Hadestown at Walter Kerr Theatre

This September, Walter Kerr Theatre in New York will host the long running Broadway phenomenon Hadestown. This mythological narrative follows a couple, Orpheus and Eurydice as they navigate the challenges of love and poverty while their lives become interlaced with Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Tickets for this Friday 5th September 2025 showing start at $93 per seat.

Origins

Hadestown debuted in 2006 with a regional performance. Several years afterward, the creator, Anaïs Mitchell, developed the broadway musical, which she said was inspired by Les Misérables. After revamping it, it eventually opened off-Broadway in 2016. 

The show had successful runs in Canada and London in the next couple of years. It appeared on Broadway in 2019 and went on to set a record for the longest-running show at the Walter Kerr Theatreafter 4 years. Hadestown started a North American tour beginning in 2021. Hadestown may have been an underdog when it opened off-Broadway in 2016. However, it has grown into a highly respected and beloved musical for many fans.

Story

The Greek mythology of the Hadestown musical opens by introducing Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus asks Eurydice to marry him, but she is unsure because both of them live in poor conditions. Eventually, they become lovers. 

Hades and Persephone enter the picture when Hades comes to the surface to take Persephone to the Underworld. Eurydice hears about working in the Underworld as a way out of poverty. Hades is tired of arguing with Persephone about the advantages of the Underworld. In his desperation, Hades visits the surface to find someone who will learn to like working in the Underworld before meeting Eurydice. She chooses to join Hades in the Underworld, leaving her love of Orpheus behind.

When Orpheus learns what happened, he vows to travel to the Underworld to bring her back. By the time he reaches the Underworld, Eurydice realizes working in the Underworld is not the rewarding experience Hades made it appear to be. Orpheus and Eurydice meet with Hades about releasing Eurydice from her contract and allowing her return to the above world. The journey tests the love Orpheus and Eurydice share.

Recognitions

Fans offer high praise of Hadestown. The Hollywood Reporter called it “a furnace-like blast of creativity,” while Forbes declared it “an epic celebration of music, togetherness, and hope.” It received Tony Awards in 8 different categories, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Hadestown earned 14 Tony Award nominations in all.

The musicians behind Hadestown used a blend of folk and jazz music to tell the modern take on the Underworld from Greek mythology. At the 2020 Grammy Awards, Hadestown won an award for the Best Musical Theater Album. This collection features the Broadway cast recording of the musical’s songs. Some fans of the show see the show after purchasing the album, while others hear the music for the first time when attending a performance.