Tony Awards Close-Up: Sam Pinkleton Explains How He Made GREAT COMET Take Flight!

Sam Pinkleton picked up his first ever Tony nomination for his choreography in Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. Below, he explains why helping the show (and its movement) to grow on its journey to Broadway was his favorite part of the Comet's arc.

Pinkleton recently directed Runaways for City Center Encores Off-Center. As a choreographer his work includes Machinal (Broadway/Roundabout); Kansas City Choir Boy(with Courtney Love); Rimbaud in NY (BAM); Pretty Filthy (The Civilians); Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play; Stage Kiss; Fly By Night (Playwrights Horizons); Marie Antoinette (Soho Rep); The Lightning Thief (Theatreworks USA), and shows with Theatre for A New Audience, Barrow Street Theatre, The TEAM, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Pig Iron Theatre Company. He is an Associate Artist with The Civilians and The Dance Cartel and is Artistic Associate for City Center Encores Off-Center. This season Sam is also represented on Broadway as choreographer of Heisenberg, Significant Other, and Amélie.

Natasha is young, Anatole is hot, and Andrey isn't here... but what about Pierre? Natasha is a beautiful ingénue visiting Moscow while she waits for her beloved fiancé Andrey to return from the war. In a moment of indiscretion, she is seduced by the dashing (but already married) Anatole and her position in society is ruined. Her only hope lies with Pierre (Groban), the lonely outsider whose love and compassion for Natasha may be the key to her redemption... and to the renewal of his own soul.

The American Theatre Wing's 71st Annual Tony Awards will air live from Radio City Music Hall on the CBS Television Network on Sunday, June 11, 2017 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT), hosted by Tony winner Kevin Spacey.