Hades (Kevyn Morrow) has turned hell into a kind of industrial prison. Orpheus goes from the joy of finding Eurydice to his desperate and terrifying journey to save her. Eurydice goes from being a young girl in love to a member of Hades’ miserable work team, who are nameless and must keep their noses to the grindstone. They make an appealing couple, but both are burdened with dizzying transitions. Barasch’s Orpheus, also poor, is a gifted artist whose songs cast a spell over everyone who hears them. Charles Erickson.Įurydice (Morgan Siobhan Green) is a “hungry girl” who is struggling to survive. Nicholas Barasch (Orpheus) and Morgan Siobhan Green (Euridice) in ‘Hadestown.’ Photo by T. (Orpheus’ father is generally considered to be Apollo.) The setting ranges from a Depression-era, New Orleans–style nightclub to the gates of hell itself, which appears to be short on fun and long on Social Darwinism. He takes Orpheus (Nicholas Barasch) under his wing, as he was a friend of Orpheus’ mother, the muse Calliope. Our guide is Hermes (Levi Kreis), messenger of the gods, whose brash manner and nonstop energy instantly win us over. That is perhaps the secret of the story’s longevity. As anyone who has ever lost a loved one knows, it sometimes seems like going to hell and back would be a small price to pay to see them once again. There were Tonys for Best Musical, Best Music & Lyrics (Anaïs Mitchell), Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (André de Shields, in a role now played by Levi Kreis), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Rachel Hauck), Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Bradley King), Best Sound Design of a Musical (Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz), Best Direction of a Musical (Rachel Chavkin), and Best Orchestrations (Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose).ĭespite the tragic elements of the plot, which is based largely on the Greek myth of Orpheus, in the end there is a sense of hopefulness and rebirth. The music, from the deep, melodic tones of “Way Down Hadestown” to the passionate longing of “Wait for Me” steals the show, but there is much, much more to enjoy. It is the first time in over ten years (and the fourth time in Broadway history) that a woman, Anaïs Mitchell, has written the music, lyrics, and book of a musical.īased on the myths of Persephone and Orpheus, the narrative follows two couples, Persephone and her husband Hades, the billionaire ruler of hell, and the much younger musician Orpheus and the love of his life, Eurydice. Rachel Chavkin, who received the Tony for Best Direction of a Musical, was the only woman on Broadway directing a new musical that year. Levi Kreis (Hermes) and Company in ‘Hadestown.’ Photo by T. The national tour’s first stop is right here in DC. In the 2018–19 Broadway season, it won, in addition to the Tonys, four Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical. The show is adapted from the folk opera by Anaïs Mitchell, developed with and directed by Rachel Chavkin.
The soaring music, explosively beautiful design, and first-rate performances welcome us back to the world of live theater.
It won a total of eight Tonys in 2019, including Best New Musical. Hadestown at the Kennedy Center brings us the best of Broadway.
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