The first production of Hadestown: Teen Edition premiered in Arkansas at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 in Love Auditorium. The Tony and Grammy-winning Broadway musical Hadestown retells the tragic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. It focuses on Orpheus’s descent into the Underworld to convince the King of the Dead to release his deceased lover through a jazzy folk opera set in a world steeped in poverty.
Featuring note changes to better accommodate teen voices and lyrics more appropriate for cast and audience alike, the two and a half hour production of Hadestown: Teen Edition showcases sophomore Carter Sullivan and senior Liv Robertson as the tragic lovers—Orpheus and Eurydice respectively; senior AJ Johnson as Hermes—the playful, well-meaning narrator; senior Jordyn Purtle and junior Braden Lisowe as Persephone and Hades—the rulers of the Underworld locked in a strained marriage; junior Katie Wright as Fate 1; junior Nayeli Torres as Fate 2 and sophomore Nyla Newton as Fate 3.
Generally, Bryant puts on a musical in the spring, but when the rights to the Teen Edition became available, Jeremy Clay, the artistic director of the Bryant Theatre Company and the director of the play, moved it to fall to accommodate the musical and to avoid overlapping with the spring production of Hadestown at the Robinson Center.
“When I found [out] the rights were available, I jumped at the chance to do this challenging show,” Clay said.
In an opera, every line is sung and bolstered with music. Tanner Oglesby, the music and orchestra director for the play and the district’s director of choirs, juggled both his duties as a director and manning a keyboard equipped with different instrument sounds.
“The music director’s responsibility is to communicate with the director. Basically take the director’s vision and translate it for musicians,” Oglesby said. “The music never stops; it’s a continuous stream of thought and music…It’s a big undertaking.”
With new territory undoubtedly comes difficulties. The creative crews remained vigilant to avoid violating copyright restrictions requiring the Teen Edition‘s set and costumes to be utterly distinct from the Broadway production’s.
Senior Mili Utsey, the head of costumes, had to be especially careful.
”I kind of felt like a lot of weight to make sure the costumes were good,” Utsey said. “Colors, they were fine, however I had to go and physically look at every costume they used because nothing, nothing could look the same…Other than that, it’s been fun. I love how the costumes turned out. Everyone looks great. Everyone loves their costumes. I’m just happy with how [everything] turned out.”
Lighting and props contribute massively to the setting of any production. As with costumes, these had to be distinct from the Broadway version. Senior Jess Shelton, stage manager, oversaw everything from lighting to the functionality of props.
“I am in charge of all the tech for the show, not really making decisions,” Shelton said. “When we’re actually performing, I’m on headset, calling all of the light and sound cues and making sure all the set pieces are working the way that they’re supposed to, that there’s not any problems backstage.”
Despite the variation between the productions, the Teen Edition maintains the core ideas and feelings evoked by the original. Liv Robertson appreciates the details of both musicals.
“I do love the Broadway costumes, but I really, really like what Mr. Clay has done with, like, the set, and the design, and specifically all of the colors—the changes between above ground and underground,” Robertson said.
