COAST to host auditions, 'Countdown' events for musical

College of The Albemarle is gearing up for its spring performances of Dave Malloy’s “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” by holding auditions for roles in the musical and “listening” events detailing its music and effects.

According to a COA press release, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” is a “fresh and electrifying take” on Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel, “War and Peace” about the French invasion of Russia in 1812 and the turning point in the Napoleonic Wars.

College of the Albemarle’s Student Theatre, better known as COAST, will host a first round of auditions by appointment-only for principal characters in the musical at the college’s Performing Arts Center on Sept. 9 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Auditions are open to persons ages 16 and older. The audition form for principal roles is available at https://bit.ly/3yM2jRX.

A second round of auditions for ensemble roles will be held Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 18-19, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The audition form for those roles will be released closer to the date, COA said.

To help audiences better understand “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” COA is hosting two “Countdown to Comet” listening events at the PAC. The first was Friday; the second will be Friday, Sept. 6, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. According to COA, the “Countdown” events are designed to familiarize audiences with the “unique and dynamic music” of the play, which features strobing lights, fog effects, and stage combat.

Attendees will have the opportunity to listen to the show’s music, explore concept art, and learn more about the production process.

“This is an excellent chance to get a sneak peek into what promises to be an unforgettable theatrical experience,” COA said in the release.

According to COA, the musical “reimagines a scandalous segment of Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’ with a contemporary flair. The story follows the young and impulsive Natasha Rostova, who, while waiting for her fiancé’s return from war, is drawn into a whirlwind romance with the charming but reckless Anatole. It is up to Pierre, a family friend facing his existential crisis, to help Natasha restore her reputation.”

Performances of the musical are scheduled for March 28-30, and will be geared toward high school-age students and adults. For more information about the “Countdown to Comet” events, contact Mary Elysse Santa, COA drama director, at mary_santa33@albemarle.edu or by calling her at 252-335-0821, ext. 2297.