Hadestown at Keller Auditorium

Coming up in winter, Keller Auditorium in Portland will host the long running Broadway phenomenon Hadestown. This mythological narrative follows a couple, Orpheus and Eurydice as they navigate the trials of love and poverty while their lives cross the path of Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Tickets for this Saturday 30th January 2027 showing start at $115 per seat.

History

Hadestown debuted in 2006 with a regional performance. Years later, the writer, Anaïs Mitchell, developed the broadway musical, which she said was inspired by Les Misérables. After adding more songs, it eventually opened off-Broadway in 2016. 

The musical had successful runs in Canada and London in the next couple of years. Its debut on Broadway in 2019 and went on to set a record for the longest-running Broadway production at the Walter Kerr Theatreafter 4 years. Hadestown opened a North American tour beginning in 2021. Hadestown may have been an unlikely success story when it opened off-Broadway in 2016. Today it has grown into a highly respected and beloved musical for many fans.

Story

The 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 fall in love despite their problems. 

Meanwhile, Hades and Persephone enter the picture when Hades visits the world above to return Persephone back to the Underworld. During this time, Eurydice becomes intrigued by 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 appreciate working in the Underworld before discovering Eurydice. She opts to join Hades in the Underworld, leaving her love of Orpheus behind.

When Orpheus finds out what happened, he promises 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 letting her return to the living world. The subsequent decision and journey tests the love Orpheus and Eurydice share.

Awards

Reviewers offer constant 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 categories, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Hadestown received 14 Tony Award nominations in all.

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