Hadestown

Are you interested in Greek mythology? Do you want to learn more about the gods in a fun and entertaining way? If you answered yes to these questions, then Hadestown: Teen Edition is the musical for you. This year, Kenmore West High School is putting on a production of Hadestown: Teen Edition. The show dates are February 5th, 6th, and 7th. Tickets can be purchased online and at the door.

There are eight main characters in Hadestown. Orpheus is the protagonist of this story; he is a poor boy who is working on a song to save Hades and Persephone's relationship and bring back Spring. Euridyce is a resilient girl who is struggling to survive in the world. She is forced to go down to Hadestown in order to survive. Hades is the antagonist; he is the King of the Underworld of Hadestown. Hades is a manipulative man whose only want is love from his wife. Persephone is Hades' wife; she is the Goddess of Spring who travels back and forth from the Underworld to the world above. She is the only person who has access to Hades' corrupted heart. Hermes is Orpheus's mentor and the narrator of this story. Hermes is a wise figure who helps lead Orpheus on his path to Hadestown. Finally, there are the Three Fates. The Fates are the voices in the back of your mind, causing you to make life-changing decisions.

If you are unfamiliar with the story of Hadestown, it follows two different Greek love stories: the story of Hades and Persephone and the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. In the musical, we see Hades and Persephone's relationship struggle, which has a negative effect on the world above and the ones who live there. Orpheus has to write a song in order to fix the world and bring Hades and Persephone's love back. During this process, Orpheus meets a girl named Eurydice who is struggling to live due to the condition of the broken world they live in. She's so desperate to survive that she has no choice but to go to Hadestown because Hades promises her food, shelter, and security. Orpheus goes to Hadestown in order to save her and convinces Hades to let her go by singing him the song he made.  The entire story is narrated by Hermes, and we see him encourage Orpheus to make the toughest decisions.

Anaïs Mitchell is the writer, composer, and lyricist of Hadestown. The first idea relating to Hadestown started with the song “Wait For Me.” The idea came to Mitchell as she was missing her boyfriend. She immediately connected the song idea with one of her favorite stories as a child: the tragedy of Eurydice and Orpheus. Mitchell started making some songs for the soundtrack and then decided to bring them to the stage. With help from orchestrators, friends, and directors from local theater companies, they were able to put the show on. After two years of the project’s life on the stage touring between Vermont and Massachusetts, Mitchell decided to make the project into a concept album in 2010 called Hadestown. In 2012, Mitchell stumbled upon director Rachel Chavkin, who helped her workshop it through New York Theatre Workshop, which is how the show started to take its final form. Hadestown made its way to Canada at the Citadel Theatre in 2017, the National Theatre in London in 2018, and then made its Broadway debut in 2019. Hadestown found success at the 2019 Tonys as well, with fourteen Tony nominations and eight wins, its best achievement being its win for Best Musical.

Hadestown's cast and crew members gave their thoughts about this year's musical production. Senior Gianna Sperrazza, who is playing Fate 3, had this to say about her experience so far: “Hadestown is such an amazing musical with a story that is both beautiful and heartbreaking in the best way possible. The dedication and involvement seen in the program by the directors, cast members, crew members, and musicians is truly inspiring. My favorite part about being in the show is seeing the process of everything coming together. Everyone is able to showcase their own talents in order to make this show the best it can possibly be!” The stage manager of the show, Ella Roberts, also had thoughts on our production of Hadestown: Teen Edition: “The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is such an impactful and emotional story, and seeing it brought to the stage is beautiful. I have loved seeing every possible part of this process, from the first read-through to the first cue being programmed at the lighting console; it has truly been a magical experience. The Theatre West program is truly extraordinary compared to any other I’ve seen. It is a fully immersive, hands-on, student-run program with theatre classes run every school day. The confidence I have, my strong leadership and responsibility skills, and most of all the core memories I have made, are all special characteristics that I am grateful to have acquired, all thanks to the theatre program at Kenmore West.” Being a stage manager requires hard work, dedication, and an insane amount of talent. Luckily, Ella Roberts has all of those qualities, which is why she is such an amazing stage manager! Lily Rout is a sophomore at Kenmore West, and she is a big part of the theatre program. She says,  “I am lucky enough to be a featured dancer! Overall, Theatre West is genuinely one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. It has brought me my closest friendships and opened my eyes to my passion for theatre. My favorite part about Hadestown is the subliminal and meaningful messages throughout the show. I love how the plot all connects and flows while telling such a beautifully tragic story. People should come see the show because it’s such an eye-opening and gorgeous portrayal of the myths within the story, and it really makes you appreciate relationships and life in general.” Lastly, Mia Winkler, who is playing the leading role of Hermes, said this. “Hadestown changed my life truly. I’m having the best time, and I think that the experience overall has been incredible. I’ve found the best community here, and I’m so glad I joined when I did. Theatre is one of the most fulfilling creative outlets for me, and I’ll cherish it forever. Hadestown is so relevant in today’s world, and it tells an important story about our political climate and the less beautiful things going on in the world. At the end of the day, though, it’s about hope. That’s what I think makes it crucial to watch, it reminds us why we keep going.” Kenmore students love this musical, which is why you should go see it on February 5th, 6th, and 7th!