OFFICIAL: Denée Benton to Lead NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 Opposite Josh Groban on Broadway

This just in! BroadwayWorld has confirmed that Denée Benton has officially been chosen to lead the Broadway cast of NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. She makes her Broadway debut opposite the previously announced Josh Groban, also in his Broadway debut.

Of Benton, co-star Josh Groban writes on Twitter, "She. Is. Marvelous. Can't wait to work with her and for you to see us in the fall. #greatcomet."

Denée Benton will make her Broadway debut as 'Natasha,' joining Grammy-nominated multi-platinum recording artist Josh Groban, also making his Broadway debut as 'Pierre,' in NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, the new musical. Benton will reprise the role of 'Natasha,' which she played in the recent engagement of the musical at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge. Created by Dave Malloy (Preludes, Ghost Quartet) and directed by Rachel Chavkin (Small Mouth Sounds, Preludes), THE GREAT COMET will land on Broadway in September 2016.

Benton graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2014 and has appeared as 'Nabulungi' in The Book of Mormon in the West End and its US National Tour. Her regional credits include Annie, Sunset Boulevard, and Fiddler on the Roof at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.

THE GREAT COMET is a theatrical experience like no other. Malloy's inspired adaptation of a 70-page slice of War and Peace puts audiences just inches away from Tolstoy's brash young lovers, as they light up Moscow in an epic tale of romance and passion.

For more information, visit www.greatcometof1812.com.

THE GREAT COMET recently played a limited engagement at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, where its innovative design was expanded to bring the show's signature intimate staging to a traditional proscenium-style theatre.

Casting is by Stewart/Whitley. Additional casting, design team, ticketing info and theater will be announced at a later date. The Original Off Broadway Cast Recording can be purchased on iTunes.

THE GREAT COMET has been showered with rave reviews and a host of accolades, including the 2013 Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theater, a Special Citation from the OBIE Awards, five Drama Desk Award Nominations, two Drama League Award nominations, a Henry Hewes Design Award, and the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Outstanding New Musical.

THE GREAT COMET will be produced on Broadway by Howard & Janet Kagan and Paula Marie Black.

THE GREAT COMET was originally commissioned and developed at Ars Nova in NYC where it had its world premiere in the fall of 2012, and was soon-after transferred to a custom-built venue in the Meatpacking District for the summer of 2013. The show became a sensation and the entire venue was transferred to the Theater District where it continued its run into the spring of 2014.

THE GREAT COMET was originally commissioned and developed at Ars Nova in NYC where it had its world premiere in the fall of 2012, and was soon-after transferred to a custom-built venue in the Meatpacking District for the summer of 2013. The show became a sensation and the entire venue was transferred to the Theater District where it continued its run into the spring of 2014.