Hadestown: Livin' It Up On The Top!

Fun Fact: Hadestown is Anais Mitchell's first musical! Let's hope we hear her mighty voice grow on Broadway!

Target Audience: The liberals, the conservatives, and those who have yet to decide.

Best Bit: The overall concept - a genius script and refreshing book, executed flawlessly!  

Morning After Effect: A never-ending loop of the gorgeous imagery and songs.

Hadestown, the new hit musical on Broadway is deep, deeper than Patrick Page's voice who plays Hades - and trust me, that's deep. Just listen to "Hey, Little Songbird" and "Why We Build the Wall" when the cast album releases on June 7th. In a nutshell, Hades runs this town and if you want to make a dime you have to work in his mine, six feet underground. For the small price of your soul, you are guaranteed security, protection, and freedom from the troubles above ground, namely the harsh climate that has become bitterly cold and inhospitable - leaving everyone hungry.

Born at the New York Theatre Workshop, celebrated singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell (Music, Lyrics, and Book) and the brilliant Rachel Chavkin (Director) have created in Hadestown a production that sheds light on the imbalance of freedom, the power of fear, facing our inner doubts, and ultimately coming together again and again to change our story. Hadestown reminds us that we can be hungry for our freedom and have a deep desire for love but without fighting for them the seasons will come and go, becoming more treacherous each year.

After receiving fourteen Tony nominations, some serious street cred in New York, along with multiple awards, I was excited to see this production! Not one department is stronger than the next and there is a definitive sense of connection between each. The flow of the choreography, the movement of the stage, the music, lighting, performances, costumes all move to the same breath. We see this emanate from The Fates (Jewelle Blackman, Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer, Kay Trinidad), a powerful mystic trio whose performances are world class.

In fact, the entire cast is on top of their game with the "hardest working chorus on Broadway" - to quote the show.  The musicians are on stage and the only thing "hidden" are the drums and Hades apartment - a powerful image of the two beats that move the souls of these people. The narrative is truly breathtaking, a classic tale in a contemporary setting and the music will travel beyond Broadway for sure with hits like "Wait for Me", "If It's True", and "Any Way the Wind Blows" to name a few!

Between Chavin's direction, Mitchells' mastermind, and David Neuman's choreography this production is bursting with life and reaches every corner of the intimate Walter Kerr Theatre. So, here's to the story that could be ours, you'll want to see this one so you can also sing along to "If It's True" and prepare accordingly by either "Livin' It Up On The Top" or on the "Road to Hell". Unless we change the story before, that is!