Hadestown at Walter Kerr Theatre

Coming up in July, Walter Kerr Theatre in New York will present 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 25th July 2025 showing start at $97 per seat.

Origins

Hadestown first came to stage in 2006 with a regional performance. Years later, the writer, Anaïs Mitchell, stuck with her idea, which she said was inspired by Les Misérables. After adding more songs, it eventually opened off-Broadway in 2016. 

The production had successful runs in Canada and London in the next couple of years. It appeared on Broadway in 2019 and went on to become the longest-running show at the Walter Kerr Theatreafter 4 years. It began a North American tour beginning in 2021. It was unknown at the time when it opened off-Broadway in 2016. However, it has developed into a highly respected and admired musical for many fans.

Story

The Greek mythology adaptation of the Hadestown musical opens by showcasing Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus proposed to Eurydice, but she is unsure because both of them live in poor conditions. Eventually, they fall in love despite their problems. 

Hades and Persephone enter the story when Hades visits the surface to take Persephone to the Underworld against her wishes. Eurydice sees an opportunity working in the Underworld as a way out of poverty. Hades is frustrated arguing with Persephone about the advantages of the Underworld. He decides to go to the world above to try to find someone who will appreciate working in the Underworld before discovering Eurydice. She opts 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 rescue Eurydice. By the time he reaches the Underworld, Eurydice discovers working in the Underworld is not the positive experience Hades made it appear to be. Orpheus and Eurydice talk to Hades about releasing Eurydice from her contract and letting her return to the living world. The journey tests the love Orpheus and Eurydice have for each other.

Awards

Critics 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 won Tony Awards in eight different areas, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Hadestown earned 14 Tony Award nominations in all.

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