Hadestown is a Musical theatre with music, lyrics, and a book by Anaïs Mitchell. It tells a version of the Greek mythology of Orpheus and Eurydice. Eurydice, a young girl looking for something to eat, goes to work in a hellish industrial version of the Greek underworld to escape poverty and the cold, and her poor singer-songwriter lover Orpheus comes to rescue her.
The original sung-through version of the musical was performed in the town of Barre, Vermont, in 2006, followed by Vergennes, Vermont the same year and a tour in Vermont and Massachusetts in 2007. Mitchell, unsure about the future of the musical, turned it into a concept album, released in 2010.
In 2012, Mitchell met director Rachel Chavkin, and the two reworked the stage version, with additional songs and dialogue. The new version of the musical, directed by Chavkin, premiered off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop on May 6, 2016, and ran through July 31. Following productions in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and London, England, the show premiered on Broadway theatre in 2019. The Broadway production received critical acclaim. At the 73rd Tony Awards, Hadestown received 14 nominations (the most that year) and won eight, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
Orpheus tells the story of Hades and Persephone ("Epic I"). Persephone arrives in the world above and celebrates summertime ("Livin' it Up on Top"), while Eurydice begins to truly fall in love with Orpheus ("All I've Ever Known"). Hades comes early to collect Persephone, and she voices her misery of having to return to Hadestown, Hades' underground factory. Despite hearing about the never-ending labor endured by the factory workers, Eurydice is intrigued by the rich praises sung by the Fates as well as the promise of protection that Hadestown offers ("Way Down Hadestown"). The cold weather returns and Eurydice searches for food and firewood, urging Orpheus to finish his song ("A Gathering Storm"). Orpheus continues working on his song ("Epic II"), as Eurydice becomes more desperate as times grow harder.
After Persephone and Hades argue ("Chant"), Hades leaves Hadestown to find someone who will appreciate its safety and security. He comes across a desperate Eurydice and invites her to come to Hadestown ("Hey, Little Songbird") and the Fates urge Eurydice to join him ("When the Chips Are Down"). With the cold surging and an empty stomach, Eurydice sees no other choice except following Hades. She bids goodbye to Orpheus before heading to Hadestown as the Fates chastise the audience for judging her for choosing self-interest over love ("Gone, I'm Gone"). Orpheus discovers Eurydice's disappearance, and decides to rescue her from Hadestown. He sets off on his journey using Hermes' instructions on how to get to Hadestown without the use of the train ("Wait for Me"). Eurydice arrives in Hadestown and signs the contract, officially becoming a worker as Hades revels in his power and dominion over the denizens of his city ("Why We Build the Wall").
Orpheus arrives in Hadestown and promises Eurydice that he will take her home with him ("Come Home with Me (Reprise)"). Hades appears and reveals to him that Eurydice willingly signed the contract, which Eurydice regretfully confirms ("Papers"). Hades orders the workers to attack Orpheus and the Fates tell him to give up hope ("Nothing Changes"). Orpheus vows to find a way to free Eurydice, rallying the workers and catching Persephone's attention in the process ("If It's True").
Persephone is inspired by Orpheus's determination and pleads with Hades to let Eurydice go ("How Long?"). While the workers begin to truly question the freedom they were promised, Hades bitterly offers Orpheus a chance to sing his completed song, threatening to kill him afterwards ("Chant (Reprise)"). Orpheus sings his song, reminding Hades of his love for Persephone ("Epic III"). Hades and Persephone reconcile with a dance, after which Orpheus and Eurydice promise to stay together no matter how hard ("Promises"). Orpheus asks Hades if they may leave, and Hades tells him that he has not reached a decision. The Fates taunt Hades for his dilemma: If he kills Orpheus and keeps Eurydice captive, they become martyrs, but if he lets them go, he loses control over his workers as they have begun to agitate for their freedom ("Word to the Wise"). Hades decides to let Orpheus and Eurydice go on one condition: Orpheus must lead them out. If he turns around to confirm that Eurydice is following him, she will return to Hadestown and remain there forever ("His Kiss, the Riot").
Hermes explains the condition to Orpheus and Eurydice, and they begin heading out with the workers looking to them for hope. Persephone and Hades decide to give their relationship another chance ("Wait for Me (Reprise)"). Just as Orpheus makes it up to the end, he is overcome by doubt and turns around, condemning Eurydice to return to Hadestown ("Doubt Comes In"). Hermes reflects on the somber tale and why it must be told, as the story resets to the beginning and the company begins to tell it again ("Road to Hell (Reprise)"). After the bows at curtain call, the cast honors Orpheus for his optimism and bravery ("We Raise Our Cups").
The production was featured in the documentary series Working in the Theatre produced by the American Theatre Wing.
Five of the original London and Broadway cast members, Carney, Noblezada, Page, Gray and De Shields, were set to reprise their roles in the West End production for five weeks in February and March 2025. Tickets sold out for this cast’s return in "a matter of hours". After Page was injured during rehearsals, however, Phillip Boykin stepped into the role, joining the other four. Page returned only for the filming of the production with this cast on February 28 and March 1, 2025.Gans, Andrew. "Patrick Page Will Play Filmed Performances of West End Hadestown But No Other Shows", Playbill, February 18, 2025
A Broadway theatre cast recording was released digitally on July 26, 2019, through Sing It Again Records. The two-CD recording was available at a later date. A holiday album recorded by Blackman, Gonzalez-Nacer and Trinidad titled If the Fates Allow, was released on November 20, 2020, and features guest contributions from the other original cast members.
A live recording of selections from the West End production was released on December 6, 2024 on streaming, CD and vinyl.
Director Rachel Chavkin said addressing climate change had always been central to the show: "As we thought more and more about shaping the world that Eurydice and Orpheus are living in — a world caused, in Greek mythological terms, by the decay of the ancient marriage between Hades and Persephone, a world that is out of balance, where it is either freezing or blazing hot, where food becomes scarcer and the idea of stability becomes harder to imagine, and a character, Eurydice, who has spent her life running – all of those things kind of crystallized while we were making the show." The show did a joint promotion with Natural Resources Defense Council to raise awareness and bring a greater sense of urgency to the push for action on the issue of climate change.
US cultural commentator Bridget Read highlights the economic themes: "Orpheus and Eurydice's tragedy becomes, in the hands of Mitchell, an argument for collective bargaining...I don't think its untoward of me to hear the class politics in a musical in which the characters sing the word poverty more times than I've ever heard it before in the vicinity of Times Square." In China, The Paper has published a review of Hadestown, "The Realm Underneath: Hadestown and Utopia" (冥界: 地狱镇与乌托邦) by historian Hansong Li (李汉松), who frames the musical as a work of not only musical ingenuity but also social critique.
Todd Osborne comments on the self-conscious significance of the medium of song within the work: "It is a musical both about how art can save us and how, especially in an apocalyptic world, hope might be the only thing we have left."
The production opened on Broadway on April 17, 2019, to critical acclaim, with praise for its direction and the performance of André De Shields. The New York Times called it "gorgeous" and "hypnotic", especially noting its improvement from the New York Theatre Workshop version. David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter calls it "utterly fabulous", in particular praising the performances of Gray and Page.
Japanese producer Madoka Imura (井村まどか) and theatre journalist Yusei Kageyama (影山雄成) praised the musical for its novelty and creativity, in contrast to a recent trend in Broadway to "avoid risks" by adapting films and recasting classics.
Themes
Reception
Awards and nominations
Off-Broadway production
2016 American Academy of Arts and Letters Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theater 2017 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Musical Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical Bradley King Drama League Awards Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Musical Outstanding Choreographer David Neumann Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical Patrick Page Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical Amber Gray Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Chris Sullivan Outstanding Scenic Design Rachel Hauck Outstanding Sound Design Robert Kaplowitz Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical Off-Broadway Alliance Awards Best New Musical
Edmonton production
2018 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award Timothy Ryan Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical Outstanding Director Rachel Chavkin Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Amber Gray Outstanding Set Design Rachel Hauck Outstanding Costume Design Michael Krass Outstanding Lighting Design Bradley King Outstanding Musical Director Liam Robinson Outstanding Choreography or Fight Direction David Neumann
Broadway production
2019 Best Musical Best Book of a Musical Anaïs Mitchell Best Original Score Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical Eva Noblezada Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical André De Shields Patrick Page Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical Amber Gray Best Scenic Design in a Musical Rachel Hauck Best Costume Design in a Musical Michael Krass Best Lighting Design in a Musical Bradley King Best Sound Design of a Musical Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz Best Direction of a Musical Rachel Chavkin Best Choreography David Neumann Best Orchestrations Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical André De Shields Outstanding Director of a Musical Rachel Chavkin Outstanding Choreography David Neumann Outstanding Scenic Design for a Musical Rachel Hauck Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical Michael Krass Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical Bradley King Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz Drama League Awards Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical Distinguished Performance Award Amber Gray André De Shields Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding New Broadway Musical Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) Anaïs Mitchell Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway) Outstanding Actor in a Musical Reeve Carney Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical André De Shields Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Amber Gray Outstanding Director of a Musical Rachel Chavkin Outstanding Choreographer David Neumann Outstanding Scenic Design (Play or Musical) Rachel Hauck Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) Bradley King Outstanding Sound Design (Play or Musical) Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz Outstanding Orchestrations Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose Chita Rivera Awards Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show David Neumann Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show Amber Gray Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show 2020 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album Reeve Carney, André De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada & Patrick Page (principal soloists); Mara Isaacs, David Lai, Anaïs Mitchell & Todd Sickafoose (producers); Anaïs Mitchell (composer & lyricist)
West End production
External links
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