Hadestown is a musical that first took Broadway by storm in 2019. 

 

All the songs featured in Hadestown were adapted from the concept album of the same name, written and performed by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell.

 

Since the release of Mitchell’s album in 2010, the source material has been adapted and changed to fit a musical theatre format. It was initially brought to the stage in an off-Broadway production in 2017 before receiving a Broadway spot two years ago. 

 

However, because of COVID-19, its Broadway run was cut short, and its subsequent North American tour was delayed until this year. 

 

Luckily, now that Broadway has returned, both that New York run and the North American tour are back, making the musical accessible to hopeful viewers once again.

 

Hadestown retells the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, the lovers of ancient Greece who were torn apart by death. The musical adapts this story into a vague 1930s-esque setting. 

 

The show grounds the more fantastical elements first introduced in the Greek myth. The “underworld” is now an underground industrial city where the workers are “dead to the world” and work endlessly to serve the god known as Hades. 

 

Hadestown is a clever mixture of Greek myth with the harsh realities of depression-era history that uses folk-inspired music to match the themes and aesthetics of the musical. 

 

The soundtrack recorded by the original Broadway cast is available on most musical streaming and downloading platforms. They sing the entire musical. For those unable to make the trip to New York or elsewhere in the US to see it live, the soundtrack is a great alternative that features the same musical and storytelling that make Hadestown special. 

 

However, Hadestown is absolutely worth seeing live if possible. 

 

The musical’s original Broadway cast—featuring Reeve Carvey and Eva Nobelazada as the intrepid lovers and the impressive baritone of Patrick Page—is still currently performing their respective roles at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway. 

 

Outside of Broadway, the tour cast is equally good. Levi Kreis is a fantastic Hermes whose powerful singing voice brings so much to the character. Meanwhile, Kimberly Marable and Kevyn Morrow are incredibly charismatic as Persephone and Hades. The touring cast stays loyal to the choreography of the original production, but their singing adds unique elements to the musical. 

 

From its music to its choreography to its performances, Hadestown hits every mark on what makes a fantastic musical. Its high-energy songs will have viewers dancing in their seats, while their emotional lyrics will move them to their cores. 

 

Whether it’s by making the trip to New York to see the Broadway show or chasing the tour cast through the United States, seeing Hadestown is worth the time and effort.