Actress, singer, and dancer Lauren Zakrin has appeared on Broadway in the productions of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child", "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812", "Rock of Ages", as well as the national tours of "Wicked", "Grease", and "Legally Blonde". On television, Zakrin appeared in "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" (NBC), and "Search for the Next Elle Woods" (MTV).
On June 11, 2018, as part of the "Broadway at The Pierre" cabaret series in association with Broadway Sings for Pride, a concert was held at Two E Bar/Lounge — the sophisticated saloon located inside the New York City luxury hotel, The Pierre. The concert (titled "Encore") featured a performance by Zakrin, backed by pianist and musical director Charles Santoro. The concert was scheduled on the day after the 72nd Annual Tony Awards, further celebrating the talent and legacy of the Great White Way.
Zakrin performed the song "No One Else" during the concert, where Shefik served as Videographer. "No One Else" is a song from "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812".
"Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" (or simply "The Great Comet") is a sung-through musical adaptation of a 70-page segment from Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel "War and Peace" written by composer/lyricist Dave Malloy and directed by Rachel Chavkin. It is based on Part 8 of Tolstoy's novel, focusing on Natasha's affair with Anatole and Pierre's search for meaning in his life.
The musical originally ran at the Ars Nova in 2012, followed by 2013 stagings in both the Meatpacking District and the Theater District of Manhattan, a 2014 Spanish-language staging in Quito, Ecuador, and a 2015 remounting at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "The Great Comet" premiered on Broadway in November 2016 at the Imperial Theatre, and closed in September 2017.
The original Off-Broadway production of the show had Dave Malloy playing Pierre Bezukhov. Once the show was taken to Broadway, Josh Groban made his Broadway debut in the role of Pierre.
The musical received positive reviews, particularly for Phillipa Soo, Denée Benton, and Josh Groban's leading performances, as well as for the production's score, direction, and scenic design. The show was nominated for 12 awards — the highest number of nominations in the season – for the 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical for Benton, Best Actor in a Musical for Groban, Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Lucas Steele, and Best Direction of a Musical for Chavkin. It won two awards: Best Scenic Design for Mimi Lien and Best Lighting Design in a Musical for Bradley King.
Credits
- Videographer: Shefik
Last Updated: April 29, 2023
