Hadestown Tour: The 'Road to Hell' Is a Pleasant One
See how the world could be.
Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell's celebrated, award-winning musical (that was over ten years in the making), is coming to a city near you in one hell of a national tour - it’s now playing at D.C.’s National Theatre.
The story is that of the ancient Greek myth of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice, but there's nothing ancient about this fresh, spirited musical that brings the house down night after night on Broadway and in your own backyard on tour. Eurydice, played by Hannah Whitley, is a poor young girl, lost in the world until she stumbles upon Orpheus, played by J. Antonio Rodriguez, an equally poor but fantastically talented singer-songwriter. The two find almost instantly that they are who each other has been searching for through this life, many others before, and any more to come. Hermes, played by Nathan Lee Graham, narrates the tale and is clear from the start that this is no classic love story, but rather a clear-cut tragedy. Still, when Eurydice travels to the underworld in search of some ounce of prosperity, you can't help but hold onto hope that Orpheus will be able to rescue her from Hades' (Matthew Patrick Quinn) life-binding contract.
It's abundantly clear that a decade-plus was worth the wait when it comes to this brilliantly nuanced spin on of the most iconic and retold (Sara Ruhl's Eurydice still has a constant presence in regional theatres across the country) Greek tragedies. Mitchell not only managed to retell this captivating tale with sharp conviction, but simultaneously created one of the greatest comprehensive scores in recent memory, one absolutely bursting with wonder and charm. There isn't a bad song in the bunch, which is high praise considering it's almost entirely sung-through and includes a colossal 32 total songs.
With a particularly star-studded Original Broadway Cast filled to the brim with giants of the Great White Way, the National Tour cast had big shoes to fill. Audiences will be pleasantly surprised to find that the cast consistently honors the strong groundwork paved for them while finding plenty of room for new, refreshing additions, tweaks, and creative liberties.
The most notable performance is easily Graham's Hermes. He poignantly pays homage to Broadway titan André de Shields' (at the time) definitive performance in the role while bringing with him a distinct, eccentric, and lively flair. His exceptional charisma makes him the perfect person to lead audiences through the story, and that praise goes far beyond what is simply written on the page.
Another highlight is Quinn's Hades, whose booming voice and strong, looming stature seems tailor-made for the role. He plays the duality of his character with equal conviction and integrity, managing to bring new and substantial musical experience to the role, injecting far more singing than his OBC counterpart Patrick Page. Primarily playing against Quinn's Hades is Maria-Christina Oliveras as his increasingly-frustrated wife, Persephone. Oliveras successfully finds the humor in her role, seemingly with tremendous ease, while also honoring the tragic nature on the page. Together, Oliveras and Quinn make up a heartbreaking, connected pair that had audiences eating out of the palm of their hands during the song "Epic III".
The young couple of Orpheus (Rodriguez) and Eurydice (Whitley) are similar to their actors in that they are young and inexperienced themselves, comparatively, at least, to the rest of the cast. Just as Orpheus must find his voice through song, Rodriguez will continue to work to find his own. For now, he's landed on a Jeremy Jordan-esque sound that, at times, feels better suited for Newsies rather than Greek Tragedy, but still manages to hit the beats in a meaningful, connected, and effective way. Whitley, with only one other professional credit listed, may need a little more time to fully hone her craft, but her natural talent is worth noting and keeping an eye on. While chemistry seemed at times lacking between the two, they still managed to bring it home and bring tears to the eyes of audience members in the show's final moments.
The leads are supported by a vibrant, active ensemble that was at times the most captivating part of the entire show, due entirely to their passionate performances. Joined in seamless unity with the three Fates (Dominique Kempf, Belén Moyano, and Nyla Watson), whose seductive harmony had audiences hooked from the get-go (as evidenced by their rowdy applause during the curtain call), everyone finds their place in the world of Hadestown and drives home the timeless power of an impeccable ensemble.
When looking at the design elements, the show seemingly spares no expense to recreate the magic across the country. The set, on-stage band, and atypical (yet highly effective) lighting design yield high impact given the limited space of touring houses. This is largely thanks to Rachel Chavkin's tactful and masterful direction of the piece that perfectly displays through motion and intent the intimate nature of the show.
Hadestown runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission. While time, like money, is valuable, the run-time is a small price to pay for the overall incredible show. The production includes loud music and frequent use of smoke and haze.
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I got to see the touring show in Pittsburgh and it was an experience I will remember forever. Absolutely stunning.