Hadestown at Ohio Theatre

This May, Ohio Theatre in Columbus will host the long running Broadway phenomenon Hadestown. This mythological tale follows a couple, Orpheus and Eurydice as they navigate the challenges of love and poverty while their lives cross the path of Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Tickets for this Friday 15th May 2026 showing start at $103 per seat.

Origins

Hadestown first came to stage in 2006 with a regional performance and a concept album. Years later, the creator, Anaïs Mitchell, developed the broadway musical, which she said was inspired by Les Misérables. After revamping it, it eventually opened off-Broadway in 2016. 

The musical went on to successfully tour Canada and London in the next couple of years. It appeared on Broadway in 2019 and went on to become the longest-running Broadway production at the Walter Kerr Theatreafter 4 years. Hadestown started a North American tour beginning in 2021. Hadestown may have been an unlikely success story at the time when it opened off-Broadway in 2016. However, it has become a highly respected and admired musical for many fans.

Synopsis

The mythology of the Hadestown musical opens by showcasing 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 surface to take Persephone back to the Underworld. Eurydice becomes intrigued by working in the Underworld as a way out of poverty. Hades is frustrated arguing with Persephone about the charms of the Underworld. In his desperation, Hades visits the surface to find someone who will learn to like working in the Underworld before meeting Eurydice. She decides to join Hades in the Underworld, leaving her partner, Orpheus behind.

When Orpheus discovers what happened, he promises to travel to the Underworld to rescue Eurydice. By the time he reaches 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 allowing her return to the living world. The subsequent decision and journey tests the love Orpheus and Eurydice have for each other.

Recognitions

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

The musicians behind Hadestown used a blend of folk and jazz to tell the modern take on the Underworld from Greek mythology. As part of 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 fans of the show see the show after hearing the album, while others experience the music for the first time when attending a performance.