Tony-winning musical “Hadestown” — the unusual hit New Orleans-infused show based on the Greek tale of Orpheus traveling to the underworld to rescue Eurydice — returned to Broadway on Thursday after what could be described as a hell of a year.
Following the performance, crowds gathered outside the Walter Kerr Theater as the cast and band took to the theater’s flower-covered balcony above the street. They belted out tunes from the show, as well as Bill Withers’ version of “Lean On Me,” and tossed red flowers to fans below.
Jujamcyn Theaters owner Jordan Roth, whose venues include the Kerr, called the moment “magic.”
“Over this year and a half, one of the ‘Hadestown’ songs I kept returning to was ‘Wait for Me,'” a ballad sang by Orpheus, played by Reeve Carney, and Hermes, played by the incomparable Andre de Shields, Roth told us.
Continuing of the reopening, he said, “This is what we’ve all been waiting for — to sing and feel, and laugh and heal, together. That’s what Broadway is.”
“Hadestown” reopening night.WireImageThe show won eight Tony Awards in 2019, including Best Musical, and had 14 nominations.
Broadway went dark in March 2020, and a handful of shows have recently opened.
Bruce Springsteen’s “Springsteen on Broadway,” reopened in June, while the Sara Bareilles-scored “Waitress” also returned this week, and mainstay hits such as “The Lion King,” “Wicked,” “Hamilton” and “Chicago” will return on September 14.
Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu’s play “Pass Over” also took the stage in August to rave reviews.
“Hadestown” made its world premiere in Vermont in 2006, and the Anaïs Mitchell-created musical then took 13 years to make it Broadway when it opened at the Kerr.
