“Hadestown” is a Broadway musical filled with Greek mythology and captivating storylines. With eight Tony Awards, including best musical and best original score, the show’s over-the-top underworld has earned its place among the Great White Way’s most prolific legends.
That’s why it’s no surprise that actors of all experience levels are eager to take the stage in Anaïs Mitchell’s retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. In this guide, we’ll explain what it takes to join the ensemble of “Hadestown,” including insight into the show’s casting process.
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Based on singer-songwriter Mitchell’s 2010 concept album, which she adapted herself for the stage, “Hadestown” is an update of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, two lovers separated by Eurydice’s untimely death. Orpheus, a celebrated bard, journeys to the underworld in a bid to save his paramour from Hades, the god of the dead, and return her to the world of the living—with a tragic outcome.
“Hadestown” brings a modern twist to the classic tale, setting the story in a post-apocalyptic world inspired by the Depression era. In this version, the underworld is an underground factory where Hades lures the financially desperate with a false promise of riches. Set to modern folk and jazz songs, the musical follows not only Orpheus and Eurydice, but also Hades and his rebellious wife, Persephone.
Mitchell wrote the book and lyrics of the musical, which she co-conceived with Ben T. Matchstick; the production is directed by Rachel Chavkin and choreographed by David Neumann. The original version of the show opened Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop in 2016, then was reworked in productions in Edmonton, Alberta, and London. The current Broadway version debuted on April 17, 2019, at the Walter Kerr Theatre.
Starting Sept. 5, the Broadway ensemble will include:
- Reeve Carney as Orpheus
- Solea Pfeiffer as Eurydice
- Lillias White as Hermes
- Phillip Boykin as Hades
- Betty Who as Persephone
- The Fates:
- Amelia Cormack
- Lindsey Hailes
- Brit West
- Workers Chorus:
- Emily Afton
- Malcolm Armwood
- Chibueze Ihuoma
- Alex Lugo
- Alex Puette
- Swings:
- Sojourner Brown
- Brandon Cameron
- Tara Jackson
- Yael “YaYa” Reich
- Eddie Noel Rodríguez
- Tanner Ray Wilson
Benton Whitley of Whitley Theatrical is the CD for both the Broadway and North American tour of the musical; Micah Johnson-Levy is the associate casting director. As a co-founding partner of the now-shuttered Stewart/Whitley, Whitley has over 12 years of experience in the business, having cast shows including “Chicago,” “La Cage Aux Folles,” and “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.”
“For me, the definition of talent is executing skills with confidence,” he told us. “Confidence is magnetic and captivating. Confident people in the world are our leaders. In theater, it works the same way; we love having confident people share themselves with us. I see incredibly talented people come in the room and lack confidence while actually sharing their talent with us, which makes it so incredibly unappealing. Everyone has to have a kumbaya moment with themselves and figure out what is it that [they] have to offer; why [they’re] sharing it; and let [themselves] share it with happiness, joy, and confidence. That is what actually makes you talented.”
Reeve Carney, who stars as Orpheus, told Forbes that he learned about the opportunity through a friend. “Then I listened to the album and discovered that Anaïs had been interested in me for the role,” he explained. “At first, I wasn’t certain that I would be the right person for it, because on the album it was all sung in a much lower register. But a lot of the stuff is quite high, and I love singing in that register.”
Jewelle Blackman, who’s playing Persephone until Sept. 3, began her “Hadestown” journey as one of the three Fates. She went on to understudy Persephone, a role she took over in April 2022. “It’s the first time a lead role has been up in ‘Hadestown’ in years, so it’s a big deal,” she told the Queen’s Alumni Review last year.
“When I knew the role was [becoming] available, I was very forward and sent an email to my director, the choreographer, and the musical director,” she continued. “I titled it ‘Having the audacity to ask’—to ask for what I want and need. They had auditions on a Friday, and I found out on that Monday I had the role. It was amazing. That was the role I wanted when I auditioned for the show in 2017. I said, I’m going to do that role someday.”
Chibueze Ihuoma, on the other hand, auditioned during the COVID-19 lockdown. He joined the Workers Chorus on the national tour in October 2021, then played Orpheus from June 2022 to April 2023 before recently returning to his original role on Broadway.
“It was pretty wild! I first auditioned in 2020, and on the day of the final callbacks, the industry had its full shutdown. So I was in limbo for about a year and some change, and when [the ‘Hadestown’ team] picked the auditions back up, they were all on Zoom,” he told Sarah Scoop. “[It] definitely was a strange experience singing the songs in my living room to the full creative [team] in small boxes on my computer. But, hey, when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. And it worked out in the end! And it was inspiring to see that the work could be done and felt, no matter the format.”
While the show isn’t currently casting with us, the CDs did turn to Backstage in December 2022. Production cast with us to find dancers and potential replacements for principal roles in both the Broadway and touring ensembles.
As always, be sure to keep an eye on our main casting page for future opportunities. You can also check out this guide to getting cast in a Broadway show for more audition advice.
Whitley has been behind the table of many auditions, so he’s experienced in what sets an actor apart from the crowd. “First impressions are huge,” he told Playbill. “Before you walk into an audition room—before you actually open that door and you’re still out in that hallway—just take a second to actually control your breathing. Take some big, deep breaths. Try to actually visualize what it is that you love about this business and why you actually showed up today. Tell yourself that you’re the shit and you deserve this, and then walk into the room.
“When you get into the room, one of the first things you should do is try to actually make eye contact with as many humans as possible…. It just instantly humanizes the situation, and it also just reminds everyone behind the table that we have a live, breathing human standing in front of us and vice versa. This is an interview [with] people, not of robots.”
For Solea Pfeiffer, who’s currently playing Eurydice on Broadway, stardom has transformed her career and helped her believe in herself. She told TheaterMania that to succeed, you need to acknowledge that roadblocks are often self-imposed, and there’s nothing stopping you from jumping right in—except fear, of course.
“I think I’m learning a lot about my limits,” she said. “I’ve realized that you can just do it. It’s the anticipation of how much work you think something might be that’s the worst part. I have gained a whole new sense of trust in myself that I can get the job done no matter what. And in each new job, I learn more about what I need, the things that help me, [and] the things that hurt me.”
Carney told Out magazine that actors shouldn’t be afraid to take risks. “Although I would never skydive, I equate acting—and the desire to take on challenges as an actor—to the experience one might have skydiving, in that the farther you jump away from that plane, the safer you are. Just jump and go for it, and the farthest you can get from the plane—or from yourself—is the safest place.”
“Don’t try to be like anyone else. What you have to offer as an individual is the most powerful tool,” he told Digital Journal. “Also, learn as much as you possibly can. Don’t try to emulate anyone—and that includes living by your own timeline. When I was 16 years old, I was told by one of my mentors, ‘Take your time, son.’ You can apply that in a lot of different areas [of] your life. That’s really important advice as a musician and as an actor.”
