The Great Comet appreciation thread

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 3:17pm

With so many threads about all the controversies surrounding The Great Comet's closing and all the unpleasantness surrounding it, how about a thread that's JUST expressing love for this unique show?

I saw The Great Comet four times, with all 4 Pierres. What I appreciated the most about the show was that the show got better upon repeated viewing. The first time I think i was overwhelmed by all the stimuli -- the strobe lights, the dancing, the pierogies, the shakers, the cast dancing up and down aisles. It was fun and exciting but I didn't absorb even a fraction of the show.

As I went back more times I noticed the beautiful structure of the show -- the way Dave Malloy seamlessly mixed different musical genres, from electro-pop to rock to musical theater ballads to folk music. I also noticed the humor, and the nuances of the show. For instance, each time I saw Anatole and Natasha together I wondered if Anatole really loved the gal. And I loved how the "ending" of the show is really a new beginning for Pierre. After so much noise, the quiet way the show closed with the dimming of the "comet" chandelier to one light and then complete darkness was amazing.

Of course the energy of the cast and ensemble was off the charts. Even the "quiet" characters like Sonya had to show incredible energy. They had to dance, play instruments, practically do cartwheels. The commitment of many of these performers who had been with the show for 5 years was astounding. I marveled at how much Lucas Steele has to expend each show. I can't even imagine doing this for five years. It's more than just energy though -- I know this is show business but from the way the performers often applauded each other in the middle of the show or broke up laughing while dancing in the aisles, I got the feeling they loved what they did. 

This ensemble was very special, but another thing I noticed that the quality of the show didn't differ much with each different Pierre, or Ingrid vs. Brittain or w. some principals replaced by understudies. The show was the star. There's only one exception: I truly think Lucas Steele's punk-rock superstar performance was like Ben Platt in DEH -- as close as you can come to irreplaceable.

This cast is so talented I'm sure I'll see them again doing amazing things. But The Great Comet experience can never be recreated. 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 3:58pm

Just saw this and thought it was appropriate for the thread:

https://theoutline.com/post/2175/the-great-comet-will-never-die

[CorkySt.Clair]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 5:22pm

Great idea Ivy! I'm so bummed about the drama that literally all must posts on those threads are just GC appreciation. Glad there's an official place for it now. 

I'd been wanting to read War and Peace for a while now, and seeing them at the Tonys is what pushesdme to finally get the book. I let myself listen to "Prologue" and "Pierre" (which actually helped with sorting out who was who in the beginning party scene) and was enthralled. At that point, everyone I knew who liked theatre was all over DEH and nothing else , but I just found Comet so interesting and new that I was immediately obsessed. 

Finallly I had gotten through volume two, part five. I was already over the moon because the first chapter is literally "Pierre"(I love it when that happens! Truth be told, I freaked out when i recognized direct book quotes in "Ragtime". That whole day, whenever I had a free moment I was locked in my room, blasting Comet and falling in love. Every song was so dynamic, so revolutionary....ugh it was beautiful. For two glorious weeks I could think of nothing else. 

Then the Patinkin stuff happened and I, as many posters here can attest to, was pretty distraught. I was constantly refreshing my BroadwayWorld tab and praying there was no closing posted. I felt so bad for all of the cast and creatives. Soon an opportunity presented itself for me to go see it, something I had resigned myself to accepting would never happen (scheduling conflicts, etc). 

Hoo boy, that matinee was quite definitely one of the most magical afternoons of my life. The lighting and scenic design was practically worth the ticket price imo. Then the show started, and I realized that I would've paid ten times as much for that experience. The cast was on fire, I would list standouts but they were all fantastic. That show redefined what a theatre experience could be, and I spent the whole time with a giant smile plastered on my face (when I wasn't crying, which I did like four times). The whole experience left me so touched and happy that I can barely articulate it. In fact, seeing it motivated me to get back on War and Peace, and I finished off the last 450 pages in 3ish days. I'm eternally grateful to GC to introducing me to my favorite book and giving me a better understanding of it as well. I know I've probably written much too much, but this show means so so much to me. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 7:28pm

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/tonys-2017

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 8:08pm

CorkySt.Clair said: "Great idea Ivy! I'm so bummed about the drama that literally all must posts on those threads are just GC appreciation. Glad there's an official place for it now.

I'd been wanting to read War and Peace for a while now, and seeing them at the Tonys is what pushesdme to finally get the book. I let myself listen to "Prologue" and "Pierre" (which actually helped with sorting out who was who in the beginning party scene) and was enthralled. At that point, everyone I knew who liked theatre was all over DEH and nothing else , but I just found Comet so interesting and new that I was immediately obsessed.

Finallly I had gotten through volume two, part five. I was already over the moon because the first chapter is literally "Pierre"(I love it when that happens! Truth be told, I freaked out when irecognized direct book quotes in "Ragtime". That whole day, whenever I had a free moment I was locked in my room, blasting Comet and falling in love. Every song was so dynamic, so revolutionary....ugh it was beautiful. For two glorious weeks I could think of nothing else.

Then the Patinkin stuff happened and I, as many posters here can attest to, was pretty distraught. I was constantly refreshing my BroadwayWorld tab and praying there was no closing posted. I felt so bad for all of the cast and creatives. Soon an opportunity presented itself for me to go see it, something I hadresigned myself to accepting would never happen (scheduling conflicts, etc).

Hoo boy, that matinee was quite definitely one of the most magical afternoons of my life. The lighting and scenic design was practically worth the ticket price imo. Then the show started, and I realized that I would've paid ten times as much for that experience. The cast was on fire, I would list standouts but they were all fantastic. That show redefined what a theatre experience could be, and I spent the whole time with a giant smile plastered on my face (when I wasn't crying, which I did like four times). The whole experience left me so touched and happy that I can barely articulate it. In fact, seeing it motivated me to get back on War and Peace, and I finished off the last 450 pages in 3ish days. I'm eternally grateful to GC to introducing me to my favorite book and giving me a better understanding of it as well. I know I've probably written much too much, but this show means so so much to me."

I'm so glad you got to see the show! I also downloaded War and Peace on my kindle but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. 

Other random things to love about the show: 

1) the opening number besides introducing the audience to the many characters, also is a total earworm. So much so that I bought one of those t-shirts that had all the soundbites written on the back ("Sonya is good, Natasha is young, etc).

2) Scott Stangland. I'd never heard of who he was but holy **** he has an amazing, beautiful baritone! I think in terms of vocals he was almost the equal of Josh. I certainly will be watching out for him.

3) When I saw Rent I saw a show that started off "downtown" but had lost most (or all) of its downtown grit by the time it made it to the great white way. The Great Comet, however, despite moving to the Imperial Theater still had its downtown DNA very much in the show, from the East-Village bohemia costumes to the electropop rave section, to the fact that the singers doubled as musicians. 

4) The show's instagram page. Totally funny, charming, everything an instagram page should be:

https://www.instagram.com/greatcometbway/

If you want to see one video from their instagram page watch this beautiful video:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXlcLySjqmT/?taken-by=greatcometbway

[CorkySt.Clair]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 9:27pm

^ It's dawned on me suddenly (and for no obvious reason lol) that I absolutely adore opening songs that introduce the cast/atmosphere in this way (Ragtime Prologue, GC Prologue, Tradition, etc). They're all pretty catchy imo, but GC takes the cake in that respect. 

Is Scott on any recordings? I'm not really a bootleg person, but I'd love to hear him sing. Maybe it's on the Instagram account, i haven't looked through it too much

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 9:36pm

Check your pm.

[hmph]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 1:47am

I've really loved the amount of social media that's been coming from the cast in the past few weeks. 

I think this almost perfectly embodies how lovely, talented, and warm this cast seems to be: https://twitter.com/ingridmusic/status/897246207495610368 

I'm also really digging the country versions of In My House posted to Kennedy Coughell's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BYb-zlShky2/ The cast is just so damn talented!

Sumayya Ali hosted an interesting Instagram Live video that starts off about cookies, segues into half naked cast members doing the running man, and then leads into some lovely words about her castmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs9Ky3j_hM0 This YouTube account has a lot of GC cast Instagram takeovers and Instagram Live sessions. 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 9:22am

That video of the cast singing "Everybody" to Ingrid Michaelson really shows how much raw talent the cast has. Maybe they rehearsed but the way all of them can effortlessly carry that tune, sing together as an ensemble, and also play musical instruments, is a testament to both their closeness as a "family" AND their ability to just perform and be awesome. 

I watched Sumaya Ali's live instagram feed and towards the end she actually gets rather emotional talking about how much she will miss performing with this cast. 

And that's what I think touched so many people. When you saw this cast perform, you not only saw talent, you saw LOVE.

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 10:01am

This cast reminds me of Ham's OC....perfectly synced with a great flow.  I also loved the little jokes that cast mumbled under their breath but which no one could hear in the orchestra.

The one thing I noticed is how differently the audience reacted when Pierre sings at the end that he "threw his coat over his shoulders unable to find the sleeves" just as his arms go into the sleeves.    When Josh did that, a lot of the audience laughed. I noticed mixed reactions when Oak, Scott, & Dave did it.  Made me wonder if Josh emphasized it.

I laughed at one performance and the lady looked at me with a sneer.  Maybe she didn't get it.  I also read in the big program book that old man B is wearing a sash that is a Knights of Templar insignia.  They have all the cool trivia that Ham did.

Oh well.......:-]

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 10:23am

JayElle said: "

The one thing I noticed is how differently the audience reacted when Pierre sings at the end that he "threw his coat over his shoulders unable to find the sleeves" just as his arms go into the sleeves. When Josh did that, a lot of the audience laughed. I noticed mixed reactions when Oak, Scott, & Dave did it. Made me wonder if Josh emphasized it.

I laughed at one performance and the lady looked at me with a sneer. Maybe she didn't get it. I also read in the big program book that old man B is wearing a sash that is a Knights of Templar insignia. They have all the cool trivia that Ham did.

Oh well.......:-]"

That line from what I remember got a big laugh with Josh, none with Oak, a small one with Scott, and a big one with Dave. But Dave really sort of played up that moment by struggling to fit into the coat, and his portly build helped -- that coat did look a size too small for him.

But you sort of have to see the show a few times to get the small moments of humor. For instance when Natasha smirks "Everybody likes me" it took trip #2 for me to get that joke. 

[3GamesToLove]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 10:28am

I got obsessed with this show last December, read the book, and booked a trip with my wife to see it almost exactly a month ago en route to our honeymoon in Montreal. We sat on one of the tables directly behind Pierre's study. It was my first time seeing a show on Broadway. It was an experience which will probably never be topped. So many things to say, not enough time to type now. I'll come back to this later.

[comets]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 10:45am

I had recently gotten out of a two year relationship and decided to treat myself to a show (or a few shows). On the day  of the show, I had a long day at work and really wanted to head home. I was going to put the ticket on stubhub to try and get my money back, then I was just decided I would stay for the first act. After the first song though, I was in love. The music, the experience and even the stranger I was sitting next to was just perfect. I even got my hands on an egg shaker to take home with me. 

I didn't necessarily know exactly everything that was happening but I didn't even really care. I was in awe of the entire experience. I only got to see it once and only from the mezzanine but I'm still glad I did and that I decided to go anyway. 

[irishgator1]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 11:21am

I sort of stumbled upon this show out of nowhere. I'd heard that Josh Groban was bringing a show based on War and Peace to Broadway, but didn't think any further about it.  Then I had to go to NYC for work and was going to be there Mon-Wed.  This time, however, was different, because that Tuesday was Election Night and many shows were dark on Tuesday and instead open on Monday, Comet being one of them.  I had eagerly gotten tickets to Falsettos on Tuesday and was looking to fill my time on Monday, so figured why the heck not see Comet. I had orchestra seats further back and to be honest, did not like it at all at intermission.  The whole thing was just too weird and Josh had a much smaller role than I'd expected (had never read War and Peace).  By the end, I was more intrigued and ended up downloading the off-Broadway recording and absolutely fell in love with it. 

I'll be at the final show for my 6th time, and have brought 13 people with me over those 6 times to share the Comet love.  I know a lot of people feel a connection with the show because they identify with a character, often Pierre who's depressed and anxious, and the show helps them through a particularly difficult time in their life.  That's not me at all.  I just love the show because it's so damn fun and the actors are so damn talented and committed!  They look like they're having the time of their life out there and thjeir enthusiasm is contagious.

[Theatricality]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 12:49pm

Updated On: 9/2/17 at 12:49 PM

[Eliza2]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 1:41pm

in regards to the coat/sleeves line, when I saw it with Josh, he played up struggling to get into the sleeve, so it got a big laugh. Someone next to me, who had never heard the recording, thought it was an ad lib because he actually couldn't get the coat on.

I saw it with Oak three times, and all three times he did not get a laugh, but he also just slid the coat on easily, so it was like the line didn't even make sense.

As for appreciation for the show itself, I don't think there's anything I can say about the actual show that hasn't already been said. What I have found to make the whole experience of Comet even more special is the cast. Their presence on social media is so refreshing and fun, they make you feel like you are part of their family of unicorns and I just love that. I will continue to follow them all but I will dearly miss their backstage interactions together, especially "Gibby and Reed sitting in the banquettes" 

I have been downloading all of these instagram stories and live videos these last couple of weeks so I can continue to watch them.

[Eliza2]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 2:34pm

^^ adding to my post above - Dave Malloy is doing today's instagram story takeover and I am cracking up as he's figuring out how to do it.

Nick Choksi did it yesterday and his first 5-6 posts he was doing wrong - he was posting to the regular insta timeline and not the story, it was hilarious. Then once he figured it out he kept poking fun at himself. Sumaaya Ali did the 2nd half of the day, and he was in one of her videos, creeping in the background, then he does  stage whisper of "hello, remember me from earlier?" in reference to him doing the first part of the day. So funny. 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 3:56pm

This cast is so talented it's ridiculous:

Here's Brittain Ashford singing a cover of "Quiet Uptown":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfm_pS87d4k

Lucas Steele singing "Midnight Radio":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxq4c73oUDo

Grace McLean singing "Mein Herr":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYmSwmgC4eQ

Lulu Fall and Kennedy Caughell sing "Poor Unfortunate Souls":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yA9QvvEnw8

And part of me knows that people this talented will go on to do amazing things in the future. And I'll probably see them again. But to have these amazing talents all in one room, in one show, that's irreplaceable.

I really really hope a few years down the line they have a reunion concert. I would die if that happened.

 

[HSky]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 5:14pm

CorkySt.Clair said: "Is Scott on any recordings? I'm not really a bootleg person, but I'd love to hear him sing. Maybe it's on the Instagram account, i haven't looked through it too much"

Scott was Pierre for Great Comet's Broadway in Bryant Park "Prologue" performance in 2016: https://youtu.be/TThsRGbZBck

I'm a fan of the band he's in, Youth in a Roman Field (the configuration varies depending on schedules but coming off Indecent and with The Band's Visit upcoming, it might be of interest that Katrina Lenk is also a member) and have a few videos from several concerts on my channel. He primarily plays piano, guitar, and cajon: https://youtu.be/QhHhA6ZM5QU?list=PLGykQFoMDBf7NOdC938qjTZj_oObG9R9o

"Here and Heaven" from the 1st Great Comet concert at 54 Below: https://youtu.be/YI2knmRecIU 

(I also rec the video on his own channel of "Charmed Life" - https://youtu.be/QWks5BV2DmA from the 2nd cast concert at 54 Below.)

 

[theater_tech]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 6:28pm

Dave Malloy is doing instagram live on the Comet account right now, and I am now 100% convinced he IS Pierre.

[sm33]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 6:34pm

I hope to god someone is saving Dave's Instagram stories, I can't figure out how to do it. He is cracking me up. 

Anyway, I will elaborate more on my own appreciation of the show after this weekend, but I am flying from LA to New York solely to see the show again, if that tells you anything about how much I appreciate it. 

[Eliza2]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 7:45pm

sm33 said: "I hope to god someone is saving Dave's Instagram stories, I can't figure out how to do it. He is cracking me up.

Anyway, I will elaborate more on my own appreciation of the show after this weekend, but I am flying from LA to New York solely to see the show again, if that tells you anything about how much I appreciate it."

I've been saving all the stories and "lives" this week. They've been doing such a great job! I can't stop giggling watching Dave's today. 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 7:47pm

Dave's is hilarious. I love what a comic book nerd he is. I wonder if he goes to Comic-Con.

[CorkySt.Clair]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 7:56pm

Eliza2 said: "sm33 said: "I hope to god someone is saving Dave's Instagram stories, I can't figure out how to do it. He is cracking me up.

Anyway, I will elaborate more on my own appreciation of the show after this weekend, but I am flying from LA to New York solely to see the show again, if that tells you anything about how much I appreciate it."

I've been saving all the stories and "lives" this week. They've been doing such a great job! I can't stop giggling watching Dave's today."

Eliza, is there any way you could post the links to these? I don't have an instagram but I'd LOVE to see them! Thanks! (Oh and also thank you to everyone who replied w/videos of Scott. Much appreciated!)

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 8:38pm

It just occurred to me that Dave Malloy looks a lot like Steve Wozniak.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Steve_Wozniak.jpg

Also,  both the off-broadway cast album AND the OBC with Josh Groban are now available on google music for streaming.

Updated On: 8/31/17 at 08:38 PM