Comet: a celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and, when near the sun, a “tail” of gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun; the Broadway musical I watched this week

A comet is basically a dusty snowball that shoots around the sun, often remarked for the images they create with trailing gases and the speed at which they can race through the galaxy. Sometimes that’s how we feel… like a comet shooting gases (our mouths off) all in the vain of trying to get somewhere. Although I try to keep my mouth shut 99% of the time, there have been moments where I just needed to vent. And that’s OK. Venting can be a healthy way to let off steam and propel you forward to whatever comes next.

A friend of W’s, who is also now a friend of mine, suggested we see the Broadway play, The Great Comet of 1812, this week. I love Broadway and I enjoy going to musicals and shows, but they can be expensive. When this one came up, knowing I had a list of others I knew I wanted to see, I wasn’t initially interested. I was also way too busy to stop and look up anything about it so I felt educated in my decision. I remembered seeing it mentioned at the Tony Awards when we watched them last June, but also uncertain if it had been nominated or just discussed. Then I remembered Josh Groban was in it, so I got excited and said, “yeah, let’s go.” The day finally came this week and we went to dinner first, where I asked about Groban’s role and the point of the whole show. Again, I really should have looked it up in advance. Two things happened at that moment: (1) Josh Groban isn’t in it anymore and (2) It’s an adaption of parts of Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace.’

OK, three things happened, the third being me dropping my fork and grabbing my glass of cider — with alcohol, of course, as I was not thrilled about seeing the show anymore. But I hide it well and got through dinner, hoping maybe it wouldn’t be a boring show about fighting and fixing things and the world from 1812. I love history and I love all things based on timelines, but War and Peace on a weeknight? Another glass of cider… maybe two… dinner ends, we walk to the Imperial Theatre. I’m online, looking at all the advertisements and watching people on line waiting to get in. (Aside: oh, that was funny… on line… on line…)

It’s a Russian story, so I am starting to grow more intrigued. But at the same time, I’m worried it’ll be boring, despite my friend seeing it five previous times and raving about it. Sometimes I can be quite a lump when I get an idea in my head that something will be bad. And then I won’t let any positive thoughts shine through. By the way, that’s not a good way to be — I’ve worked hard to get rid of those parts of me… but every once in awhile they shine through. Kinda like a comet, I suppose. When we arrive in the theatre, I’m absolutely shocked, impressed, magnetized and confounded. They’d re-configured the entire theatre to look more like a cafe. Seats were removed in the normal seating area, replaced with mini-stages and walkways for the actors to wander around and interact with the audience a bit. There were seats on the stage, both regular seats and tables as though you were in a 19th century Russian club. It was breathtaking. I loved it and asked tons of questions in the fifteen minutes before ‘curtains’ opened, as there were no curtains. The actors had already been out wandering around talking to people. It truly was a remarkable show, in my top 5, and I’ve seen hundreds at this point in my life.

The music was incredible, everything from opera to rap, reggae to house club, ballads to rock songs. All original. All chosen to determine the mood of the character who was ‘center-stage’ in those scenes. The choreography was impeccable, almost like a circus performance with almost unbelievable body movements and dancing. The lighting was brilliant and always on point. I never pay attention to the lighting, but between smoke machines, lanterns, spotlights, strobe lights and lights descending and swinging around the entire theatre, the beauty never ended. Truly one of those shows were you are fully immersed in everything happening, as it’s basically a 360 degree play all around you. I don’t often buy albums or music, but I will be getting this one.

I also have a new theme for a giant birthday party next year. And I hate birthday parties. That’s how fun this show was. I implore anyone in the NYC area to try to get there before it closes on September 3rd. And if you miss it, find a performance somewhere near you just to hear the music and see the fantastic beauty. If you’re interested in learning more, below are the links to the Broadway play’s website and Wikipedia’s page on the show.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha,_Pierre_%26_The_Great_Comet_of_1812
• http://greatcometbroadway.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwlf_MBRDU7f7nlqqcz0ESJAA_Bo_AA–5h0KwXPMb72lwXI9PBMRSj-UrdqUxdgMr1gDIwxoCzovw_wcB

 

 

So be your own comet. Leave a trail. Shoot across the galaxy that is your world. And give things a chance before you get all pissy over something that you’ll end up loving!

 

About Me & the “365 Daily Challenge”

I’m Jay and I live in NYC. By profession, I work in technology. By passion, I work in writing. I’ve always been a reader. And now I’m a daily blogger. I decided to start my own version of the “365 Daily Challenge” where since March 13, 2017, I’ve posted a characteristic either I currently embody or one I’d like to embody in the future. 365 days of reflection to discover who I am and what I want out of life.

The goal: Knowledge. Acceptance. Understanding. Optimization. Happiness. Help. For myself. For others. And if all else fails, humor. When I’m finished in one year, I hope to have more answers about the future and what I will do with the remainder of my life. All aspects to be considered. It’s not just about a career, hobbies, residence, activities, efforts, et al. It’s meant to be a comprehensive study and reflection from an ordinary man. Not a doctor. Not a therapist. Not a friend. Not an encyclopedia full of prior research. Just pure thought, a blogged journal with true honesty.

Join the fun and read a new post each day, or check out my book reviews, TV/Film reviews or favorite vacation spots. And feel free to like, rate, comment or take the poll for each post. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.