Review: HADESTOWN at Des Moines Performing Arts

Theatre is a form of storytelling. Sometimes a show tells a new story, and other times it takes a familiar one and gives it a new spin. "Hadestown," which opened on March 22 at Des Moines Performing Arts, does the latter in its retelling of the Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice. The question going into this show is if it is a successful retelling. Based on attending opening night and the flood of responses I've seen on social media, not only is it successful, it's a production that you won't want to miss.

In case you need a refresher on the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, we are introduced to Orpheus, who is a musician. When he meets Eurydice, they quickly fall in love and get married. As Orpheus goes to write his song, Eurydice meets Hades. While waiting for the song to be finished, she decides to go to Hadestown. When Orpheus finds out, he looks for Hades to make a deal to bring Eurydice back. When a deal is made, can he keep his part and continue life with Eurydice? That you will have to attend the show to find out.

When attending "Hadestown," not only are you attending a fantastic show, you are attending a masterclass in storytelling. The first way they tell this story is through music, and the music has a mix of jazz, folk, indie, and work music. From the first note played only by a trombone, the way the music is built up pulls the audience into the story and has the audience moving to the music in their seats. A great sign of how great and effective music is used was that both the cd and vinyl record were sold out at the merch stand.

Another way the story is told is in the use of spectacle. The story starts with tables and chairs to tell the story, and once the audience is invested, it begins to give a little more of the spectacle you may be used to seeing in musicals. One of my favorite visuals they have is the use of lights during "Wait for Me" as Orpheus descends to Hadestown. The lights start low to the ground, and as he descends along the road to Hadestown, the lights slowly ascend. It was mesmerizing to watch.

What beautifully ties the amazing technical elements and the phenomenal cast together is the direction of Rachel Chavkin. The way she uses movement throughout the show, along with the choreography of David Neumann, is stunning. I could keep going on about the fantastic set designed by Rachel Hauck, the gorgeous lighting by Bradley King, and the tremendous use of colors in Michael Krass' costume design, but then this would never end.

The storytelling continues with the actors, who all do a fantastic job. Tony Award Winner Levi Kreis grabs the audience with his captivating and charismatic take on Hermes from the top of the show. As he starts getting the calls out to the cast and the audience, you can't help but be drawn to the performance you are about to see.

The fantastic performances continued with Nicholas Barach, who I was excited to see live on stage. I had seen him in the live captured performance of "She Loves Me," one of my favorite musicals, as Arpad. He takes the stage here as Orpheus and does a phenomenal job. The way he can transition singing from his lower register to his higher register is effortless and beautiful. Opposite him in the role of Eurydice is Morgan Siobhan Green. She brings so much heart to Eurydice that, as an audience, you feel her struggle leading her to choose to go to Hadestown.

Another captivating performance of the evening came from Kimberly Marable's take on Persephone. From the moment the show starts, your eyes are drawn to her. When she gets into and enjoys the music, it draws us to get into and enjoy it as well. She plays opposite Kevin Morrow as Hades, who surprises audiences unfamiliar with the show with his deep, low voice. At intermission, I found myself wanting to hear more of his singing, as it is rare for musical theatre to feature songs for true basses,

Weaving these characters together are the Fates played by Belén Moyano, Bex Odorisio, and Shea Renne. Their beautiful voices blend together with some of the most gorgeous harmonies I have heard in a long time.

While the audience enjoys seeing so many visual story elements, it wouldn't be a show without the storytellers on stage. What's fun and unique with "Hadestown" is that the storytellers aren't just the actors.

The storytellers include the musicians in the show who appear onstage the entire show and interact. They become a vital part of how this story is told.

If you have been anxiously awaiting your return to theatre, I can't think of a show better than "Hadestown." A show where so much is told without being spoken. A show that is a true masterclass of storytelling that will have you craving to see the show again. "Hadestown" won't "wait for you" to come to see it at Des Moines Performing Arts as its one-week engagement ends on March 27. To find out more about Hadestown, or to purchase tickets, visit https://desmoinesperformingarts.org/events/hadestown/

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