Hadestown

*For the cast recording of the musical, see Hadestown (album).*

***Hadestown*** is a musical with music by Kurt Hummel, lyrics by Mercedes Jones and a book by Quinn Fabray and Tina Cohen. It tells a version of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, where Orpheus goes to the underworld to rescue his fiancée Eurydice.

The original version of the musical premiered in the town of Lima, Ohio in 2018. There was also a Broadway try-out in Manhattan the same year at New York Theatre Workshop. Then, the show premiered on Broadway in January 2019.

The Broadway production opened to critical acclaim and received numerous awards and nominations. At the 73rd Tony Awards, *Hadestown* received a total of 14 nominations (the most for the evening) and won eight of them, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.

## Characters

* **Hermes**, Greek god of boundaries, roads, travelers, commerce, thieves, athletes, shepherds, and Psychopomps, is the divine messenger. Throughout the musical, he plays the role of narrator. He is completely honest and smooth-spoken. Though he claims not to do things "because he is kind", he is shown to care for Orpheus by taking him in as his aide and shows kindness to Eurydice.
* **Orpheus** is a legendary musician, poet, lover of Eurydice, and prophet in ancient Greek religion. The main protagonist, he is a dreamer and always sees how things could be. He sees the best in people. He is awkward and clumsy but ultimately determined.
* **Eurydice** is the lover of Orpheus. She is more experienced in life than Orpheus. She has been alone her whole life and has learned to fight for herself, which has made her reluctant to trust people. The Fates follow her through most of the musical, planting seeds of doubt and encouraging her to leave and go to Hadestown.
* **Persephone** is goddess of Spring and wife of Hades. She is free spirited and fun loving. She is an alcoholic and is frequently shown to be drunk at many points of the musical. Though she still loves him, her relationship with Hades has broken down over the years and the pair constantly bicker. With her arrival to our world she brings spring, summer, and good times.
* **Hades** is god of the underworld and husband of Persephone. He is the primary antagonist. He is the ruler of Hadestown. He is cold and uncaring. However, he has become even more cold and hardened ever since his relationship with Persephone has become distant. He sees the workers of Hadestown as "his children", and believes that through totalitarian control of their lives he has set them free.
* **The Fates** are three spirits that act as the driving force of many key decisions other characters make in the show by influencing and manipulating their thoughts. Hermes, in the opening number, describes them as "three old women who dressed the same" and says that "they was always singin' in the back of your mind".

## Sypnosis

### Act 1

In a Great Depression-era inspired post-apocalyptic setting, the god Hermes enters to narrate the story and introduce each of the characters ("Road to Hell"). This is followed by the three Fates watching Eurydice as she wanders the dying land looking for shelter ("Any Way the Wind Blows"). Orpheus, Hermes's ward, meets Eurydice and asks her to marry him with some encouragement from Hermes ("Come Home With Me"). Eurydice is doubtful since they both live in poverty and she wants a life of stability. Orpheus, a musician, persuades her by telling her that he is writing a song that will bring the world back to its original harmonious state, and they will no longer have to struggle ("Wedding Song").

After an interlude in which Orpheus tells the story of the godly couple Hades and Persephone ("Epic I"), Persephone arrives to celebrate the brief joy of summertime brought alongside her ("Livin' it Up on Top"). Orpheus makes a toast to Persephone and expresses hope for his future with Eurydice, who reflects on her growing love for Orpheus despite her independence ("All I've Ever Known").

Winter comes, and along with it a train to bring a reluctant Persephone back to Hadestown – Hades' underground factory. Orpheus and Eurydice watch as Persephone voices her misery at having to return to the factory, while the Fates appear to praise Hadestown's riches. Despite hearing about Hades' harsh treatment of his workers, Eurydice is intrigued ("Way Down Hadestown"). As an especially harsh winter progresses, Orpheus continues to write his song while Eurydice desperately searches for food and firewood for the both of them ("A Gathering Storm"/"Epic II"). At the same time, Hades and Persephone fight about the decline of their own relationship ("Chant").

Hades leaves the factory to find someone who will appreciate the safety and comfort of Hadestown. He comes across a starving Eurydice and offers her a chance to join him in a secure life far away from poverty ("Hey Little Songbird"). The Fates arrive and urge Eurydice to put her survival first by taking up Hades' offer ("When the Chips are Down"). With Orpheus away working on his song, Eurydice chooses survival and decides to follow Hades to the factory ("Gone, I'm Gone"). When Orpheus returns to look for Eurydice, Hermes tells him that she's gone to Hadestown; Orpheus pledges to retrieve her, and Hermes tells Orpheus how to get there without the use of Hades' train ("Wait For Me"). Eurydice arrives at Hadestown, and begins her work on the wall surrounding it ("Why We Build the Wall").

### Act 2

Following Persephone subverting Hades' rule by passing contraband wares to the workers for a fee ("Our Lady Of The Underground"), we see Eurydice realize that in making the irreversible decision of giving her life to Hadestown, all her memories will soon be lost in exchange for mindless work ("Way Down Hadestown (Reprise)"). She sings of her regrets as her memories of the aboveground slowly begin to fade ("Flowers").

Orpheus, having made his way to Hadestown following Hermes' directions, finds Eurydice and begs her to come home with him ("Come Home With Me (Reprise)"). Hades arrives and reveals to Orpheus that Eurydice signed her soul to him willingly and has his workers beat him up ("Papers"), after which the Fates tell an exhausted Orpheus to give up on saving Eurydice ("Nothing Changes"). Orpheus sings of his despair at losing his lover, inspiring the citizens of Hadestown to follow him and oppose the harsh conditions in which they are made to work, all of which is witnessed by Persephone ("If It's True"). Touched by Orpheus' music, Persephone tells Hades to let Eurydice go ("How Long") which results in him mockingly offering Orpheus a chance to sing before he executes him ("Chant (Reprise)"). Orpheus sings the complete version of the song he'd been writing all this time, reminding Hades of his love for Persephone ("Epic III"). Orpheus and Eurydice affirm their love for each other and promise to stay with each other no matter what hardships they face ("Promises"). Hades is affected more by Orpheus' song than he had expected, and the Fates explain his dilemma: if he kills Orpheus, he becomes a martyr, but if he lets him and Eurydice go, then he loses his authoritarian control over the factory, given that his workers have begun to agitate for their own freedom ("Word to the Wise"). Hades decides to leave their fate in Orpheus' hands: they can leave together, but Orpheus has to lead them out. If he turns to see if Eurydice is following him, she will belong to Hades forever ("His Kiss, the Riot").

Hermes explains Hades' decision to Orpheus and Eurydice. While Hades and Persephone promise to give their relationship another try the next time she returns to Hadestown, Orpheus begins the walk out with Eurydice following him ("Wait for Me (Reprise)"). Orpheus makes it right up until the very end of the journey when he is overcome with doubt and turns to look for Eurydice – only to see that she's been right behind him all along, thus condemning her to stay in Hadestown forever ("Doubt Comes In").

Hermes, now somber, reflects on the story's ending; he does so via a reprise of the first song, and so begins to tell the story again. In explanation, he remarks that no matter how many times they sing it, people always hope for a happier ending—and that this is the value of continuing to sing the tale, and of Orpheus's gifts: "[to] make you see how the world could be in spite of the way that it is.” ("Road to Hell (Reprise)"). The show closes with Persephone and Eurydice raising a toast to Orpheus after the curtain call, reiterating the theme of hope despite unhappy circumstances: "Some birds sing when the sun is bright/Our praise is not for them/But the ones who sing in the dead of night/We raise our cups to them" ("We Raise our Cups").

## Musical Numbers

### Encore Theatre - Lima, Ohio

#### Act 1

* "Road to Hell I" – Hermes, Company
* "Any Way the Wind Blows" – The Fates
* "Come Home With Me I" – Orpheus, Eurydice
* "Wedding Song" – Eurydice, Orpheus
* "Living It Up On Top" – Persephone, Orpheus, Hermes, Workers
* "All I've Ever Known" – Eurydice, Orpheus
* "Way Down Hadestown I" – Hermes, Persephone, Orpheus, Eurydice, The Fates, Hades
* "Wind Theme" – Hermes, The Fates
* "Epic I" – Orpheus, Workers
* "Chant I" – Orpheus, Persephone, Hades, Eurydice, Hermes, The Fates, Workers
* "Hey, Little Songbird" – Hades, Eurydice
* "When the Chips are Down" – The Fates, Eurydice
* "Gone, I'm Gone" – Eurydice, The Fates
* "Wait for Me" – Orpheus, Hermes, Workers
* "Why We Build the Wall" – Hades, Company

#### Act 2

* "Our Lady of the Underground" – Persephone, Company
* "Way Down Hadestown II" – Hermes, Eurydice, The Fates,
* "Flowers" – Eurydice
* "Come Home With Me II" – Orpheus, Eurydice, The Fates
* "Papers" – Hades, Hermes, Orpheus
* "Nothing Changes" – The Fates
* "If It's True" – Orpheus, Hermes
* "How Long?" – Persephone, Hades
* "Chant II" – Hermes, Orpheus, Hades, Persephone, Eurydice, Workers
* "Epic II" – Orpheus, Hades, Company
* "Lover's Desire" – Instrumental
* "Promises" – Orpheus, Eurydice
* "Word to the Wise" – The Fates
* "His Kiss, The Riot" – Hades
* "Wait for Me II" – Hermes, Persephone, Hades, Eurydice, Workers
* "Doubt Comes In" – The Fates, Orpheus, Eurydice
* "Road to Hell II" – Hermes
* "Curtain Call: I Raise My Cup" – Persephone

### New York Theatre Workshop - New York

#### Act 1

* "Any Way the Wind Blows" – The Fates, Eurydice
* "Road to Hell" – Hermes, Company
* "Come Home With Me" – Orpheus, Eurydice
* "Wedding Song" – Eurydice, Orpheus
* "Epic I" – Orpheus, Company
* "Livin' it Up on Top" – Persephone, Orpheus, Hermes, Company
* "All I've Ever Known" – Eurydice, Orpheus
* "Way Down Hadestown" – Hermes, Persephone, Orpheus, Eurydice, The Fates, Hades
* "Epic II" – Orpheus
* "Chant" – Orpheus, Persephone, Hades, Eurydice, Company
* "Hey, Little Songbird" – Hades, Eurydice
* "When the Chips are Down" – The Fates, Eurydice
* "Gone, I'm Gone" – Eurydice, The Fates
* "Wait for Me" – Orpheus, Hermes, Company
* "Why We Build the Wall" – Hades, Company

#### Act 2

* "Our Lady of the Underground" – Persephone, Company
* "Way Down Hadestown II" – Hermes, Eurydice, The Fates
* "Flowers" – Eurydice
* "Come Home With Me II" – Orpheus, Eurydice, The Fates
* "Papers" – Hades, Hermes, Orpheus
* "Nothing Changes" – The Fates
* "If It's True" – Orpheus, Hermes
* "How Long?" – Persephone, Hades
* "Chant" (Reprise) – Hermes, Orpheus, Hades, Persephone, Eurydice, The Fates
* "Epic III" – Orpheus, Hades, Company
* "Lover's Desire" – Instrumental
* "Word to the Wise" – The Fates
* "His Kiss, The Riot" – Hades
* "Promises" – Orpheus, Eurydice
* "Wait for Me" (Reprise) – Hermes, Persephone, Hades, Eurydice, The Fates
* "Doubt Comes In" – The Fates, Orpheus, Eurydice
* "Road to Hell" (Reprise) – Hermes
* "I Raise My Cup" – Persephone

### St. James Theatre - Broadway

#### Act 1

* "Road to Hell" – Hermes, Orpheus, Company
* "Any Way the Wind Blows" – Hermes, The Fates, Eurydice, Orpheus
* "Come Home With Me" – Orpheus, Eurydice, Workers
* "Wedding Song" – Eurydice, Orpheus, Workers
* "Epic I" – Hermes, Orpheus
* "Livin' it Up on Top" – Hermes, Persephone, Orpheus, Workers
* "All I've Ever Known" – Eurydice, Orpheus, Hermes
* "Way Down Hadestown" – Hermes, Persephone, The Fates, Workers
* "A Gathering Storm" – Hermes, Eurydice, Orpheus, The Fates
* "Epic II" – Orpheus, Workers
* "Chant" – Persephone, Hades, Eurydice, Orpheus, Hermes, The Fates, Workers
* "Hey, Little Songbird" – Hades, Eurydice
* "When the Chips are Down" – The Fates, Eurydice, Hermes, Hades
* "Gone, I'm Gone" – Eurydice, The Fates
* "Wait for Me" – Hermes, Orpheus, The Fates, Workers
* "Why We Build the Wall" – Hades, Eurydice, Hermes, Persephone, Company

#### Act 2

* "Our Lady of the Underground" – Persephone, Company
* "Way Down Hadestown (Reprise)" – Fates, Eurydice, Hermes, Workers
* "Flowers" – Eurydice
* "Come Home With Me (Reprise)" – Orpheus, Eurydice
* "Papers" – Hades, Hermes, Orpheus, Eurydice, Persephone
* "Nothing Changes" – The Fates
* "If It's True" – Orpheus, Hermes, Workers
* "How Long?" – Persephone, Hades
* "Chant (Reprise)" – Hermes, Hades, Orpheus, Persephone, Eurydice, Workers
* "Epic III" – Orpheus, Hermes, Company
* "Promises" – Eurydice, Orpheus
* "Word to the Wise" – The Fates
* "His Kiss, the Riot" – Hades
* "Wait for Me (Reprise)" – Hermes, Orpheus, Eurydice, Persephone, Hades, The Fates, Workers
* "Doubt Comes In" – The Fates, Orpheus, Eurydice, Workers
* "Road to Hell (Reprise)" – Hermes, Company
* "We Raise our Cups" – Persephone, Eurydice, Company