“It’s a tragedy… but we’re gonna sing it again.” Hadestown, a musical that premiered on Broadway in 2019, still runs in New York
City today. The MHS concert choir saw the musical on their trip to New York, which did not disappoint. “I really liked it,” said Emerson Morgan, ‘27. Morgan enjoyed many aspects of the show but noted that the set changes really bring the musical to life, especially when the set changes from the human world to Hadestown, the land ruled by Hades.

For those unfamiliar with the show, Hadestown is a musical retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The two fall in love, but Eurydice dies and is sent to the underworld, Hadestown. Following this, Orpheus’s journey to be reunited with his lover is chronicled.

The show’s score is unique, as several prominently featured instruments in the pit orchestra are not typical of a musical, and several cast members play instruments throughout. The trombone starts the show by itself, roaring with an upbeat tune and giving a swinging blues feeling to the opening number. “I thought [the trombone] really drew the audience in,” said Kei Faeldonea, ‘25. A solo guitar and two accordions are also often used, which is atypical considering that many musicals have a more “traditional” orchestra with stringed and brass instruments. The pit orchestra also played onstage the whole time and interacted with the cast, which “elevated the whole thing,” said Faeldonea.

Hadestown came to Minnesota this February, and while there are no active plans for it to return to the Twin Cities, many who saw it on the choir trip highly recommend seeing the production. “I for sure would see it again,” said Via Carney, ‘25. “Musically, it was stunning.” The musical has enjoyed a lengthy run on Broadway because of its wide array of strong and unique elements, from the set to the orchestration to the convincing adaptation of the Greek myth. Hopefully, this means many more shows in the future.