As the red satin curtains of the Kinkade Theater drew open, the first show of 2024 was the Performing Arts Department’s premiere of the musical Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. The emotions and action-filled scenes would not have been possible without the direction of the instructors, cast, and crew, all of whom worked tirelessly for weeks to create this theatrical performance. Mr. Doug Santana, the Director of Performing Arts, and junior Levana Geshuri, who played Natasha, both shared their perspectives on the Mitty adaptation of this Broadway musical.

After encountering this show on the Broadway stage, Mr. Santana was inspired to bring it to the Mitty community as he was “struck by what an incredibly unique theatrical experience the production was.” Specifically, “the music, the performers playing instruments, the immersive staging and the audience participation” and “the joy in the theater during and after the performance from the actors, musicians and audience members” astonished him. Similarly, the show’s grandeur also influenced students’ desire to participate. When asked why she chose to audition for the musical, Levana recalled, “I saw it at one of the local theaters here called 3Below. I thought it was amazing, so I listened to the soundtrack, did some research, and found out that we were going to be the first high school to put on this show.” 

Mitty’s adaptation of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 displayed “the full version of the show as written,” says Levana, although there was one noted alteration. Mitty’s cast numbered around 40 students, a stark comparison to the 12 she had seen in previous productions. The additional perspectives, ensemble songs, and cast all “added character to the show,” she said.

Mr. Santana started rehearsing with the actors and musicians in November. All in all, they succeeded in producing the show in a little over two months. However, obstacles included the interruptions of rehearsals and preparations by Winter Break. According to Levana, cast members had to take it upon themselves to review and memorize their lines on their own to hit the ground running with tech rehearsals by the time they returned. Furthermore, there were only around 30 rehearsals, fewer when compared with other shows. 

Both teachers and students alike overcame many challenges while producing the show. From a director’s point of view, managing this show was the most rewarding creative experience of Mr. Santana’s career due to the culmination of a three-year struggle to gain performance rights. He noted that “directing this production was a lot of trial and error, like putting together a giant theatrical puzzle.” Meanwhile, student actors had to overcome the lack of breaks or lines in their singing. Levana added that she “really had to focus on singing sustainably and singing in a way where my voice wouldn’t go out after the first show or the first rehearsal.” She also gained other skills through this production, namely learning how to scream healthily, enunciate her words, control her breathing, and interact with the cast while performing.

Overall, the response to the production was overwhelmingly positive, with Levana, Mr. Santana, and other students and staff treasuring the memories of the day the “comet” came to life in the theater while more than 300 audience members raised their Great Comet glasses in the air, toasting and swaying in unison. Undoubtedly, without the dedication of teachers and student performers, this historic high school premiere of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 would not have shone as brightly as its signature “comet.”