Hadestown @ New York Theatre Workshop

A friend invited me to attend a performance of Hadestown the musical at the New York Theatre Workshop. I looked up information about it prior to attending and thought to myself "OMG what have I gotten myself into?" The website mentions that the show is inspired by traditions of classic American fold music and vintage New Orleans jazz. Oh well...I accepted the invitation and enjoy my friend's company so I will give it a shot...at intermission I purchased the CD and sitting 2 rows behind me was Anais Mitchell. She graciously signed it to me and I even told her how this exceeded my expectation!

I loved the presentation of this Greek tragedy! The set was fully utilized. Loved how the choreography was throughout the entire house. The rhythm of the music pulled you in! Was excited to see Patrick Page is Hades. I was so drawn in that at the end my hand flew to my mouth when the "omg" moment came even knowing this is a tragedy! haha

If you have time to catch this before it closes on July 3rd I really recommend it! I am going back on July 2nd with friends.

I LOVED the concept album and I think it really has the potential to go to Broadway. So interesting, so different, and so exciting! I am a sucker for this kind of work though.

Seating question for anyone who has seen it:



I'm looking to buy a ticket, and since I'm spoiling myself, which I never do, and just buying a full price ticket since I really want to see this, what is the best place to sit? I am guessing the middle section facing the stage, and was going to buy a front row center ticket but then wondered if maybe it would be better to be up a row or two? Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

Cool, thanks!

Per the website, NYTW's rush policy is $25 day-of tickets for youth (25 and under), seniors (65 and over), artists, and residents of the Lower East Side. It's cash only and limited to two tickets per person.

I spoke to someone at the box office yesterday, who confirmed there are no other "cheap ticket" options (unfortunately!).

I called the box office to ask specifically about less expensive tickets for Hadestown and was told about the rush policy, so I would assume it is available.

I don't fall under any of the listed categories, though, so I can't speak from personal experience as someone who successfully rushed the show. Perhaps someone else here has rushed Hadestown?

Can someone describe the score.



I think it's billed as a "folk-opera".

Oh cool. I also just discovered it's on youtube.



I like it a lot so far.

Page keeps an impressively deep voice most of the time. He's not a Trump caricature by any stretch, and the production in no way makes Trump a reference point, but it's certainly hard not to draw the comparison with that song (which of course existed before Trump's campaign and has not been altered from what's on the album).

Hades is portrayed as an aging titan of industry who copes with his loneliness by building and expanding his domain and keeping a tight grip on it, as he cannot keep a grip on Persephone or his youth. Page plays him as a cool, intimidating presence, costumed in a western-style black blazer and sunglasses. He's very much part of this quasi-Southern mythic world that's been created, albeit of a much higher class than the rest of the characters. The production really does not go for any irony or cultural reference, with the exception of giving Orpheus a bright-red jacket that brings to mind James Dean.

The relationship between Hades and Persephone is given a lot of time, and they're made the foil to the love between Orpheus and Eurydice.

Updated On: 5/23/16 at 04:10 PM

Updated On: 7/21/16 at 11:35 PM

Just got an email from NYTW that it is extending again, through July 31st! Looking forward to catching it again. They also included a (very small) discount code.

I saw this last night and really enjoyed it a lot. Beautiful music, staging, performances, design and everything. I admit there were some moments where I zoned out a bit - I do understand what AfterEight says about the drive in the narrative, but I only felt it in a few moments in the show.

It's funny that even after knowing the story for so long, the ending still has such an emotional impact. I've seen Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice a couple of times, and I have the same reaction to the ending in that adaptation. There's something so viscerally heartbreaking about it. Because of that, I especially appreciated, in the very end of the show, the notion that it's difficult for these people to tell this story every night. I noticed Amber Grey (who is amazing, by the way - a real stand-out) was actually crying during the show's climactic scene.

If anyone is still wondering, I rushed the show. I got there at 10am just to be very safe. I was first in line, and no one arrived for another 45-50 minutes. By 12:00 there were maybe 10 people in line. Keep in mind it was a 2-show day. Not sure how many they sold, but I didn't have a problem getting 2, and I know the group of 3 behind me got 5 - all of which were for the evening performance. So they sold at least 7 rush tickets for last night, even though the website only showed 5 tickets remaining. So maybe they are holding aside some seats.

Has anyone heard anything about a cast album for this? I've been listening to some of the songs from the original album, but I'm not finding it as thrilling as what I heard last night.

Updated On: 6/20/16 at 10:21 PM

I saw this and I wish I was aware it had more the concept of a concert than a play. Some tunes were good; but I was dying to find a stronger narrative somewhere in there. Some of the ladies playing the fates were in musician mode, certainly not acting.

I was sad to see many people didn't come back after intermission.