Spotlight on 'Hadestown' with Allison Russell
As part of a series showcasing long-running Broadway shows, we speak to the Grammy Award-winning musician who's livin' it up on top in the hit musical once more.
Summary
- Hadestown star Allison Russell discusses the show's timeless themes of hope; love; resilience; and community
- The musical is a modern take on the Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone; The eight-time Tony-winning musical has played on Broadway since 2019
It's an old song, and she's gonna sing it again. Not even a year after wrapping her Broadway-debut run in Hadestown, Grammy Award winner Allison Russell is returning to the Underground for a second engagement as Persephone, the goddess who rules the underworld with the titular Hades.
The roots musician is far from the only repeat visitor to Hadestown. Since its Broadway premiere in 2019, when it won eight Tonys including Best Musical, the show has won over audiences worldwide with a new take on an ancient story. Creator Anaïs Mitchell gives the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice — young lovers who take a dangerous, desperate journey through the hellish underworld — a steampunk makeover with folk and jazz music.
"It taps into archetypal truths and struggles that are an indelible part of the human experience. There is a reason we’ve been telling and retelling the myth[s] of Orpheus and Eurydice, Persephone and Hades for over 3,000 years," Russell said of Hadestown. She reflected more on the musical's staying power below.
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Why do you think this show has lasted so long on Broadway?
Anaïs Mitchell’s exquisite, timeless reimagining and instant classic songs — coupled with Rachel Chavkin’s visionary staging and direction, and the strength of the ensemble, including the musicians who are the backbone of the piece — feel so relevant to the world we live in now, to the coming-of-age struggles of each new generation who find themselves in the show and to those of us trying to find our way back to love and hope through the many disappointments, betrayals, and tragedies [of] being an adult.
I love the way our audiences make the show and the characters their own, from teen editions to community theatres to cosplay to singing in showers and airports and cars and beyond. [...] It is a community builder in the most inclusive, expansive way.
The show is consistently inspired in their casting, and I know many audience members return multiple times to the Broadway production to see each new iteration. It is not uncommon to meet folks at the stage door who’ve seen the show more than 10 or 20 times.
What is the best audience reaction you have seen to the show?
The fourth wall is always thin during our shows, and sometimes it disappears altogether, both for the company and for the audience. We laugh together, cry together, sing together. Breathe together. I have never experienced playing the show where we don’t get a standing ovation, or multiple standing ovations, where someone isn’t so caught up that they don’t gasp or cry out during “that” moment. It is extraordinary and I will never take it for granted.
What is your favorite moment in the show?
The benediction of "[We Raise Our] Cups" at the very end of the show, when all the players have returned to the stage, the house lights are up. We see the audience, they are on their feet and often singing with us.
We have reaffirmed that we will find the courage and resolve to sing it again, to tell it again, no matter the losses or sorrows we’ve lived and will live again. We celebrate those who keep the faith and light the way through the darkest of times, through the direst of circumstances. There is something like a secular sacrament to that last song all together that I cherish deeply.
What is a little-known secret about performing in the show?
For the first almost-half hour of the show, Hades and Persephone are actually playing dominoes up on our oyster platform. My first Hades, the iconic Phillip Boykin, taught me how to play — and he used to get annoyed when I won!
What do you hope audiences take away from the show?
I hope they carry their version of “The World We Dream Of” with renewed hope, vigor and purpose. I hope they feel empowered and less alone in this broken, beautiful world.
I hope they feel comforted, discomforted, galvanized, and transported all at the same time. I hope they leave singing and perhaps having made a new friend for life — whether that friend is the piece itself or someone they meet through the Hadestown community. I hope they take away that we can be bridges instead of walls.
Get Hadestown tickets now.
Photo credit: Hadestown on Broadway. (Photos by Matthew Murphy)
Frequently asked questions
What is Hadestown about?
This eight-time Tony-winning Best Musical puts a fresh spin on Greek myths, infusing them with jazz and folk music. Struggling to survive, Eurydice agrees to work at Hades's soulless factory, and Orpheus embarks on a dangerous quest to rescue her. Get tickets to the genre-defying Hadestown, which combines disparate histories and music styles into a groundbreaking story.
Where is Hadestown playing?
Hadestown is playing at Walter Kerr Theatre . The theatre is located at 219 West 48th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue), New York, 10036.
How long is Hadestown?
The running time of Hadestown is 2hr 30min. Incl. 1 intermission.
What's the age requirement for Hadestown?
The recommended age for Hadestown is Ages 8+. Children under 5 are not permitted in the theater..
How do you book tickets for Hadestown?
Book tickets for Hadestown on New York Theatre Guide.
Who wrote Hadestown?
Anaïs Mitchell wrote both the script and the songs of Hadestown. She had been working on the musical since 2006, when an early version premiered in Vermont, and worked with director Rachel Chavkin to turn that show and its 2010 concept album into a full-fledged musical.
Which songs are in Hadestown?
The songs in Hadestown include "Wait For Me," "Livin' It Up on Top," "We Raise Our Cups," and "When the Chips Are Down." Hadestown is mostly sung-through, so snippets of songs appear throughout the show in place of traditional scenes. Learn about all the songs in Hadestown on Broadway.
Is Hadestown appropriate for kids?
Hadestown is recommended for children 8 and older. There is no content that would be inappropriate for young children. Please note that children 4 and younger are not permitted in Broadway theatres.
Who directed Hadestown?
Rachel Chavkin is the director of Hadestown and won a 2019 Tony Award for her work. She is also a creative consultant on the musical, as she helped Anaïs Mitchell expand Hadestown from a concept album into a full-fledged musical.
Which Greek myth is Hadestown based on?
Hadestown is primarily based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, but the musical also weaves in the myth of Hades and Persephone. Learn more about the Greek mythology that inspired Hadestown.
When did Hadestown open on Broadway?
Hadestown began Broadway performances in March 2019 and won eight Tony Awards that year. The show is now the longest-running production to ever play the Walter Kerr Theatre.
Is Hadestown good?
New York Theatre Guide's four-star Hadestown review reads, "Going to hell has never been as much fun as seeing a performance of Anaïs Mitchell's musical Hadestown." The show has a unique folk and jazz score and tells a timeless romantic tragedy, and it is among the best-reviewed Broadway shows on New York Theatre Guide.
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