Many musicals have sad endings, and “Hadestown” at the Overture Center this week is no exception. The opening song says “it’s a sad song” and “it’s a sad tale.”
Despite its sad ending, “Hadestown” is worth watching because of the talented cast and clever plot with a strong message.
The story is a rendition of the tale of Orpheus from Greek mythology. It follows the love story of Orpheus and Eurydice and their venture to Hadestown, which is run by Hades.
The cast has only 13 people, who remain on stage throughout most of the performance. The chorus consists of five cast members who sing and dance in the background to add to the energy of the songs. Three women play the Fates who sing and speak to the characters.
“Hadestown” also features a seven-person band — all members but the drummer play while on stage for the entire performance. The major characters are Orpheus, his love Eurydice and the gods Hades and Persephone.
Hermes, played by Nathan Lee Graham, narrates the story, telling Orpheus the love story of Hades and Persephone. Orpheus introduces the story with a song titled “Epic I” at the beginning of the musical. The second time he sings the song in “Epic II” is to describe how Hades misses Persephone when she leaves for the surface of earth.
He then sings the song a third time to Hades to move him to free Eurydice in “Epic III.” Each time he sings the song is slightly different, but includes the same theme and pattern. This makes the songs feel more familiar and draws in audience attention.
There are many themes in the show and songs or versions of songs will reappear. At one point, the characters enter Hadestown and the songs there have a more somber theme. One major song introducing Hadestown repeats “keep your head low.”
Another existing theme is the “road to hell,” which is the title of the opening song. The set looks like a house, and the door opens to a railroad track, which many characters take to get to Hadestown.
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The final theme which concludes the performance is “a sad tale.” The last song is a reprise of the opening song which calls it an old and sad tale. It reminds the audience of the values of seeing the world in a positive light. The ending also emphasizes the importance of love and trust.
The performance was very enjoyable and I would recommend that anyone listen to it. I listened to the soundtrack this morning and am still listening as I write this.
All but the Friday show at the Overture are sold out. Students can buy tickets on the Overture website.
