CSArts-SGV Students to Stage HADESTOWN at Duarte Performing Arts Center

California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV) students in the Integrated Arts Conservatory are preparing to take audiences on a post-apocalyptic journey of love, sacrifice, and defiance with their rendition of Anaïs Mitchell's "Hadestown." The Tony Award-winning musical reimagines the Greek mythical story of Orpheus and Eurydice, intertwined with the tale of at-odds Hades and Persephone, with poetic lyrics and a haunting score inspired by American folk music and New Orleans jazz.

"This production is uniquely ambitious and artistically rich, structured like an opera, with the entire story told through music rather than spoken dialogue," said Integrated Arts Director and "Hadestown" Producer Joey Ancona. "Our students are challenged to perform with professional-level musical tracks, developing precision, musicality, and strong ensemble awareness to stay rhythmically aligned throughout the performance."

Unique to the Integrated Arts Conservatory, students are offered a diverse and challenging high-caliber program with a wide range of subjects from a variety of arts disciplines rather than concentrating on one art form. Because of this, the 45-student cast and crew is composed of almost entirely students from the Integrated Arts Conservatory. Students from the Production & Design Conservatory use this annual spring performance as their capstone projects in lighting, costuming, and props.

"We also expanded the choreography to elevate the physical storytelling, giving students the opportunity to grow as expressive performers and versatile artists," said Ancona. "Their artistry, discipline, and versatility demonstrate the strength of the Integrated Arts Conservatory and the depth of training our students receive across multiple artistic disciplines."

"Hadestown" runs Thursday, Feb. 26 to Sunday, March 1 at the Duarte Performing Arts Center, located at 1401 Highland Ave, Duarte, Calif.