MILWAUKEE — It turns out the “Road to Hell” is a joyous place.
At least that’s the case when it’s set to a mix of folk, blues and jazz music.
“Hadestown” follows Eurydice (Hannah Whitley), who works in the underworld to escape a world plagued with climate change-induced turmoil and poverty.
The musical reveals the environment is out of whack because Hades (Matthew Patrick Quinn) — the king of the underworld — and his wife Persephone (Maria-Christina Oliveras), whose love controls the seasons, are having relationship problems. Eurydice’s lover, Orpheus (J. Antonio Rodriguez), comes to rescue her and the couple shows others how to escape their “hellish” environment.
Hermes (Nathan Lee Graham) tells audiences early on that the tale he’s about to tell is a sad, even tragic, one. Even knowing this, “Hadestown” spares no one in the audience the gut-punch at the end that seamlessly melds despair and optimism. Be ready for a magical, emotional roller coaster.
“Hadestown” is a tad slow to start, but the ensemble’s energy and evident passionate glee make up for it. Less than halfway through Act One, the pace picks up and the show is full steam ahead from there.
Graham plays Hermes, who serves as the narrator for the Tony-award winning musical. Graham provides the steadfast poise, energy and talent one hopes for from the anchor of a show. He instantly captivated audiences with his opening number “Road to Hell” and maintains his pizzaz-meets-wisdom demeanor throughout the show, whether he takes on a solo or duet.
Rodriguez provides an ideal idealistic Orpheus, who is full of love to give and hope to share. His gorgeous falsetto is showcased in all of his songs, but really hits a sweet spot in “Wait For Me” and “Epic I,” “Epic II” and “Epic III.” It’s absolutely stunning. Allowing a male lead to embrace a falsetto is becoming less and less common in modern Broadway shows, and it was refreshing to hear. With Rodriguez leading the way, it was a dreamy treat.
Speaking of, audiences are really in for a treat from Oliveras. I was obsessed with her charisma, iridescent vocals and layered emotive performance. I was elated every time she took the stage — and she’s hard to miss. Her initial lime green dress matches her sunny personality. Oliveras is truly a bright spot on stage and a near flawless foil to Hades. Quinn plays a just as complex character: Yes, he’s the king of the underworld, but I wouldn’t call him innately evil. Instead, he’s a man ruled by fear and love intertwined. His deep voice and surprising tormented decisions are sure to reel you in; Quinn pays extra attention to small character details and ticks that make Hades feel complete.
I must also give props to Tuesday night’s ensemble, which consisted of swings Sean Watkinson and Ian Coulter-Buford, in addition to Courtney Lauster, Eddie Noel Rodríguez and Racquel Williams. What a fabulous five actors. They were inarguably committed to their songs, danced strong and synchronized choreography (my favorite was “Chant,” complete with a rotating stage a la “Hamilton.”) and maintained dynamic relationships througout the course of the evening. Of course, I loved the leads, but I caught myself constantly watching the Workers Chorus as well.
The show is complete with a seven-piece on-stage band, with magnificent musicians. The show would have felt incomplete without them. Emily Fredrickson triumphed in multiple star-studded trombone solo moments.
While there is no doubt that everyone on the “Hadestown” stage is insanely talented, it is clear those behind the scenes are just as talented. The musical score (Anaïs Mitchell) is dazzling and unlike any other Broadway show. My personal favorite technical element was the stage effects (Rachel Hauck) and lighting (Bradley King) that were as captivating and reliable as Hermes throughout the show. “Wait For Me,” especially, is nothing short of a showstopper.
“Hadestown” runs at the Marcus Performing Arts Center through May 7. Get more information, here.
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