Hadestown at Keller Auditorium

Coming up in January, Keller Auditorium in Portland will present the long running Broadway phenomenon Hadestown. This mythological tale follows a couple, Orpheus and Eurydice as they navigate the trials of love and poverty while their lives become intertwined with Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Tickets for this Friday 29th January 2027 showing start at $108 per seat.

History

Hadestown debuted in 2006 with a regional performance. Several years afterward, the writer, Anaïs Mitchell, developed the broadway musical, which she said was inspired by Les Misérables. After adding more songs, it eventually made its debut 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 Theatre by early 2023. It started a North American tour beginning in 2021. Hadestown may have been an underdog when it opened off-Broadway in 2016. Today it has developed into a highly respected and beloved musical for many fans.

Story

The mythology of the Hadestown musical opens by showcasing Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus asks Eurydice to marry him, but she is hesitant because both of them live in poverty. Eventually, they fall in love. 

Meanwhile, Hades and Persephone enter the picture when Hades visits the surface to return Persephone to the Underworld against her wishes. Eurydice becomes intrigued by working with Hades as a way out of poverty. Hades is tired of 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 discovers what happened, he vows to travel to the Underworld to bring her back. By the time he travels to the Underworld, Eurydice discovers working in the Underworld is not the rewarding experience Hades made it seem to be. Orpheus and Eurydice talk to Hades about releasing Eurydice from her contract and allowing her return to the surface. 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 secured Tony Awards in 8 different areas, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Hadestown received 14 Tony Award nominations in all.

The creators behind Hadestown used a blend of folk and jazz to tell the tale 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 production’s songs. Some fans of the show see the show after buying the album, while others experience the music for the first time when attending a performance.