Natasha Pierre And the GreateComete
Scenic
Props
One of the remarkable aspects of Great Comet to me is its ability to situate itself and the audience in a liminal space. Regardless of when it's being set—past, present or future—the show masterfully submerges audiences into its narrative and characters from the very beginning. As lighting designers, I feel as though it is if often said that the lighting design should be inherently ‘atmospheric.' While it may be repeated sentiment, I found this notion acting as guiding principle in my design. Ultimately, Great Comet (and the respective novel of which it is adapted from) immerses audiences into its prose and story, positioning all those within the space— audience and company—to question all around them. For this production, I was hopeful my design would enlighten myself and others similarly.
"AND THE HUGE STAGE WAS ILLUMINATED BY A KALEIDOSCOPIC ARRAY OF LIGHTING THAT HELPED ISOLATE SOLOISTS AND EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE STAGING CREATIVELY." — DC THEATER ARTS
A fun challenge to lighting this musical was the vast range of locations in the show. At one moment, we are situated in the wintery streets of Moscow, to lavish aristocrat homes, then an opera, a rave-turned-duel, and so on. To distinguish each location from one another, I opted to establish selective color palettes to build upon. Moreover, utilizing front and down texture systems, I aimed to emphasize texture as a means to make the world more “lived in.”
The sung-though score resulted in a high adrenaline performance by the performers, of which I intended to match with lighting. Through seamless transitions, I sought to blend each moment with the next to keep a constant pace. Using selective visabiltly, I complemented choreography and movement through lighting shifts and effects. In moments in which the ensemble intensified in movement and vocals, so did the lighting.
The entire process for creating the world of Great Comet was collaborative. Each element—costuming, scenic, lighting, choreography—support one another.
By working alongside each other, we aimed to deconstruct and reconstruct Great Comet’s narrative, characters, and themes to seek clarity—both in their world and ours.
“THERE
IS SOMETHING IN THE HUMAN SPIRIT THAT WILL SURVIVE AND PREVAIL, THERE IS A TINY AND BRILLIANT LIGHT BURNING IN THE HEART OF MAN THAT WILL NOT GO OUT NO MATTER HOW DARK THE WORLD BECOMES.” — LEO TOLSTOY
This is the first time we are truly introduced to Natasha in the show. We see her exuberant and joyous self, excited and “filled like childlike wonder” as she awaits Andrey, her fiancée. In this moment, Natasha is surrounded in deep blues and teals. I found myself drawing inspiration from vintage illustrations of snowscape nights, often seen in vintage children’s books. As she graces and dances across the stage, the canopy above sparkles, mimicking stars. Behind her, the bright LED Tubes on the set are transformed into shades of purple, teal and blue to replicate an aurora borealis. As she daydreams about Andrey’s arrival, I wanted the lighting to capture a dream-like romance.
To be entirely candid, from the beginning of the production process, I knew exactly my goals for this song's lighting storyboard. Transitioning out of the bright vibrancy of the rave-like duel, Pierre is isolated. In tandem with the monophonic melody of the piano, Pierre is surrounded by nothing but darkness. As their emotions intensify, so does the lighting. The once light ambers accentuating them turn into deep oranges and burgundy. At the culmination of the song, the lighting withdraws with “Did I squander my divinity? Was happiness within me the whole time?” Then after, with the introduction of the ensambles’ vocals, the stage illuminates to reveal pools of light flickering and haze filling the stage. All of these elements create a literal dramatization of dust and ashes. To me, this was the moment. It was essiental to me to mirror Pierre’s scattered, lamented thought process as they contemplate life, death, and what it means to be human.
One last celebration! With “The Abduction,” I aimed to replicate “rosecolored glasses” on stage. As Anatole and the ensemble dance and drink, celebrating what it means to be ‘free,’ they are surrounded by an array of jewel-toned lighting. Vibrant pinks, blues and purples highlight Anatole’s rich coat alongside the red scarves the ensemble waves. As they break their glasses, the lighting isolates their blocking to soon after shift to a full on party. With audience interactions and immersive fun, “The Abuduction” presented the opportunity to take a moment to put troubles aside to celebrate, “happiness, freedom, and life.”
The finale, the undoubtedly most challenging moment of the show. For, how does one create a comet on stage? Conceptually, I considered keeping the stage as cool and dark as possible until the reveal of the comet. As the song begins, Pierre stands isolated—an almost exact parallel to the beginning of “Dusts and Ashes.” Though, the warm ambers have now been substituted with the deep blues of “No One Else.” In a way, the moment is a reflection of Pierre’s and Natasha’s newfound connection. As Pierre traverses the streets of Moscow, they are eventually illuminated by a canopy of stars with the entire company surrounding them. At the peak of reflection, the comet reveals itself. Truthfully, the impact of the comet would not exist without Johnny’s brilliant scenic design. In line with James' concept and visison, the comet is
comprised of two components: a conopy of festoon lights and a single, large, Edison-style lamp. Through rigging, the canopy and comet were able to be lowered to create layers. Once the canopy was initially lowered, the comet was too. The amber glass of the large comet gave an abundance of warmth. In the final moments of the show, the comet pulses like a heart. To me, the comet is the life of the show. And as a lighting designer, I found myself resonating with the concept of light as the epitome of life. As best iterated by Tolstoy himself, “There is something in the human spirit that will survive and prevail, there is a tiny and brilliant light burning in the heart of man that will not go out no matter how dark the world becomes.” For, whether it be metaphorical or literal, even in the darkest times, light finds a way to exist.
“ONLY LOOKING UP AT THE SKY DID PIERRE CEASE TO FEEL HOW SORDID AND HUMILIATING WERE ALL MUNDANE THINGS COMPARED WITH THE HEIGHTS TO WHICH HIS SOUL HAD JUST BEEN RAISED.” — LEO TOLSTOY
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