by Stephanie Manning

Reposted with the permission of Oberlin Conservatory

When the characters in Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace saw the Great Comet of 1812, “they thought either the world was ending or a new life was beginning,” says Professor of Music Theater Victoria Bussert.

That symbolism of change resonated with the director and professor, who joined the Oberlin faculty this fall to launch the Music Theater program. “For all of us, this is a new life beginning,” she says, “and I really wanted to use that image in our inaugural production.”

No better show for that than Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, which was created by Dave Malloy and adapted from a small section of Tolstoy’s famously lengthy novel. The Tony Award-winning musical follows the separate stories of the romantically conflicted Natasha and the disillusioned Pierre, combining an eclectic blend of musical genres with an intimate staging. Oberlin’s upcoming production will run at the Wurtzel Theater December 3-7 and December 9-10. [Read more…]