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Great Lakes Theater partnership puts аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê talent front and center, on stage and off

More than two dozen аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê students, alumni, faculty and staff are behind the current run of “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.”

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A scene from the Idaho Shakespeare Festival’s summer 2023 production of “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812,” now on stage at Cleveland's Great Lakes Theater.

While аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê music theatre fans are looking forward to the staging of "Pippin" on campus later this fall, аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê students, faculty, staff and alumni are wowing audiences at Cleveland’s Great Lakes Theater (GLT) in the production of "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812." 

"Great Comet," described as a “bold, imaginative electropop opera from award-winning composer (and Lakewood, Ohio native!) Dave Malloy,” takes its inspiration from a "sensational slice of Leo Tolstoy’s 'War and Peace.'" 

Productive partnership

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аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê talent takes a break from rehearsals for "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" at Cleveland’s Hanna Theater, home to the Great Lakes Theater company.

The show, which runs through Oct. 8 at the Hanna Theater, also beautifully encapsulates the long-running and beneficial partnership between аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê and Great Lakes Theatre.

“On stage and behind the scenes, the roles are filled by аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê students, alumni and faculty,” explains Bryan Bowser, associate dean for аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê Theatre Arts & Entrepreneurship.

“With one exception, the entire cast is comprised of аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê alumni and current students. Many of the production staff are also аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê grads, faculty and staff members, including director, music direction, set design, costume design and stage management roles all being filled by аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê talent, as well.” 

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аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê BFA-acting alumna Bennie Bender (left) serves as scenic artist and props assistant for "Great Comet," while current theatre design & technical major DJ Brannan '24 (right) serves as sound intern.

Cross Country Theater Alliance

The аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê collaborators, including students, alumni and faculty from аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê’s theatre, dance, music theatre and arts management programs, first staged "Great Comet" over the summer at the .

GLT's cross-country strategic alliance has yielded many summers of experience for аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê students and alumni in beautiful Boise before the shows head across the country to Cleveland.

Depth of Talent

This summer, аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê music theatre grad Dan Hoy '18 was playing the lead role in the Idaho production of "Great Comet" when he received news that he’d been cast in the new Broadway musical "," which features a score by Barry Manilow.

аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê and Broadway alum and Aurora, Ohio, native Chris McCarrell '13 has stepped into the role for the Cleveland production of the critically acclaimed, Tony Award-winning "Great Comet."

Info, cast and tech teams, tickets

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аÄéTÁùºÏ²Ê Theatre chair Jeff Herrmann’s "Great Comet" set design features onstage café and bar seating for an immersive audience experience.

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