Review: HADESTOWN is Livin' It Up at Milwaukee's MARCUS CENTER

I've been a fan of Hadestown since its concept album release in 2010. With music and lyrics by Anaïs Mitchell, the album featured vocals by Mitchell herself alongside the likes of Justin Vernon and Ani DiFranco. Called a "folk opera" at the time, this album laid the foundation for what would become the 2019 Tony-winning Broadway musical Hadestown.

Hadestown tells the story of the Greek tragedy of Orpheus, son of a muse who is working on a song, and Euridyce, a poor girl in search of something to eat. With the promise of quelling her hunger, Euridyce makes a deal with Hades and journeys to the underworld, Hadestown. There, she's trapped -- unless Orpheus can do the impossible and rescue her.

Don't be fooled or confused by the Greek-ness of it all or the fact that these characters' names are a mouthful at first. If Milwaukeeans can handle "Ashwaubenon," they can handle the players in Hadestown. And while the musical is based on a classic tale, the music itself is anything but classical or even classic Broadway.

This is a musical for fans of indie folk, singer-songwriters, brassy New Orleans jazz, and soulful blues. A friend of mine compared it to the musical Once, and I think that's fair. Though the sounds in Hadestown are grander, more harmonic, layered, and dynamic. The show calls for a vocally-stunning cast with immense range alongside a troupe of on-stage musicians.

Everything from the complex harmonies to the scene-making choreography must work together in perfect synergy. There's no room for sour notes or missed cues. I'm delighted to report the current touring cast of Hadestown delivers big time.

As the curtain rises, we first meet the show's narrator Hermes, played by Nathan Lee Graham. From the onset, Graham dazzles from tip to toe. He's one of those performers who sparkles in every moment and movement. By the end, Graham holds the audience captivated in the palm of his hand. His performance is one to treasure.

Another next-level star of this touring cast is Mattew Patrick Quinn as Hades. Hades is an authoritative, seductive, borderline-menacing role with consistently deep bass vocals. Quinn's execution is flawless. His voice and diction are beyond clear -- a wonderful thing, I'm told, for people who have never seen or heard the show before. While other actors get creative with their delivery and are difficult to understand at times, Quinn's deliberate execution impresses without ever leaning heavily on stylistic choices. He also has swagger for days.

As for the two central lovers, Milwaukee was one of the first cities to welcome a new Orpheus to the Hadestown touring cast. J. Antonio Rodriguez brings adorable, earnest charisma to the part, on top of a killer vocal range. His voice is beautifully effortless -- big and soft in all the right moments. Opposite Rodriguez is Hannah Whitley, who adds her own flavor to the part of Euridyce. Sometimes it works wonderfully, and other times her vocals become tricky to decipher. Still, Whitley and Rodriguez are overall lovely together.

The Three Fates (Dominique Kempf, Belén Moyano, and Nyla Watson) join Whitley in the camp of vocally brilliant, if a little too stylish at times. Even so, this is a stunning trio whose spine-tingling harmonies are some of the very best moments, musically, in the entire production.

Last but not least, rounding out the featured ladies of Hadestown is Maria-Christina Oliveras as Hades' wife, Persephone. Oliveras is straight-up fun to watch in her very party-girl take on the queen of the underworld. In brassy songs, she brings big personality to the stage, and in more-serious moments, the genuine beauty and strength of her voice shines.

Then there's the chorus and band. The show hinges on them. It's particularly impressive the way the chorus not only provides vocal backup and gorgeous harmonies, but also fabulous dance breaks and scene-setting by moving props and pieces into place. The set itself is an impressive one, thoughtfully and effectively adapted from the original Broadway staging.

Final thoughts: Be sure to bring your listening ears if you journey to Hadestown. By that I mean, you can't passively participate in this musical. You have to pay attention. The story, beauty, and poetry are in the lyrics, nuances, and harmonies. There's depth to be found in every inch of Hadestown, and those who are primed to fall for this show are sure to fall hard.

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