HADESTOWN: THE MUSICAL

(director: Brett Sullivan; screenwriters: Anaïs Mitchell. Camera: Clayton Jacobsen; cinematographer: Clayton Jacobsen; editors: Marko Keser, David Tregoning; music: Anaïs Mitchell; cast: Reeve Carney (Orpheus), André De Shields (Hermes), Amber Gray (Persephone), Eva Noblezada (Eurydice), Patrick Page (Hades), Bella Brown (Fate), Madeline Charlemagne (Fate), Allie Daniel (Fate); Runtime: 141; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, Tom Kirdahy; Crosswalk; 2026)

“Folk musical based on Greek mythology.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
 
Brett Sullivan (“Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical”/ “Waitress: The Musical”) directs this folk musical based on Greek mythology (“Orpheus and Eurydice” and “Hades and Persephone”).

The songs were written in 2006 by singer/songwriter Anaïs Mitchell. It reunites the original Broadway cast of André De Shields (Hermes), Patrick Page (Hades), Reeve Carney (Orpheus), Eva Noblezada (Eurydice) and Amber Gray (Persephone). They also performed on London’s West End, where it was filmed. The show won the Tony in 2019.

It’s a classic love story set in the Deep South in 1930, in a juke joint. It’s narrated by Hermes (André De Shields).

The young dreamer Orpheus (Reeve Carney) falls madly in love with the beautiful but poor new arrival Eurydice (Eva Noblezada). The local gal, Persephone (Amber Gray) has a jealous lover Hades (Patrick Page). He recruits the insecure Eurydice to work in his slave-factory to support herself. The songwriter Orpheus comes to her rescue, and is warned by the gods that if he turns around to see if she’s following him, she’ll be stuck in Hadestown forever.

The hope is that everything will be fine once winter is over and summer is here, as Orpheus writes a new song for the summer.

Songs like “Wait for Me” and “Road to Hell” keep it entertaining.

REVIEWED ON 8/7/2026  GRADE: B+
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