Hadestown at Providence Performing Arts Center

This fall, Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence will host the critically acclaimed Broadway phenomenon Hadestown. This mythological tale follows a couple, Orpheus and Eurydice as they navigate the trials of love and poverty while their lives become interlaced with Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Tickets for this Saturday 8th November 2025 showing start at $231 per seat.

Origins

Hadestown originated in 2006 with a regional performance and a concept album. Years later, the creator, Anaïs Mitchell, stuck with her idea, after taking inspiration from Les Misérables. After revamping it, it eventually made its debut off-Broadway in 2016. 

The show had successful runs in Canada and London in the next couple of years. It appeared on Broadway in 2019 and went on to set a record for the longest-running show at the Walter Kerr Theatreafter 4 years. It began a North American tour beginning in 2021. Hadestown may have been an unlikely success story at the time when it opened off-Broadway in 2016. Today it has become a highly respected and admired musical for many fans.

Story

The Greek mythology adaptation of the Hadestown musical opens by introducing Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus asks Eurydice to marry him, but she is hesitant because both of them live in poor conditions. Eventually, they become lovers despite their problems. 

Hades and Persephone enter the story when Hades visits the surface to take Persephone to the Underworld. During this time, Eurydice sees an opportunity working with Hades as a way out of poverty. Hades dislikes arguing with Persephone about the charms of the Underworld. In his desperation, Hades visits the surface to find someone who will appreciate working in the Underworld before finding Eurydice. She decides to join Hades in the Underworld, leaving her love of Orpheus behind.

When Orpheus finds out what happened, he promises to travel to the Underworld to bring her back. By the time he arrives in the Underworld, Eurydice realizes working in the Underworld is not the enjoyable experience Hades made it appear to be. Orpheus and Eurydice talk to Hades about releasing Eurydice from her contract and allowing her return to the above world. The journey tests the love Orpheus and Eurydice share.

Recognitions

Reviewers offer wide-ranging praise of Hadestown. The Hollywood Reporter called it “a furnace-like blast of creativity,” while Forbes declared it “an epic celebration of music, togetherness, and hope.” It won Tony Awards in 8 different categories, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Hadestown received 14 Tony Award nominations in all.

The musicians behind Hadestown used a blend of folk and jazz to tell the story the Underworld from Greek mythology. During the 2020 Grammy Awards, Hadestown won an award for the Best Musical Theater Album. This recording features the Broadway cast recording of the production’s songs. Some people see the show after buying the album, while others experience the music for the first time when attending a performance.