All the greatest stories begin with the words, “Once upon a time” – and “Hadestown” is no exception.
Chugging its train through hell and back, “Hadestown” is a haunting, jazz-infused tale of the famous Greek lovers Orpheus and Eurydice, and of Persephone and Hades. It premiered on Broadway in 2019 to rave reviews and multiple Tony wins, but the musical’s journey to the stage began long before that. Before you see the Genesians production of “Hadestown,” here is a look behind the curtain at the musical’s history.
“Hadestown” began in 2006, when singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell began workshopping a new musical based on Greek mythology. In 2010, she turned this tiny show into a successful concept album. With the help of director Rachel Chavkin’s stunning direction, “Hadestown” began to take off on stage. Chavkin was already known in the Broadway community, having directed the popular musical “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812,” but “Hadestown” further established her talent.
After a successful off-Broadway run, a Canadian production, and a premiere in London’s National Theater, the show finally made its way to Broadway. The original Broadway production starred Reeve Carney as Orpheus, Eva Noblezada as Eurydice, André De Shields as Hermes, Amber Gray as Persephone, and Patrick Page as Hades. This is where the story really begins. When describing the show in a 2026 interview with BUFFED FILM BUFFS, Anaïs Mitchell said, “All of those themes are actually embedded in Greek mythology. Although some of them took teasing out or discovery – that chipping away at the stone. But there’s something about Orpheus as a character: he’s in love with Eurydice. He’s an idealist. He believes that if he could make something beautiful enough, he could change the rules of the world. And then the story is obviously a love story. It’s one of the great love stories of all time. It’s a coming-of-age story as Orpheus becomes a man and decides to go to the underworld to try to win Eurydice back.”
“Hadestown” is based on the ancient myth of Orpheus, a young poet who falls in love with a beautiful nymph named Eurydice. Although the myth differs in some versions, Eurydice is killed and taken to Hell, where Orpheus must go to rescue her. After finding Eurydice, Hades lets them go with one condition: Orpheus must never look back at Eurydice, or she will be lost forever. In the story of Persephone and Hades, Persephone is kidnapped by her uncle Hades and taken to the underworld, where her mother Demeter bargains for her release. In the most well-known versions, Hades eventually agrees that Persephone will stay in the underworld for half of the year and will live in the human world for the rest of the year, resulting in the seasons.
“Hadestown” is not a straightforward retelling of either myth; instead, it opts for a diverse reimagining that combines both myths into something new. For example, “Hadestown” moves the story from ancient Greece to a stylized setting of the Great Depression era. The production also gives Eurydice more agency, has the god Hermes as narrator, and adds a dark message about the dangers of industrialism. Setting it with the music and storytelling vibe of the 1930s South gives it a distinct and unique sound, beautiful production design, and fascinating social commentary. The music has a haunting, dark lyricism and a jazzy, bluesy sound. It has such power that it hypnotizes the audience and never lets them go.
This November, the fabulously talented Genesians will stage their own long-anticipated production of “Hadestown.” The musical stars Uma Malik as the lyre-strumming Orpheus, Malena Arvizu as hungry runaway Eurydice, Nzingha Jones as the suave narrator Hermes, Nina Johnson as jazzy goddess Persephone, and Ella Owens as the powerful god Hades. All these enormously gifted actors are backed by a remarkable ensemble including Olivia Bernstein, Ophelia Colvin, Natasha Downes, Evie Eddy, Misa Fisher-Gruber, Emma Hawkes, Olive Henley, Keisha Hicban, Raphi Karaki, Reese Pearson, Lucie Saunders, Maisy Shinick, Veronica Sigel, and Kiera Stepanek.
The production is directed by Heather Chesley, choreographed by Francie Ridenhour, and stage managed by senior Elby Bridges. Not to be overlooked is the incredible army of tech and crew that have made the show come to life!
If you like tragic romance, beautiful blues and jazz music, or you are a sucker for Greek mythology, come check out “Hadestown” on November 12th, 13th, and 14th at 7 p.m. or November 16th at 2 pm. And if musicals aren’t usually your thing, perhaps “Hadestown” will change your mind.
