The lights go down, the room fills with the sound of the accordion as the stage begins to lighten and the melodic voices of the cast join in, telling the story of “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.”
The show, based on a section of Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” is Elon University’s winter musical, which is set to be performed Feb. 7 through Feb. 9 in McCrary Theatre.
Featuring only one line of spoken dialogue, the show is almost completely portrayed through song. Senior musical theatre major Sitare Sadeghi, who plays Natasha, said the show takes a different approach to an opera with the music choices.
“It's a techno, electro pop fusion of what is considered opera music,” Sadeghi said. “You will hear a lot of groove and R&B funk and techno pop influences in the show.”
Director and professor of the performing arts Alexandra Warren said the show also includes a few special features for audience members including placing tables of audience members on the stage as well as integrating the orchestra into the environment of the show.
“The spirit of the show is really created to help the audience to feel a part of this experience,” Warren said. “We, in different ways and different points of the show, really incorporate the audience into the show as well."
As the winter musical, the show was rehearsed over Winter Term, and Warren said that meant the actors had a very short amount of time to learn the show.
“Normally our other musicals happen after the end of the day or in a class period, but this is a full day schedule, so by the first week, we really had a good draft of the whole show,” Warren said. “They had to run the whole thing, and they were mostly off book that very first week.”
For freshman music theatre major J.T. Loveless, who plays Pierre, he said while the transition to such a short schedule was hard, he enjoyed the experience.
“It's been honestly amazing because Elon, especially with J-Term shows, tries to adopt the same rehearsal process as an equity show or a union show would do,” Loveless said. “I'm really blessed and fortunate to be a part of it, because I feel like now I'm prepared for a process in the professional world.”
Cast members lift Satire Sadeghi during a scene in dress rehearsal for "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812" on Feb. 4.
In addition to the physical experiential elements connecting the audience to the show, Loveless said he hopes audiences can learn from the characters and appreciate real human connection.
“So many people these days can't connect with other people without being on their phone or turning to some sort of substance, or turning to some sort of outside stimulation, rather than focusing inside and just having a simple conversation,” Loveless said.
Loveless said the characters of the show find the connection at the end of the show watching the Comet of 1812.
“One of my favorite parts of the show is looking up into the sky with the rest of the cast and seeing this vast comet that's full of awe and wonder, but also horror and skepticism,” Loveless said. “It's cool because everybody is on the same page at the very, very end, and realizes and connects with one another through the comet, which is a first in the entirety of the show."
A message Sadeghi finds important is the importance of showing empathy. Sadeghi said all the characters in the show have their own issues and audience members should come in with a sense of empathy for them, the way Pierre does for Sadeghi’s character.
“Pierre is the only person at the end of the show to show her that kindness and the empathy I was talking about, and that's what gave her the strength to keep going and not just fall back because of one mistake she made,” Sadeghi said.
For Warren, the main message of the show through her perspective is finding and keeping hope.
“Tolstoy's message, really at the end of the day, is to not give up on hope,” Warren said. “There's always something else to reach out for, or someone who needs you, or some meaning to find in life. It's just really something that I feel really helps me and what was so moving to me when I was preparing to direct the show.”
J.T. Loveless performs a club-like scene and interacts with the test onstage audience during dress rehearsal on Feb. 4.
With the complicated nature of the text that bases the show, Loveless suggests doing a little research before attending the show in order to better understand the complex relationships between each character.
“Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” will run evening shows at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 and 8 as well as matinees at 2 p.m. Feb. 8 and 9 in McCrary Theatre. Tickets are $15 or free with an Elon ID and can be purchased on the Elon Performing Arts website or at the Center for the Arts Box Office.