At the beginning of August, I got to take a trip to New Jersey to see my girlfriend. We were celebrating our one year anniversary and we wanted to have some fun outings together. One of those outings was a day trip to New York City to see the Broadway Musical “Hadestown.”
Now, if you know anything about me based on my past articles, I love Greek mythology. Rick Riordan is responsible for 90% of my Greek mythology intake. My cousin is responsible for the other 10%, but she’s also the one who got me into Rick Riordan.
From the time I picked up the Percy Jackson series in middle school to now, my senior year of college, I have constantly been enthralled by it. Whether it be love songs or tragedies (*wink), I have consumed everything that I could.
“Wait For Me” A Review of Hadestown on Broadway
One of my favorite Greek myths is the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. The story has many different variations, but the main storyline is this; a musician, Orpheus, travels to the underworld to save his dead wife, Eurydice. They can escape but he cannot turn back to look at her. However, a moment of doubt causes his journey to be in vain, as she can no longer return to the real world with him.
What makes this Greek myth so special are the different variations of their story. In this one, Orpheus makes it out of Hadestown but Eurydice does not, because he turns around too soon. One version includes Eurydice begging and pleading with Orpheus to look back at her, as she doesn’t know he can’t turn around to look at her. Another version mentions her tripping and Orpheus turning back to check on her well-being. Regardless of how tragic their story is, because they both love each other, any one of these actions can be justified with their love: anticipation, reassurance, and concern.
The Broadway musical, “Hadestown,” debuted in 2019 starring Reeve Carney as Orpheus and Eva Noblezada as Eurydice. The original music was actually produced back in 2006! The music is inspired by American folk, jazz, and blues to create a unique sound with a live band that performs on the stage.
I had heard the music for “Hadestown” before. One of my favorite songs was “Any Way the Wind Blows”, which is our introduction to Eurydice and the pesky Fates that follow her every move. The style of this Broadway musical always had me intrigued and I always knew I wanted to see it live.
At the start of the show we were able to wait in line to get refreshments and merch. I got a Hadestown cup, which I was really excited about. I also was able to buy the “Hadestown All I’ve Ever Known Tote” as well as the “Hadestown Decal Set.”
The live performance was everything I dreamt of and more. The stage and setting were beautiful and the Walter Kerr Theater just amplified it. The turntable stage even rotated in three different spots with a center that could rise and lower.
If I wasn’t already sold on the music, the stage sealed the deal, helping set the scene. Eurydice was actually lowered into the underworld, the stage expanded to show the difference between Hadestown and the world up above, and most iconically, the stage rotated to allow Orpheus and Eurydice to actually walk their way out of hell…or not.
I had seen so many bits and pieces of this performance online but I had never seen the whole thing—and I was glad I had not. Being able to experience this live for the first time was truly life changing. I am not ashamed to admit that it made me sob.
‘Hadestown’: From Stage to Screen
One of my favorite cast members was John-Michael Lyes, who played Orpheus. His voice was gorgeous. All love and respect to Reeve Carney, but I think I liked Lyes’ voice better for this role. J. Harrison Gee played Hermes and I was blown away with the raw emotion they had in their voice. Their execution on “Road to Hell (Reprise)” was one of the best parts of the show, hands down. However, I do think that André De Shields has such a charm in his voice that makes him the perfect Hermes—something about his age makes his portrayal of the character wiser and more experienced as a God.
This is a show I would love to see again. I wanted to see it in theaters when they released the professional recording but I did not get the chance to. I hope to get my hands on the DVD when it is released. I think if you ever get the chance to see it live you should seize that opportunity!
I couldn’t imagine seeing this show with anyone other than my girlfriend. She is the light of my life and being able to experience something as amazing as this with my favorite person makes it even more special.