The stories of Greek gods and heroes have been told countless times, in many ways. In 2006, one of the most well-known of these myths would be told again through Anaïs Mitchell’s theatre project Hadestown (US/UK), which would take Broadway by storm in 2019. This gorgeous folk opera intertwines two ancient love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of immortal King Hades and lady Persephone – breathing new life into its characters and delivering a defiantly hopeful theatrical experience through its tragic tale.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS FOR AUDITIONS COMING SOON!!!

Characters

Orpheus is abandoned by his mother, a muse, Orpheus was taken under the wing of her friend Hermes, herald of the gods. A gifted poet and lyre-player, he works to write a song to make spring come again, ending a harsh winter and famine. He meets Eurydice when she is seeking reprieve from the cold and immediately falls in love. Naïvely optimistic, he promises that his song will allow him to provide a safe, comfortable life for them in marriage.. A romantic poet and musician who is working on a masterpiece to bring back spring. Orpheus is kind and naive, and while he means well, he has a tendency to fixate on his music above all else.

Eurydice is a tough, jaded runaway who finds herself vulnerable in the long winter. Though she has never trusted others and prefers to rely only on herself for survival, she feels hopeful when the song Orpheus is writing creates a sign of spring, and she agrees to marry him. Though she finds that she loves him very much, time passes and he still has not completed the song, leaving her to provide for them both. Cold, hungry and desperate, she decides to accept an offer from Hades to join him in the underworld: in exchange for her eternal labor, she will for the first time have consistent food and shelter.

Hades is the stern boss-king of Hadestown. He and his wife Persephone were once deeply in love; she left her life above to rule the underground with him, but she returns for half of each year to bring spring to the Earth. They were happy for a time, but Hades grew lonely and jealous in her absence. He began to return her to the Earth later, and bring her to the underworld earlier each year, creating prolonged winters and the famine from which Orpheus and Eurydice suffer. As Persephone begins to resent him for holding her hostage, their marriage becomes strained, and he misses the love they once shared even more.

Hermes is a friend of Orpheus’ mother, he took in the young poet after he was abandoned by his parents. Hermes serves as the show’s narrator, providing context and explaining the action to the audience. The musical is framed as a story Hermes is telling – a “sad song” that is to be sung again and again. While Hermes does play a small role in Hadestown’s action, it is almost always in the role of a messenger to Orpheus: for example, telling him that Eurydice went to the underworld, or what Hades’ challenge will be.

Persephone, once happily sharing her time between Earth and Hadestown, has grown tired of Hades’ controlling behavior. To cope with her circumstances, she drowns her sorrows in dandelion wine. While Hades clings to the relationship they once had by tightening his grip, she does her best to escape, contributing to a vicious cycle of unhappiness for them both. She is awakened from her constant distraction by Orpheus’ song and the love he shares with Eurydice, as it reminds her of the pure love she and Hades once had.

The Fates are three sisters, vicious and delicious, they function as Hadestown’s Greek chorus, commenting on the musical’s action and giving insight as to the thoughts, insecurities and doubts of the story’s characters. This often takes the form of taunting them with sadistic pleasure. However, their actions are passive – simply an artistic reflection of the characters’ own psyches.

Ensemble – additional parts available for a vibrant ensemble of actors, singers and dancers, HADESTOWN asks audiences to imagine how the world could be. The Ensemble is an important part of telling this story.