Hadestown

Hadestown is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by Anaïs Mitchell. It tells a version of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Eurydice, a starving young girl, 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 Barre and Vergennes, Vermont, in 2006, followed by 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 (NYTW) on May 6, 2016, and ran through July 31. Following productions in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and London, England, the show premiered on Broadway in 2019. The Broadway production received critical acclaim, and at the 73rd Tony Awards it received 14 nominations (the most that year) and won eight, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.

Synopsis

Act I

The Greek god Hermes welcomes the audience to the show, introducing the story, characters, ensemble, and band ("Road to Hell"). This is followed by Eurydice and the Fates describing the harsh weather and famine of the setting ("Any Way the Wind Blows"). Orpheus, Hermes' ward, introduces himself to Eurydice and asks her to marry him ("Come Home With Me"). Eurydice is doubtful as they both live in poverty. Orpheus tells her that he is writing a song to make spring come again, and they will no longer have to struggle ("Wedding Song").

Prompted by Hermes, 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").

Act II

In an entr'acte, Persephone sings to the patrons of a speakeasy that she runs behind Hades's back ("Our Lady of the Underground"). Eurydice begins to realize the consequences of her choice to go to Hadestown: she will soon become a forgotten laborer and can never leave unless Hades consents to let her go ("Way Down Hadestown (Reprise)"). She forgets her memories of the world above ("Flowers").

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) and orders the workers to attack Orpheus ("Papers"). 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 (Epic III ("They Danced...")), 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").

Musical numbers

There are 33 songs performed over the two acts:

Productions

Early versions (2006–2012)

An early version of Hadestown was performed in the cities of Barre and Vergennes, Vermont, in 2006, before going on a seven-day, ten-city tour in Mitchell's home state of Vermont and Massachusetts in 2007. The creative team included director/designer Ben T. Matchstick and orchestrator/arranger Michael Chorney, with a cast drawn from artists in Vermont, including Mitchell as Eurydice and Matchstick as Hermes. Unsure of the future of the stage version, Mitchell released a concept album in 2010.

In November 2012, a reading at Barnard College was directed by Matchstick and starred Damon Daunno as Orpheus, Allison Case as Eurydice, André De Shields as Hermes, Harriett D Foy as Persephone, and Paul Kandel as Hades. The Fates included Krystal Joy Brown, with a men's chorus that included Javier Muñoz. On August 16, 2014, as part of New York Theatre Workshop's (NYTW) Dartmouth College residency, the work-in-progress was staged at the Hopkins Center for the Arts' Bentley Theater, following a two-week developmental workshop. Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the cast included Daunno as Orpheus, Amber Gray as Persephone, and Shaina Taub as a Fate.

In October 2015, NYTW gave another performance with Daunno as Orpheus, Nabiyah Be as Eurydice, Taub as the Fates, and Gray as Persephone. Two more workshops were held prior to rehearsals beginning in April 2016 at the NYTW. The last of these introduced orchestrations by Michael Chorney, and Chris Sullivan joined the cast as Hermes.

Off-Broadway (2016)

After watching a production of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 directed by Rachel Chavkin in 2012, Mitchell and Chavkin discussed gaps in the concept album's storyline and began to expand the stage version of the musical. Mitchell wrote an additional 15 songs and added dialogue to clarify the plot and deepen characterization. Todd Sickafoose contributed additional/co-arrangements and orchestrations to Chorney's. Hadestown premiered at New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW), running from May 3, 2016, through July 31. The production starred Daunno as Orpheus, Be as Eurydice, Gray as Persephone, Patrick Page as Hades, Sullivan as Hermes, and Lulu Fall, Jessie Shelton, and Taub as the Fates. On October 14, 2016, an EP was released featuring four songs from the musical, recorded live on June 28 and 29, 2016. A full live album was released on October 6, 2017. The production was featured in the documentary series Working in the Theatre produced by the American Theatre Wing.

The show received a developmental workshop presented by NYTW on March 24, 2017, with Reeve Carney as Orpheus, Gizel Jiménez as Eurydice, Page as Hades, Gray as Persephone, De Shields as Hermes, as well as Yvette González-Nacer and Crystal Lucas-Perry.