Musicals are based on all types of stories. West Side Story is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, for example, and Les Mis and Cats are famous adaptations of stories by Victor Hugo and TS Eliot. But every once in a while, a musical comes along that goes much deeper for its literary roots. In this case, we’re talking about Hadestown.

Back to the Beginning

How far back are we going? Well, let’s put it this way: singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell went back to Greek myth and the story of how the legendary musician Orpheus braved the underworld in an attempt to bring back his wife Eurydice. We won’t spoil anything if you don’t remember your Greek myths from high school, but the story is a timeless one – and Mitchell’s songs and lyrics make it an inventive and hypnotic story. Combined with the post-apocalyptic, Great Depression-Esque set design and costuming, and you’ve got a winner!

The Long Road to Broadway

Hadestown has some very humble beginnings. Mitchell spearheaded a so-called “DIY theater project” back in 2006, putting on the play in places like Vermont and Massachusetts. From there, though, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with the musical and instead shelved it, releasing the music as a concept album in 2010. It was only in 2016 when Mitchell met Broadway director Rachel Chavkin and reworked the entire play for an off-Broadway run.

From there, though, the popularity of Hadestown exploded! There were productions in Edmonton, Canada, and London, England, and then the show finally hit Broadway in 2019, earning 14 Tony nominations and walking off with eight wins.

National Tours and Beyond

Can’t get to Broadway right now to catch a showing of Hadestown? Don’t worry as we got your back. The show is on a national tour, which means it’s coming to a city near you.