Hadestown at The Plaza Theatre

Coming up in April, The Plaza Theatre in El Paso will present the long running Broadway phenomenon Hadestown. This mythological story follows a couple, Orpheus and Eurydice as they navigate the trials of love and poverty while their lives become interlaced with Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Tickets for this Saturday 19th April 2025 showing start at $122 per seat.

History

Hadestown debuted in 2006 with a regional performance and a concept album. Years later, the writer, Anaïs Mitchell, stuck with her idea, which she said was inspired by Les Misérables. After enhancing character backgrounds, it eventually made its debut off-Broadway in 2016. 

The show went on to successfully tour Canada and London in the next couple of years. It appeared on Broadway in 2019 and went on to set a record for the longest-running Broadway production at the Walter Kerr Theatreafter 4 years. Hadestown opened a North American tour beginning in 2021. It was unknown when it opened off-Broadway in 2016. However, it has developed into a highly respected and beloved musical for many fans.

Synopsis

The mythology of the Hadestown musical opens by introducing Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus proposed to Eurydice, but she is unsure because both of them live in poverty. Eventually, they fall in love. 

Hades and Persephone enter the story when Hades comes to the world above to take Persephone to the Underworld. During this time, Eurydice hears about working in the Underworld as a way out of poverty. Hades dislikes arguing with Persephone about the benefits of the Underworld. In his desperation, Hades visits the surface to find someone who will appreciate working in the Underworld before discovering Eurydice. She decides to join Hades in the Underworld, leaving her partner, Orpheus behind.

When Orpheus learns what happened, he promises to travel to the Underworld to rescue Eurydice. By the time he travels to the Underworld, Eurydice realizes working in the Underworld is not the rewarding experience Hades made it seem to be. Orpheus and Eurydice talk to Hades about releasing Eurydice from her contract and letting her return to the surface. The subsequent decision and journey tests the love Orpheus and Eurydice share.

Recognitions

Reviewers offer wide-ranging praise of Hadestown. The Hollywood Reporter called it “a furnace-like blast of creativity,” while Forbes said it’s “an epic celebration of music, togetherness, and hope.” It won Tony Awards in eight different categories, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Hadestown earned 14 Tony Award nominations in all.

The creators behind Hadestown used a blend of folk and jazz to tell the tale the Underworld from Greek mythology. During the 2020 Grammy Awards, Hadestown won an award for the Best Musical Theater Album. This recording features the Broadway cast recording of the show’s songs. Some attendees see the show after buying the album, while others hear the music for the first time when attending a performance.