Jackson Hollis ’25 steps on stage into the spotlight, where the glow of the theater lights cast long shadows behind him. It is nearly 5 p.m., but the four-hour rehearsal is only halfway through. The music from Hadestown plays as he starts the choreography, focusing on his steps, lines and emotions while the director’s notes echo in his head. Hollis tries to embody the complex, villainous role of Hades in his movements.
Hadestown is a musical by Anaïs Mitchell that reimagines the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Eurydice is a young and poor woman struggling to survive, lured by Hades’ promises of stability into leaving her lover, Orpheus. Determined to save her, the passionate musician travels to Hadestown. Performances of Hadestown will be held on Feb. 13, 14 and 15 in Rugby theater.
Upper School Performing Arts Teacher and Director Sabrina Washburn said that the show reflects current social and environmental issues.
“There’s so much in the show that is relevant today, perhaps even more relevant than last spring when we chose the show,” Washburn said. “[There is] exploitation of the working class, industry and its effect on nature and the climate, self-doubt and revolution.”
Ensemble member Cole Firshein ’26 said the theater department has created a fresh adaptation of the musical.
“I love the modern take on such a classic story,” Firshein said. “It’s based on a Greek myth, but it’s very interesting. The original Broadway musical is set in 1920s New Orleans, but we are setting it in contemporary New York.”
Washburn said the school’s production of Hadestown allows cast members to take some creative liberties with their interpretation of the script.
“Hadestown is an epic story told through poetry,” Washburn said. “It leaves a lot of room for the group working on it to express the ideas, themes and relationships through their own lens.”
The Hadestown soundtrack combines elements of folk, jazz, blues and New Orleans-inspired brass to create a unique sound. The playwright Mitchell’s lyrics and melodies give the songs a storytelling quality, with slow ballads like “Wait for Me” and energetic ensemble numbers like “Way Down Hadestown.” Each song in the soundtrack contributes to the show’s themes of love, struggle and fate, allowing the soundtrack to move the plot forward.
Washburn said the Hadestown music is difficult to master because of its unique blend of folk and jazz.
“The music is very complex and requires everyone to be focused at all times,” Washburn said. “There are several reprises with just tiny changes to the music or lyrics, all things that can very easily trip you up if you’re not careful.”
Hollis, who plays Hades, said he lacks a background in music, making it harder for him to learn the material.
“A big challenge for me was the fact that I’ve never done a musical before,” Hollis said. “The music in this show is particularly difficult in terms of rhythm, so having never been in a musical or choral activity made the learning process difficult. Luckily, we have a great music director who helped me figure everything out.”
Clara Berg ’25, who plays the Greek messenger god Hermes, said she enjoys being a part of the musical’s cast.
“My favorite part of being in Hadestown has been the cast and crew,” Berg said. “These folks make me look forward to coming in on a Sunday for six hours. Rehearsal has felt like home, and I feel so lucky to perform alongside people I’ve known since ninth grade.”
Hades is the ruler of Hadestown and the antagonist of the show. He rules the harsh, industrial underworld with an iron fist. Hollis said he wants to focus on portraying Hades as a powerful and assertive, rather than malicious and evil, character.
“My goal for this production is to bring a lot of confidence to the role of Hades,” Hollis said. “I’ve seen a couple of high school productions on YouTube where the person playing Hades is playing the role [of] a sad and evil old man. While Hades is definitely evil, I think it makes much more sense for him to be powerful and confident before softening toward the end of the show.”
Berg said the finale is especially meaningful to her because it emphasizes the story’s themes of struggle and perseverance.
“My favorite scene in the show is Road to Hell Reprise, [which] is the finale,” Berg said. “It starts quietly and simply. I sing acapella, repeating the lines I started the show with. The ensemble enters, and hearing their voices after such a still moment creates an incredible warmth. The ancient myth of Orpheus and Eurydice has been repeated over and over, and the circular ending of the show is always filled with sadness, love and most of all, hope.”
Student stage manager Shimon Schlessinger ’26 is responsible for overseeing technical aspects of the play like lighting, set design and sound. Schlessinger said he is looking forward to the outcome of the cast’s work following tech week, a week of extended rehearsals that perfects the performance before the show opens.
“We have some very talented kids,” Schlessinger said. “The cast recently sang with the orchestra for the first time, and you could really see them getting more and more confident having that backing track. As you move into tech week and into the shows, the performance feels more professional with the lights, costumes, makeup and orchestra. People’s performances get elevated, and there’s much more intensity. I’m really excited to see how everything comes together.”
