The Mythical Musical Returns to the Kennedy Center
The worldwide COVID-19 has had its impact on every industry. Other than live entertainment (and perhaps travel and hotels), no professionals have felt the loss of their ability to work more. When the Kennedy Center announced a run of Hadestown over the summer, it was immediately met with a ton of enthusiasm. Hadestown, the musical where half of it is literally set in hell, was coming to town right in time for Halloween.
The famed Kennedy Center Opera House was absolutely packed during the first Saturday matinee show in more than a year. Masks and proof of vaccination were required, but the vibe inside the theater was one of pure excitement. Hadestown was still fresh and new with several cast members who were also performing for their first run.
The show opens with a New Orleans jazz style song and matching set design. Many of composer Anais Mitchell’s songs feature standout performances on piano and trombone. The musicians routinely get to interact with the cast as they spend the entire time on stage. Culling down the instrumentation from a full orchestra to a handful of ragtime players helps with the overall experience and extends the aesthetic.
Hadestown opens with narrator Mercury (Levi Kreis) talking about the worlds of gods and men. This is the setting for the play’s theme of duality. The story centers around the old love between Hades (Kevyn Morrow) and Persephone (Kimberly Marable), and how it is mirrored in the newfound love between Orpheus (Nicholas Barasch) and Eurydice (Morgan Siobahn Green). This duality carries over to the composition, as Hades’ lines are very low, while Orpheus spends half of his time singing falsetto. Barasch makes it obvious early that he is worthy of the very difficult lines, filling the entire Opera House with his powerful voice.
Each lead cast member gets their time to shine. Marable opens the second act absolutely on fire, singing “Our Lady of the Underground.” Barash and Green get several key emotional moments. Morrow holds court singing “Why We Build the Wall.” Glamour boy Mercury is a delight as he connects the scenes with a cocky swagger that makes his presence felt without stepping on anyone’s toes. Even better than Kreis’ Mercury are the Fates. Belen Moyano, Bex Odorisio and Shea Renne are the shows constant, always trying to inject doubt between the lovers.
There was so much to love about seeing Hadestown during this run. Not the least was that several of us went into it not knowing how the story ended. If you don’t know, don’t spoil it. The second act felt like it was over in minutes due to the emotional pendulum that the audience rides on. There are musical moments and harmony builds that are absolutely masterful. As dark and ominous as the story can be at moments, it is not without its share of comedic beats.
Appropriately enough, the show’s final line is “[W]e’re gonna sing it again and again.” Here’s hoping that they do.