Hadestown won 8 Tony awards this past year and since I didn’t know much about the show, I decided to purchase two tickets and see for myself what the excitement was all about. Here’s my Hadestown on Broadway review.
The Theatre
When I walked into the Walter Kerr Theatre on 48th Street in Manhattan, I was amazed. It is a magnificent theatre with interesting 1920’s decor. Hadestown opened there on March 22, 2019, with the official opening night on April 17th.
What the show is about…
Hadestown is a modern version of Greek Mythology. The main character was Orpheus (played by Reeve Carney), son of a muse, who fell in love with Eurydice (Eva Noblezada). They were about to be wed but when Eurydice went out to gather food, she ended up making a deal with the devil, Hades (played by Patrick Page), ruler of the Underworld. Hades was married to Persephone (played by Amber Gray), the Goddess of Seasons.
During the entire production, Hermes (played by Andre De Sheilds) narrated the plot, just as in a Greek show. The Chorus was prevalent throughout and so were the “Fates.” The actors were fantastic! The production was more of an operetta, then a musical. It was mostly sung. There were very few spoken words.
Choreography
The show was well-choreographed and well-orchestrated. The chorus was outstanding.
The Music
The band was on stage the entire time and at times, they were included in the production. (You know how some Broadway productions, you never see the band. The band was right there the whole time and the actors were aware of them.) The band was tight.
Some of the musical numbers I particularly loved included “Way Down Hadestown,” “Wait for Me,” and “Road to Hell.”
The Choreography
I was so impressed with the staging and the choreography. The Chorus and the Fates were really incredible. Everything was perfect!
The Set
The stage was set to look like a bar from the 1920s or 1930s. What I found interesting about it was the circular moving parts in the middle of the stage. There was a round circle that not only swirled around but also was used to show that Hades and his wife, Persephone, were going down to the underworld. Once in the underworld, there were circular moving sets that were used and added to the movement of the play.
What did I think…
I loved everything about this modern-day Greek Mythology. My only complaint was that I couldn’t see more! I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to go to Broadway and see an outstanding show with awesome performers. It was well worth the ticket price and more!
