 2016, starring Josh Groban as Pierre and Denée Benton as Natasha, both making their Broadway debuts, with choreography by Sam Pinkleton, sets by Mimi Lien, costumes by Paloma Young, lights by Bradley
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


Theater District of Manhattan, a 2014 Spanish-language staging in Quito, Ecuador, and a 2015 remounting at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "The Great Comet" premiered on Broadway in November 2016 at the Imperial Theatre, and closed in September 2017. The original Off-Broadway production of the show had Dave Malloy playing Pierre Bezukhov, the lead. Once the show was taken to Broadway, Josh Groban made his Broadway debut as he took over the role of Pierre. The musical received positive reviews,
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Josh Groban


Tour. In March 2015, Josh Groban's Facebook page announced the release of the album "Stages", consisting of covers of songs from Broadway musicals. The album was released on April 28, 2015. Starting October 18, 2016, Groban performed on Broadway as Pierre Bezukhov in "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812", an electropop opera by composer Dave Malloy based on "War and Peace". For his performance as Pierre, Groban was nominated for the 2017 Tony Award for Best Actor in a
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Phillipa Soo


was involved in the arts. My dad's a doctor. I was very much always encouraged [to pursue an acting career], but the mentality of 'get your education' was still there." Soo attended Libertyville High School from 2004 to 2008. Soo graduated from The Juilliard School's acting program in 2012. After graduating from Juilliard in 2012, Soo was cast as Natasha Rostova in the Ars Nova production of Dave Malloy's "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812", based on Leo Tolstoy
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


demented old Prince Bolkonsky and his pitiable spinster daughter Mary ("The Private and Intimate Life of the House"), to win their affection in advance of the marriage, which is critical to the status and fortune of the Rostov family. However, Natasha's visit with Mary and Bolkonsky ends in disaster ("Natasha & Bolkonskys"), as Mary finds Natasha vain, Natasha finds Mary cold, and Bolkonsky behaves bizarrely. Natasha leaves their home missing Andrey more than ever ("No One Else"). The
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


). Hélène does as her brother asks and visits Natasha. She invites her to the ball that she is hosting that night, and eventually Natasha agrees to come ("Charming"). That night, Natasha meets Anatole, and they dance. Anatole tells Natasha that he loves her, but she protests, reminding Anatole that she is betrothed to Andrey. Ignoring this, Anatole kisses her, leading her to fall in love with him in return ("The Ball"). Anatole and Natasha make plans to elope
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


as Pierre. Variety also reports that productions in London and Korea are currently under discussion, with additional interest in China and the Philippines. Licensing rights for "The Great Comet" are available through Samuel French, Inc. The piece was very well received by the New York press. Charles Isherwood in "The New York Times" called it "a vibrant, transporting new musical," and both "Times" theater critics included the show on their Best of the Year lists. The Times' classical critic, Anthony Tommasini,
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


for Chavkin. It won two awards: Best Scenic Design for Mimi Lien and Best Lighting Design in a Musical for Bradley King. The story is set in Moscow, 1812, just before Napoleon's invasion of Russia and the burning of the city. The story begins by introducing the characters ("Prologue"), and then sets up the character Pierre, an old, sad, wealthy aristocrat, who is having an existential crisis, living a slothful life of wine, philosophy, and inaction ("Pierre")
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


its international premiere in Quito, Ecuador in September 2014, in a Spanish-language production produced by Teatro Parapluie. A Brazilian production opened in August 2018, in Portuguese, with Bruna Guerin as Natasha and André Frateschi as Pierre. The production won the Prêmio Reverência popular vote Award for "Best Musical." A Japanese production, helmed by the entertainment company Toho, opened at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre on January 5, 2019 and ran through January 27, 2019. It starred Nogizaka46's Erika Ikuta as Natasha and Yoshio Inoue
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


That evening Anatole and Dolokhov plan for the elopement ("Preparations"), and Dolokhov tries to change Anatole's mind with no success. Balaga, their trusted troika driver ("Balaga"), soon arrives to take them to Natasha's house and a wild party ensues as Anatole bids farewell to his friends. However, they are thwarted at the last moment by Marya D. ("The Abduction"). Marya D. scolds Natasha but then tries to comfort her with Sonya's help. Natasha screams at them,
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


, nearly all of the actors play musical instruments augmenting the show's orchestra. Groban plays the accordion briefly, and plays large sections of the score on the orchestra's piano. The libretto contains many passages taken word-for-word from Aylmer and Louise Maude's 1922 translation of Tolstoy's novel. Act I Act II "Note:" An aria for Natasha, "Natasha Lost", was cut during the Broadway production but is included on the original cast recording between number 8 ("Natasha & Anatole")
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


director. The cast included Malloy as Pierre, Phillipa Soo as Natasha, Lucas Steele as Anatole, Amber Gray as Hélène, Brittain Ashford as Sonya, Nick Choksi as Dolokhov, Gelsey Bell as Mary, Blake DeLong as Andrey/Prince Bolkonsky, Amelia Workman as Marya D. and Paul Pinto (who also served as associate music director) as Balaga. The show was the first production of Ars Nova to ever transfer to Broadway. In May 16, 2013, the show opened in the Meatpacking District at Kazino, a temporary
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Sonya (War and Peace)


Sofya Alexandrovna "Sonya" (; ) is a character in Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel "War and Peace", and in Sergey Prokofiev's 1955 opera "War and Peace" and Dave Malloy's 2012 musical "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" based on it. She is the orphaned niece of Count and Countess Rostov. Although sometimes called "Sonya Rostova", it is not clear if that is her surname or not; the novel does not tell. "Alexandrovna" is a patronymic. At
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Dave Malloy


Dave Malloy (born January 4, 1976) is an American composer, playwright, lyricist, and actor. He has written several theatrical works, often based on classic works of literature. They include the Tony Award winning "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812," an electropop opera based on "War and Peace"; the chamber choir musical "Octet", the song cycle "Ghost Quartet," and "Preludes," a musical fantasia set in the mind of romantic composer Sergei Rachmaninoff. Malloy
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Lucas Steele


the next year off to develop several screenplays as a writer. In February 2012, Steele originated the role of "the Son'" in the critically acclaimed production of "Myths and Hymns", presented off-Broadway by the Prospect Theater Company. In summer 2012, Steele was cast as Anatole in the Ars Nova developmental reading/workshop of "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812", a sung-through musical based on a portion of Leo Tolstoy's magnum opus, "War and Peace".
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


Hélène (Anatole's sister), who taunts Pierre and flirts with Dolokhov. Anatole plots with Dolokhov and Hélène to have the young woman he just met, although he is already married. Dolokhov taunts Pierre, toasting to the wives of society and their lovers. Pierre finds his wife's familiarity with Dolokhov offensive and drunkenly challenges him to a duel, accidentally wounding Dolokhov. When it is Dolokhov's turn to shoot, Pierre stands openly in front of the bullet, but Dolokhov miraculously misses him ("The Duel")
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Phillipa Soo


Phillipa Soo (; born May 31, 1990) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for originating the role of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton in the Broadway musical "Hamilton", a performance for which she was nominated for the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Her additional stage credits include the role of Natasha Rostova, which Soo originated in a number of New York productions of "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" in 2012 and 2013, and the title role in "Amélie
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Lauren Zakrin


musical "Surf" at Planet Hollywood, directed by Kristin Hanggi. Zakrin made her Broadway debut in 2014 in "Rock of Ages" as a replacement in the leading role of Sherrie Christian. In the fall of 2016, she joined the original Broadway cast of "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812", understudying Natasha. She then went on to originate the role of Kathryn Merteuil in “Cruel Intentions: The 90s musical experience” Off-Broadway. She also appears regularly on the YouTube sketch comedy series
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Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods


also performing in the ensemble. Finalists Rhiannon Hansen (3rd place) and Lauren Zakrin (4th place) participated in the musical's first national tour, respectively, as Margot and as the understudy for Elle. Zakrin later starred in the 1st National Tour of "Wicked" in the ensemble and as an understudy for Glinda. Zakrin also closed the Broadway company of Rock of Ages as Sherrie Christian. Zakrin was in the ensemble and an understudy for Natasha in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 on Broadway, and
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Denée Benton


in the West End and U.S. national tour of "The Book of Mormon". Later she was cast in the titular role of Natasha in "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" with the American Repertory Theatre; she made her Broadway debut when that show opened at the Imperial Theatre on November 14, 2016. She appeared on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on December 12, 2016 to discuss the role. On television she is best known for her featured role on the second season of the
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Ars Nova (theater)


and director, recently directed "Rocky", and "Peter and the Starcatcher"), Billy Eichner (creator of Funny or Die's "Billy on the Street"), Bridget Everett (comedian and cabaret performer), and Isaac Oliver (performer in "Showgasm"), among others. "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812", produced by Ars Nova in 2012, officially transferred to Broadway in 2016 with Josh Groban playing the role of Pierre. Ars Nova was founded by Jon and Jenny
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Okieriete Onaodowan


, including Lou in "Thanks for Sharing", and roles in "Gravity" and "Blue Bloods". He originated the roles of James Madison and Hercules Mulligan in the musical "Hamilton" on Broadway. He won a Grammy Award as part of the cast album of "Hamilton". Beginning July 11, 2017 (a week later than planned), he took on the role of Pierre in the musical "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812", replacing the outgoing Josh Groban. In
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Denée Benton


Denée Benton (born December 31, 1992) is an American actor and singer. Benton is best known for her Tony-nominated performance as Natasha Rostova in the 2016 musical "Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812" on Broadway. Benton assumed the role of Eliza Hamilton in the Broadway production of "Hamilton", beginning performances on October 30, 2018. Benton attended Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park, Florida, before graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 2014. Her first break was being cast as Nabulungi
4399211
Asian Americans in arts and entertainment


for Drama. Actors that have played the lead role include Aasif Mandvi and Hari Dhillon. "Allegiance", which ran on Broadway from October 2015 to February 2016, is set during the Japanese American internment of World War II (with a framing story set in the present day), and was inspired by the personal experiences of George Takei, who stars in the musical along with Lea Salonga. Phillipa Soo starred as Natasha Rostova in "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" in the Off-Broadway productions
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


lists, stating "this is theater like no other in New York. It grounds you and transports you at once, and leaves you beaming with pleasure.” Okieriete Onaodowan assumed the role of Pierre on July 11; he was originally supposed to begin performances on July 3, but needed more time to prepare. Onaodowan's performance was well received, but as the show began to struggle financially, the producers began looking to bring in a "star" to boost ticket sales. On July 26, 2017, a day
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


structure designed as an opulent Russian club, where the immersive production was staged, again by the same creative team. The cast reprised their roles, except Choksi, now replaced by Ian Lassiter, and Workman, replaced by Grace McLean. David Abeles took over the role of Pierre on July 9, 2013. The show closed on September 1, 2013. The show opened for a 14-week limited engagement in September 2013 at the Kazino and moved to the Theater District, with the final cast of the previous production: Choksi reprised
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Mandy Patinkin


us." Patinkin was announced as playing the role of Pierre in the hit Broadway musical "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" starting August 15, 2017. He would have a limited run through September 3, replacing former "Hamilton" star Okieriete Onaodowan. The role was originated by Josh Groban. Patinkin later dropped out of the role. In 2018, Patinkin returned to recorded music with the album "Diary: January 27, 2018" which was produced by pianist Thomas Bartlett. On June 15,
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Hélène Kuragina


Princess Yelena "Hélène" Vasilyevna Kuragina () is a fictional character in Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" and its various cinematic adaptations. She is played by Anita Ekberg in the 1956 film, by Amber Gray in "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812", and by Tuppence Middleton in the 2016 BBC miniseries. Hélène is described as being in her early to mid-twenties, and is considered a great beauty. Within Petersburg society, she is considered very cultured and intelligent on account of
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Outer Critics Circle Award


School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play" won the John Gassner Award. The nominees included "Anastasia" – 13; "Hello, Dolly!" — 10; "The Band's Visit" and "Come from Away" — 7; "Groundhog Day" — 5; "A Bronx Tale" — 4; "Falsettos", "Holiday Inn", and "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" — 3; and "Miss Saigon", "Sunset Boulevard" —
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


before the official announcement, the website Broadway Black broke the news that TV and Broadway actor Mandy Patinkin was set to replace Okieriete Onaodowan as Pierre for three weeks. A number of fans and actors were angered by this casting decision, as Patinkin was a white actor whose casting would have forced Onaodowan, a black actor to cut his run shorter; a Twitter campaign was begun by actor/activist Rafael Casal, a friend of Onaodowan who coined the hashtag #makeroomforoak. The controversy led to Patinkin withdrawing from the show two days
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Outer Critics Circle Award


1. Multiple winners: "Come from Away" and "Hello, Dolly!" – 4; "The Band's Visit" and "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" – 2. The Outstanding New Broadway Musical was "Come from Away", and the Outstanding New Broadway Play was "Oslo"; Outstanding Revival of a Play was "Jitney" and Outstanding Revival of a Musical was "Hello, Dolly!". The John Gassner Award winner was Bess Wohl for "Small Mouth Sounds
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Josh Groban


in the songs "To Where You Are" and "Higher Window") and extends up to at least B (as heard in "The Duel" from "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812"). This places his voice lower than the tenor range on the low end, and just short of tenor C, and therefore above the baritone range, on the high end. There is no authoritative system of voice classification in non-classical music. The problem lies in the fact that classical terms
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Eugene Onegin


" fails to “come to life”. Furthermore, several critics have pointed out similarities to the smash hit "Hamilton" and especially to "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812", a sung-through musical likewise inspired by a classic of Russian literature (in this case, a sliver of Leo Tolstoy’s "War and Peace"), usually to "Onegin"’s disadvantage. In 2017, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a five-part adaptation by Duncan Macmillan, directed by Abigail le Fleming,
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HIPZEE


to production, HIPZEE provided services such as marketing research, consulting, and financing. More recently, it is shifting to a focus on production. HIPZEE’s projects have included the Off-Broadway show "" which was nominated for 'Best New Musical' by the Off-Broadway Alliance in 2014; the 2017 Tony-Award winning musical "Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812;" and the company’s first feature film "Above the Shadows," which stars Olivia Thirlby, Alan Ritchson, Jim
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HIPZEE


Gaffigan, and Megan Fox. Following its success in producing the Off-Broadway show, "HEATHERS: The Musical," HIPZEE received a Tony Award nomination for its work on the Broadway musical "Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812." HIPZEE’s first feature film ("Above the Shadows") is scheduled to be released in select theaters and VOD on July 19, 2019. "Above the Shadows’" World Premiere was on May 31, 2019 as the opening night film of the 22nd
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Opera


(1971), "Les Misérables" (1980), "Rent" (1996), "Spring Awakening" (2006), and "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" (2012) employ various operatic conventions, such as through composition, recitative instead of dialogue, and leitmotifs. A subtle type of sound electronic reinforcement called acoustic enhancement is used in some modern concert halls and theatres where operas are performed. Although none of the major opera houses "...use traditional, Broadway-style sound
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Musical theatre


"The Drowsy Chaperone", "Avenue Q", "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee", "Xanadu" and "Fun Home", among others, have been presented in smaller-scale productions, mostly uninterrupted by an intermission, with short running times, and enjoyed financial success. In 2013, "Time" magazine reported that a trend Off-Broadway has been "immersive" theatre, citing shows such as "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" (2012) and "Here
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Shaina Taub


Shaina Taub is an American singer, composer and musician. Taub graduated from New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Taub composed and starred in three adaptations of Shakespeare plays for The Public Theater's Public Works program: "Twelfth Night" in both 2016 and 2018 and "As You Like It" in 2017 Taub has appeared Off-Broadway in the revival of the revue show "Old Hats" in 2016, "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812" (2013), and "Hadestown" (
19041096
Ingrid Michaelson


to letting people be part of things that they weren’t part of before. It’s really liberating. I had the best time ever on the last record. It was just really wonderful to be able to share the success with other people." She has also appeared on "The Nerdist Podcast" with Chris Hardwick. Michaelson played the role of Sonya Rostova temporarily in the Broadway musical, "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" from July 3 to August 13, 2017, while actress Brittain Ashford was
1149781
Ars Nova (theater)


New Girl), Beau Willimon (Emmy-winning creator of Netflix’s House of Cards), Amy Herzog (OBIE Award-winning playwright of "4000 Miles"), Dave Malloy (Richard Rogers Award for Musical Theatre winner for "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812"), Annie Baker (Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of "The Flick" & "Circle Mirror Transformation"), Thomas Kail (Director of In The Heights and Hamilton), Alex Timbers (two-time tony nominated writer
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Gelsey Bell


Gelsey Bell is an American singer, songwriter, and actress, best known for her experimental music and her portrayal of Princess Mary Bolkonskaya in the 2016 Broadway musical "Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812." Bell was raised in northern California. Her father is a philosopher and her mother is a musician. Bell's sister, Biba Bell, is a choreographer and dancer, and the sisters created a collaborative performance for the first time in 2016. Bell attended Lehigh University and received a BA with a double
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Lucas Steele


Lucas Steele is an American stage actor best known for his role as Anatole in "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812." Lucas Steele was raised in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania. He began learning piano by ear at age 3, and violin at age 11. Steele made his Broadway debut in the 2006 revival of "The Threepenny Opera," playing the ensemble roles of Harry and Velma while understudying the role of Lucy Brown. In the fall of 2006, Steele was signed to a four-year development deal
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Lilli Cooper


Lilli Cooper (born ) is a New York City-born actress. She played Elphaba in the Australian tour of "Wicked", and originated the role of Martha Bessell in "Spring Awakening". She is the daughter of actor Chuck Cooper. She also played Hélène Kuragina in the American Repertory Theatre production of "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" in 2015. She originated the role of Sandy Cheeks in the Broadway production of "SpongeBob SquarePants", which opened on December 4, 2017. In
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Grace McLean


Grace McLean is an American actor, playwright, composer and singer. In 2019 McLean starred, off-Broadway, in "In the Green", a play with music that she wrote on eleventh century polymath Saint Hildegard. McLean plays Jutta, Hildegard's mentor and fellow prisoner. Other works McLean has acted in include: Kazino, Brooklynite, Bedbugs!!!, The World is Round, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Sleep No More, Pump Boys and Dinettes, La mama cantata, From
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


particularly for Phillipa Soo, Denée Benton, and Josh Groban's leading performances, as well as for the production's score, direction, and scenic design. The show was nominated for 12 awards—the highest number of nominations in the 2016–2017 season—for the 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical for Benton, Best Actor in a Musical for Groban, Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Lucas Steele, and Best Direction of a Musical
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


and number 9 ("The Duel"). "Dust and Ashes" was added for the Broadway production. The musical premiered on October 16, 2012, at Ars Nova. Directed by Rachel Chavkin the show was staged as an immersive production, with action happening around and among the audience. The set designed by Mimi Lien and lights by Bradley King transformed Ars Nova into a Russian supper club. The creative team was completed by Paloma Young as costume designer, Matt Hubbs as sound designer, and Dave Malloy as musical
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Scott Wasserman


Scott Wasserman (born September 27, 1988) is an American musician, composer, orchestrator, musical director, and electronic music programmer who has worked on many shows both on and off Broadway. He originated the technical role of Ableton Programmer for "Hamilton", and has reprised that role for "Dear Evan Hansen" and "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812". Wasserman was born in East Hampton, Connecticut. He attended East Hampton High School, and then Carnegie Mellon University's School of Music,
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71st Tony Awards


The 71st Annual Tony Awards were held on June 11, 2017, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2016–17 season. The ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and was broadcast live by CBS. Kevin Spacey served as host. The musical "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" led the nominations with 12, while the play with the most nominations was "A Doll's House, Part 2", with eight. At the ceremony, "Dear Evan Hansen"
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Rachel Chavkin


Rachel Chavkin is an American stage director, best known for directing the musicals "Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812" and "Hadestown," receiving Tony Award nominations for both and winning for the latter. Chavkin has a BFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and an MFA from Columbia University School of the Arts (2008). She has directed and created many works for The TEAM, including award-winning and internationally touring plays, such as "Roosevelvis", "Mission Drift
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Ars Nova (theater)


Their 2014 season also included "By The Water", a co-production with Manhattan Theatre Club. Other past Ars Nova productions include "Game Play","Eager to Lose","Core Values," "The Netflix Plays,""Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812", "The Urban Dictionary Plays,""The Lapsburgh Layover, Be a Good LIttle Widow, The Wii Plays, Now Circa Then, Bloodsong of Love, Missed Connections NYC, Sax & Dixon: We Thee Wed, Mel & El: Show & Tell, Two Girls for Five Bucks
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Preludes (musical)


†Not included on the Original Cast Recordingbr § Music by Sergei Rachmaninoff The piece premiered Off-Broadway in June 2015 at Lincoln Center Theater 3. The production team was helmed by Rachel Chavkin as director, Or Matias as music director, Bradley King as lighting designer, Mimi Lien as set designer, and Paloma Young as costume designer, all of whom had already collaborated with Malloy on "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812." In January 2017, the show made its European and German-language premiere at the
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


the role of Dolokhov, Bell was replaced by Shaina Taub, and Pinto was replaced by Ashkon Davaran. On December 10, 2013, the two-disc cast recording was released. The show was extended and ran until March 2, 2014. The team behind the original production remounted the show at the American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with performances beginning December 1, 2015 to January 2016. Now expanded to a proscenium stage, the set put audience onstage, with unique seating options, with banquette
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Scott Wasserman


credited as Ableton Programmer. Wasserman has been interviewed about the way the Ableton software has been incorporated into "Dear Evan Hansen"'s multimedia production. The show's Original Broadway Cast Recording was released digitally on February 3, 2017 and in compact disc on February 24, 2017. It won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2018. Wasserman is also credited as Ableton Programmer on the Broadway production of "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812", and as Rehearsal Pianist for the La Jolla Playhouse production
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71st Tony Awards


be submitted for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards. However, the show did receive a nomination for Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special. Shows that opened on Broadway during the 2016–2017 season before April 27, 2017 were eligible for consideration. Notes The Tony Award nominations were announced on May 2, 2017, by Jane Krakowski and Christopher Jackson. The musical "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" garnered 12 nominations, becoming the most-nominated show of the season. The revival of "Hello
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Mimi Lien


Mimi Lien (born ) is an American set designer, best known for doing the scenic design of "Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812." In 2017, she received a Tony Award for her work with the Broadway production. Lien is also a 2015 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. Lien graduated from Yale University in 1997, and she then attended New York University where she earned her MFA in design from Tisch School of the Arts in 2003. Much of Lien's education is centered around architecture,
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


King, sound by Nicholas Pope and music direction by Or Matias. With sets similar to the A.R.T. remounting, the production took the proscenium stage, but removed almost 200 seats from the audience to accommodate the design. Again, the options of stage seats, in banquettes or dining tables, were available. The Broadway production cost about $14 million to stage, most of which was not recouped. The Broadway production played its final performance on September 3, 2017, having played 32 previews and 336 performances. The show had
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


called it "a breathless, roughish and ravishing quasi-opera. This is a pastiche score of a cavalier sort. Mr. Malloy lifts styles with such abandon, making willful shifts – from punk riffs to agitated Broadway ballads, mock-pompous recitative to gritty Russian folk songs or drinking choruses with klezmer clarinets – that you lose track of what is being appropriated and really don't care." "Time Out New York" gave the piece five out of five stars, and also included it on both critics' Best of
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Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


later. The show closed a little over a month later, with this controversy being cited as a main reason. Sources: TheaterMania Internet Off-Broadway Database"Village Voice" On December 10, 2013 Ghostlight Records released a two-disc original cast album of the entire score. Later, another disc containing highlights from the show was released. The original Broadway cast recording was released on May 19, 2017 on Reprise Records. It went on to chart at number 87 on the Billboard 200 chart, number 26 on the Top Album
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Hadestown (musical)


and original director/designer Ben t. Matchstick, as well as a cast drawn from local artists in Vermont. In her search for a director, Mitchell sought out Rachel Chavkin in 2012 after watching a production of "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" directed by Chavkin. In the transition from concept album to stage musical, Mitchell wrote an additional 15 songs and added dialogue to clarify the story line and deepen characterization.The 15 new songs were developed after Mitchell and Chavkin discussed gaps in the album's story
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Amber Gray


Amber Gray is an American actress and singer best known for portraying Hélène Kuragina in the 2016 Broadway musical "Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812." Gray also played Persephone in the 2016 Off-Broadway musical "Hadestown" and reprised her role for the Broadway transfer, for which she received favorable reviews and a Tony Award nomination. Gray is an Army brat and spent her early childhood across Europe and The United States. She later settled in Massachusetts and attended Wayland High School. She attended Boston University where
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Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS


Fights AIDS. The Flea Market took place in Shubert Alley and West 44th and 45th Streets west of Times Square in Manhattan. Shows raising the most money were Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen. Celebrities who attended include Christy Altomare, Reed Birney, Stephanie J. Block, Laura Dreyfuss, Kimiko Glenn, Ann Harada, Rachel Bay Jones, Derek Klena], Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Lindsay Mendez, Javier Munoz, Laura Osnes, Bernadette Peters, Billy Porter, Will Roland,
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American-Russian Cultural Cooperation Foundation


of the Smithsonian Institution Dr. G. Wayne Clough, jazz musicians Wynton Marsalis and Igor Butman, and Mosfilm director Karen Shakhnazarov. In 2016, ARCCF celebrated Leo Tolstoy's extensive correspondence with Americans, among whom were such notable innovators and activists as Thomas Edison, Clara Barton, Jane Addams, Booker T. Washington, and William Jennings Bryan. The gala, titled "America and Tolstoy: A Dialogue from Quill to Tweet" featured an excerpt from Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (performed by composer Dave Malloy
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War and Peace


her. As the Great Comet of 1811–12 streaks the sky, life appears to begin anew for Pierre. Prince Andrei coldly accepts Natasha's breaking of the engagement. He tells Pierre that his pride will not allow him to renew his proposal. With the help of her family, and the stirrings of religious faith, Natasha manages to persevere in Moscow through this dark period. Meanwhile, the whole of Russia is affected by the coming confrontation between Napoleon's army and the Russian army. Pierre convinces himself through gematria that Napoleon is
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Natasha Rostova


Comet of 1812," which received numerous Tony nominations in 2017. In 2016 BBC One's six-part drama based on the novel cast the 25-year-old English actress Lily James as Natasha Rostova, best known for her roles in "Downton Abbey" and Disney's live action "Cinderella". The "Encyclopedia of Literature" remarks that Natasha "is undoubtedly Tolstoy's ideal woman," while the "Academic American Encyclopedia" describes her as "the embodiment of impulsiveness and spontaneity...". On the other hand
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War and Peace (opera)


appear, and Natasha realises that he does not approve of the marriage. "Scene 4: Pierre's Moscow house, May 1812" Hélène tells Natasha that Anatole is attracted to her, and, after some hesitation, Natasha hears his declaration of love and agrees to meet him. "Scene 5: Dolokhov's apartment, 12 June 1812" Dolokhov has made the arrangements for his friend Anatole's elopement with Natasha. The coach-driver Balaga, Dolokhov and Anatole drink to the escapade and to the latter's mistress Matriosha
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War and Peace (opera)


, and they sing of their happiness as Natasha reassures him that he will live. He falls asleep, and his heartbeat (conveyed by an offstage chorus) stops for ever. "Scene 13: November, 1812" On the road to Smolensk, the retreating French are escorting a group of prisoners through a snow-storm. Karataev cannot keep up and is shot, but Pierre and the others are rescued by the partisans. Denisov tells Pierre that Andrei is dead but that Natasha is alive and well. Kutuzov and
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Johann Karl Burckhardt


Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1822. Burckhardt carried out extensive studies on the orbits of comets, and his study of a comet of 1770 had initially gained him some professional reputation. In 1812 he published an improved lunar theory, after that of Pierre-Simon Laplace. Burckhardt's lunar tables appear to have been the first to be based on a least squares adjustment of the coefficients to selected lunar observations, of which about 4000 were used; and a committee of the Bureau des Longitudes (
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Natasha Rostova


and Peace". She was nominated for a BAFTA Award for best British actress and for a Golden Globe Award for best actress in a drama production. Moreover, Harlow Robinson writes that Hepburn "makes a visually compelling Natasha...". Other performances include those of Morag Hood in the 1972 BBC miniseries with Anthony Hopkins as Pierre, Lyudmila Savelyeva in Sergei Bondarchuk's adaptation, Clémence Poésy in the 2007 miniseries and Phillipa Soo (and later Denée Benton) in the New York musical adaptation, "Natasha, Pierre and the Great
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Astronomical naming conventions


Similarly, the second known periodic comet, Comet Encke (formally designated 2P/Encke), was named after the astronomer, Johann Franz Encke, who had calculated its orbit rather than the original discoverer of the comet, Pierre Méchain. Other comets that bore the possessive include "Biela's Comet" (3D/Biela) and "Miss Herschel's Comet" (35P/Herschel–Rigollet, or Comet Herschel–Rigollet). Most bright (non-periodic) comets were referred to as 'The Great Comet Of
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War and Peace


Pierre's wife Hélène dies from an overdose of an abortifacient (Tolstoy does not state it explicitly but the euphemism he uses is unambiguous). Pierre is reunited with Natasha, while the victorious Russians rebuild Moscow. Natasha speaks of Prince Andrei's death and Pierre of Karataev's. Both are aware of a growing bond between them in their bereavement. With the help of Princess Maria, Pierre finds love at last and marries Natasha. The first part of the epilogue begins with the wedding of Pierre and Natasha in 1813. Count
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Henry Bell (engineer)


world. In 1812 he and John Robertson built the steam-boat the "PS Comet", of 30 tons burthen, with an engine of three horsepower. The Comet, named after a great comet which had been visible for several months in 1811–12, was built by Messrs John Wood and Co., at Port Glasgow which lies 3 miles to the east of Greenock, as adjacent towns on the south bank of the River Clyde as it widens into the Firth of Clyde. The "Comet" made a delivery voyage from
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Great Comet of 1811


twilight. Both Flaugergues and Olbers were able to recover it in Leo Minor during August, Olbers noting a small but distinct tail, consisting of two rays forming a parabola, when viewing through a comet seeker. By September, in Ursa Major, it was becoming a conspicuous object in the evening sky as it approached perihelion: William Herschel noted that a tail 25° long had developed by October 6. By January 1812, the comet's brightness had faded. Several astronomers continued to obtain telescopic observations for some months, the
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Natasha Rostova


Andrei until he dies. They are reunited with Pierre, whose estranged wife Helene has died. Natasha and Pierre fall in love. Eventually, they marry and have four children. The character of Natasha Rostova is difficult to portray on film or television, because she ages from a 13-year-old girl in book one to a 28-year-old mother of four at the end of the novel. Several actresses have portrayed Natasha Rostova to critical acclaim. In 1956, Audrey Hepburn was cast as Natasha in King Vidor's "War
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War and Peace


and determined to seduce her, and conspires with his sister to do so. Anatole succeeds in making Natasha believe he loves her, eventually establishing plans to elope. Natasha writes to Princess Maria, Andrei's sister, breaking off her engagement. At the last moment, Sonya discovers her plans to elope and foils them. Natasha learns from Pierre of Anatole's marriage. Devastated, Natasha makes a suicide attempt and is left seriously ill. Pierre is initially horrified by Natasha's behavior, but realizes he has fallen in love with
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Great Comet of 1811


comet of 1811 was attracting all eyes...[n]ight after night, the whole family of us went up to the long windows at the top of my father's warehouse; and the exclamations on all hands about the comet perfectly exasperated me,—because I could not see it!... Such is the fact; and philosophers may make of it what they may,—remembering that I was then nine years old, and with remarkably good eyes." At the midpoint of "War and Peace", Tolstoy describes the character of Pierre observing this "enormous
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Gelsey Bell


the Great Comet of 1812", an electro-pop opera based on War and Peace. She never auditioned for her role, and was instead asked by composer Dave Malloy to come in for its initial workshops, as he had written a part with her in mind. Bell's vocal skills inspired the opera-within-an-opera section of the musical. She refers to the project as her first real acting job, since in most of her other theatrical and musical experiences she was free to portray herself. Bell
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War and Peace (1972 TV series)


War and Peace is a television dramatisation of the Leo Tolstoy novel of "War and Peace". This 20 episode series began on 28 September 1972. The BBC dramatisation of Tolstoy's epic story of love and loss set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. Anthony Hopkins heads the cast as Pierre Bezukhov, Morag Hood is Natasha Rostova, Alan Dobie is Andrei Bolkonsky and David Swift is Napoleon, whose decision to invade Russia in 1812 has far-reaching consequences for each of them and their families. The twenty-part
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Comet (1810 schooner)


Comet, an American schooner, was built in 1810 at Baltimore, Maryland. She was owned by "a group of wealthy Baltimore investors." Under Captain Thomas Boyle, who was a part owner of the schooner, "Comet" sailed from July 1812 to March 1814 as a privateer, which was a type of ships licensed by the United States during the War of 1812 to harass the British merchant vessels and divest their cargoes. "Comet" was built by Thomas Kemp of Baltimore, Maryland for Captain William Furlong,
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Pierre Berton


the school in front of the students. Pierre Berton received many honorary degrees in recognition of his work as a writer and historian. These include: The Battles of the War of 1812 Exploring the Frozen North Canada Moves West The Great Klondike Gold Rush There is also Berton’s abridged version of “The National Dream” and “The Last Spike” that was published in 1974 and a compendium of the two books “The Invasion of Canada” and Flames Across the Border” entitled the “War of 1812” published in 1980
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François Arago


of the polariscope and discovery of Rotary polarization are due to Arago. He invented the first polarization filter in 1812. He was the first to perform a polarimetric observation of a comet when he discovered polarized light from the tail of the Great Comet of 1819. The general idea of the experimental determination of the velocity of light in the manner subsequently effected by Hippolyte Fizeau and Léon Foucault was suggested by Arago in 1838, but his failing eyesight prevented his arranging the details or making the experiments. Arago's fame as an experimenter and
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Adrien-Jean-Pierre Thilorier


diving wheel) to allow vehicles to cross rivers. In 1800, he designed a "poêle fumivore" (smoke-eating stove; i.e., smokeless stove). In 1803, he published a pamphlet on meteorites, in 1812, he published a pamphlet on comets, and in 1815, he published a four-volume work on science. Nothing is known about where Adrien Thilorier received his scientific education, although his father obviously was interested in the subject. Adrien may have been trained as a lawyer. Mention of Thilorier
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Historical comet observations in China


over a very long period. Chinese astronomers were still using naked eye observation in 1835, long after the invention of the telescope. Around forty comets have had their orbits calculated based entirely on ancient Chinese records. Of the well known comets, besides Halley, Brian G. Marsden suggested, based on Chinese and other ancient observations, that the Great Comet of 1106 was a previous apparition of Comet Ikeya–Seki. Ikeya–Seki is a member of the Kreutz sungrazer family of comets. These are thought to all have originated from
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War and Peace


, whom he supports for the rest of their lives. They also raise Prince Andrei's orphaned son, Nikolai Andreyevich (Nikolenka) Bolkonsky. As in all good marriages, there are misunderstandings, but the couples—Pierre and Natasha, Nikolai and Maria—remain devoted to their spouses. Pierre and Natasha visit Bald Hills in 1820. There is a hint in the closing chapters that the idealistic, boyish Nikolenka and Pierre would both become part of the Decembrist Uprising. The first epilogue concludes with Nikolenka promising he would do something
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Caesar's Comet


Caesar's Comet (numerical designation C/-43 K1) – also known as Comet Caesar and the Great Comet of 44 BC – was perhaps the most famous comet of antiquity. Its seven-day cometary outburst was interpreted by Romans as a sign of the deification of recently assassinated dictator, Julius Caesar (100–44 BC). Based on two sketchy reports from China (May 30) and Rome (July 23), an infinite number of orbit determinations can fit the observations, but a retrograde orbit is inferred based on available notes.
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Great Southern Comet of 1887


calculation was difficult because no observations were made of the nucleus. By February, Finlay had derived an orbit which linked the comet firmly to the Kreutz Sungrazing group. A more definitive orbit was calculated in 1978 by Zdeněk Sekanina, based on the assumption that the comet's head was on a great circle "through the sun and inner part of the tail". Sekanina was subsequently to speculate that the unusual appearance of the comet was due to a "tail formation event", an outburst of cometary dust, about 6 hours
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Jet Lag (song)


since Pierre Mails Natasha a postcard from Chicago. The band performs within the airport while Pierre Bouvier gets ready for boarding the flight to his girlfriend, who is played by Natasha Bedingfield. The band also released a Mandarin Chinese version of "Jet Lag" featuring Chinese pop star Kelly Cha. Another music video for Jet Lag which features Tantri Sylandri at Jakarta, Indonesia and next one with Marie Mai Bouchard replacing Natasha Bedingfield above with French next one with 2 Aussie girls at Sydney & Melbourne simultaneously The last video has 2 girls combining
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