‘Hadestown’ @ Bass Performance Hall

Photos by T. Charles Erickson

—Chris Sanders

I went into this show with limited knowledge of the plot, other than that of the Greek lore of old. Hadestown at Bass Performance Hall follows the tales of two classic Greek love stories: young lovers Orpheus & Eurydice, and elder gods Hades & Persephone. Honestly, if you know these two Greek myths, you know the crux of the story. And that is also the wild part, because you may spend the last 20 minutes of the play sobbing like I did— in spite of, and because of, knowing the Fates of these beloved characters.

The primary instigator of waterworks was Jordan Bollwerk, who went on as the Orpheus understudy. His dulcet tenor tones, combined with the entire company, live dup to the title of the “Epic III” number. I don’t know what muse inspired Anaïs Mitchell (book, music, lyrics—and a whole lotta Tonys) to compose this particular piece, but it left me wrecked for the remainder of the musical. Something about Bollwerk’s voice pierces the very soul, leaving beautiful tears and soft sniffles in his wake.

This “Epic” tune is an underlying theme throughout the show, said to be so beautiful it can produce flowers in the dead of winter. A red carnation to be exact, a symbol representing deep love. I was brought to tears, yet again, when Hades, played by Matthew Patrick Quinn, uses the tune to show his love blooming for Persephone, portrayed by Maria-Christina Oliveras. Outside of their moments together, each underworld god commands attention with their sheer presence. Quinn’s booming bass and towering height fill the space; Oliveras is little, but oh so very fierce, both in energy and in vocal prowess.

Hannah Whitley’s Eurydice reminded me greatly of Mimi from Jonathan Larson’s Rent, prior to her falling in love with Orpheus. After her descent into love and beyond, she took on a lovely form all her own. There also seems to be a beautiful symbiosis between Whitley and The Workers, played by Shavey Brown, Racquel Williams, Ian Coulter-Buford, KC Dela Cruz, and Colin LeMoine. When above and below, they seem to support one another, both physically and vocally.

The Fates—Cecilia Trippiedi, Dominique Kempf, and Nyla Watson—are stone cold stunners. Seemingly minor gods compared to their individually named counterparts, but about halfway through Act One, it became very clear who’s pulling the strings. And the actresses’ harmonies were as sharp as their characters words, used to cut those around them.

Nathan Lee Graham, in true messenger god fashion, delivers an outstanding performance at every turn. A master of ceremonies, he knows how to bring a crowd to uproarious laughter or shake their core ‘til they're forced to sit with their silent thoughts. He ushers us through the show from the beginning to its phenomenal end.

The band, consisting of Natalie Spehar, Clare Armenante, Michiko Egger, Emily Fredrickson, Calvin Jones, and Eladio Rojas, was lead by Eric Kang. They bring in the spirit of the play, with their constant playing and presence on the stage. The musicians consist of men of color and marginalized genders, a refreshing sight after the all-white cis-male pits one usually sees. Fitting that the production company worked with a diversity team not only in its casting, but also with the band.

Rachel Hauck’s scenic design is absolutely breathtaking, particularly when combined with Bradley King’s lighting and David Neumann’s choreography. Bring in the addition of Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz’s sound design, and the audience found themselves with one helluva scene change. You’ll understand what I mean when you see the show.

Now again, understand that while this is an amazing show, Hermes warns you early on that this is also a Tragedy. Even if you go in, knowing the tale of Eurydice and Orpheus, that likely won’t change how you hard you pray for a different ending. Heck, outside of the warning, I grew up surrounded by Greek mythology. I knew exactly how the young lovers would end up. And still, even up until the final turn, I sat with bated breath holding on to the one thing the play’s love theme inspires: Hope. The kind of hope that breaks your heart, as you dare to continue hoping anyway.

I hope you have the chance to witness this beautiful production of Hadestown, directed by Rachel Chavkin, presented by Performing Arts Fort Worth at Bass Performance Hall now through July 2nd.

WHEN: June 27-July 2, 2023

WHERE: Bass Performance Hall, 525 Commerce, Fort Worth

WEB: basshall.com