Seeing The Great Comet in Toronto because of An Instagram Ad
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Update: The production of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 mentioned in this post has ended it’s run at The Crow’s Theatre in Toronto. This musical will run at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto in summer 2025. For those around Edmonton MacEwan University Theatre is also putting on a production of The Great Comet in February 2025.
Have you ever been scrolling on Instagram, and you see an advertisement for a musical you’ve wanted to see for the past 5 years and you’re very excited because finally you’re going to see this musical, but then you realize the theatre is actually 4000km from where you live?
That’s how I ended up going to Toronto in January this year to see Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. I did a podcast episode last January about 5 musical I love but haven’t seen. In a recent episode I gave an update on how last year I unexpected got to see 2 of the 5 musicals I mentioned in that episode (Spring Awakening and Hadestown).
Of the remaining 3 musicals that I hadn’t seen but really wanted to the one I was most interested in seeing was The Great Comet (the musical’s shorthand title). I started listening to the cast recording in 2018 (after the show already closed on Broadway) and I became enthralled. This past November I kept getting Instagram ads for Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812 at the Crow’s Theatre in Toronto co-produced with The Musical Stage Company. The Great Comet was running from December 13, 2023, to January 7, 2024 (later extended).
Yes, an Instagram ad is why I flew out to Toronto to see the Canadian premiere of The Great Comet. This is a sung-through musical based on a 70-page excerpt from the 1200-page Russian epic War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. The music and lyrics are by Dave Malloy with a libretto based on Aylmer and Louise Maude’s 1922 translation of War and Peace. The Great Comet ran off-Broadway and then on-Broadway to critical acclaim and positive reviews, but closed in 2017.
Having listened to this musical, knowing the music and its very diverse and difficult score I knew that there wasn’t a guarantee this show would come to where I live. Maybe in the next year or in 5 years there’ll be a production in Edmonton by a professional theatre company (like The Citadel) or an post-secondary school with a theatre program (MacEwan University or the University of Alberta). What if this never comes to Edmonton? Would I be okay missing out seeing The Great Comet? Hell no.
This was a show I wanted to see, and good theatre aside 2023 was a hard year for several reasons (this being one of them), and I wanted to start 2024 on a better note. It’d also been a few months since I travelled anywhere. I know Toronto in January probably isn’t most people’s idea of a vacation, but I’ve done it before (this was my 3rd time in Toronto), and the weather wouldn’t be any colder than back home (just a humid cold instead of a dry out)
My tickets for The Great Comet were for the matinee Sunday January 7. That was supposed to be the last day for the show, and I wasn’t going to write a post about a show that closed. Then the run was extended to February 4 and later to February 11. After seeing this production I 100% understand why it was extended. First, and most important this production was amazing and up there with Hadestown for one of the best musicals I’ve seen recently (and I’ve seen a few a good musicals). Second, The Crow’s Theatre is quite a small venue. Dates sell out quickly because there’s a limited amount of tickets available.

While this production has ended I wanted to include information about the ticket prices and types as they can be using for other shows at The Crow’s Theatre. Prices are listed in Canadian Dollars for what was available for The Great Comet; this may vary with other shows.
Here are some (spoiler free) notes about The Great Comet.
- This production included a flyer that explained the characters in the show and how they know each other (the plot of The Great Comet is from the middle of War and Peace). If you’re not familiar with this musical or the novel War and Peace then take a look at it before the show starts. It will help make things less confusing. The actually story is pretty easy to follow during the musical itself.
- The staging for this production was different than what they did on Broadway (I didn’t see that run, but I’ve seen photos of the Broadway staging). The Crow’s Theatre is a small venue (I counted 188 seats) than a Broadway theatre (500+ seats). The use of space and staging at The Crow’s Theatre for this show was was creative and well done. Everything on stage (including the balconies and chandelier) were designed for this production. I thought the set was gorgeous. Of course for other productions of The Great Comet the staging and set design will vary from this production at The Crow’s Theatre.
- This is a very active show and the performers move around a lot. They may run up the aisle during some songs. As well a few of the performers played an instrument for parts of the show, along with orchestra musicians playing instruments. The orchestra musicians were on the centre stage balcony and stage right balcony.
- The Great Comet is an interactive show. If you’re sitting in a front seat (in any section aside aside from the balcony) you may be pulled up on stage. If you don’t want that experience then select your seat accordingly. I love interactive theatre, but I didn’t want to be the one up on stage, so I was happy to sit a few rows back.
- For this production the platform stage in the centre rotates, so the performers aren’t always just facing the centre section. I mention this because if you get a seat in the side section, you won’t be looking at the side profile of performers the entire show. However; there may be points of The Great Comet where a performers is on the balcony above you (all the balconies are used during the show), but it won’t be the entire time.
- The show runs about 2 hours 30 minutes with an intermission. There is use of strobe lights and fog machine during parts of the show.
My overall experience with see this production was fantastic. Travelling 4000km and spending $1200 on my trip to Toronto to see The Great Comet was definitely worth it. Next time I’m in Toronto I’ll be sure to check what’s on at The Crow’s Theatre and for any productions from The Musical Stage Company.
Things To Know
Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 ran at the Crow’s Theatre on Toronto’s East End at 345 Carlaw Avenue. This production is now closed. If you’re seeing a show at The Crow’s theatre there are TTC Streetcar stops a couple blocks away on Queen Street and Gerard Street, and local bus stops close to the theatre. If you’re looking to a place to eat Gare De L’est, a fine dining French restaurant is right at the theatre itself. There are also restaurants a few blocks away on Queen Street and Gerard Street.
While in Toronto I stayed at The Only Backpackers Inn on Danforth Avenue. This is a hostel, but I booked a private queen room with a private shower, and sink. The toilet (and sink) was shared with just one other room (and there was never a point where I had to wait to use it). The room I booked also had a shared kitchen and living space (again with just one other room). The hostel was really nice, on Danforth with lots of great restaurants (Greektown is a block away) and a 2-minute walk to the Donlands subway station. There are lots of hotel options in Toronto that you can book here.
Have you seen Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812?