Sometimes the oldest stories still have the most life in them.
“Hadestown,” now playing at the Fox Theatre through May 31, reaches all the way back to Greek mythology and somehow comes back with something that feels strange, stylish and completely alive. It is a musical about gods, doomed lovers and the underworld, but it also has the grit and pulse of a roadside nightclub, with a band onstage and songs that move through folk, jazz, blues and ragtime.
The show tells the ancient story of Orpheus and Eurydice, two young lovers whose romance winds up putting them on a collision course with the gods.
Orpheus (played by understudy Ty Shay in the performance I saw), is the original starving artist, a dreamy musician whose songs are said to have the power to charm the rocks, the trees and maybe even the world itself. Eurydice, played by Hawa Kamara, is more practical, a young woman trying to survive in a hard and hungry world.
That difference is what gives their love story its spark. Orpheus believes a song can change everything. Eurydice, understandably, would also like to know where her next meal is coming from.
When Eurydice finds herself bound for Hadestown, Orpheus follows her into the underworld to try to persuade Hades, played by Nickolaus Colón, to let her go. Colon is the unquestionable star of the show. His bass baritone is unlike anything I’ve ever heard in nature. Its depth and clarity rattled the walls of the Fox Theatre. Hades, of course, has his own troubles, most notably his chilly and complicated marriage to Persephone, played by Namisa Mdlalose Bizana.
Guiding the whole journey is Hermes, played by Rudy Foster, who serves as narrator, conductor and something close to the show’s spiritual master of ceremonies. Foster brings a lively, knowing presence to the role, keeping one foot in the myth and the other planted firmly in the audience.
Also circling the action are the Fates, played by Gia Keddy, Miriam Navarrete and Jayna Wescoatt, who are always nearby to whisper doubt, stir up trouble and generally make sure nobody gets too comfortable. And because this is Greek mythology, there is also a chorus, here turned into the workers of Hadestown, giving the show much of its muscle and movement.
One of the smartest things about “Hadestown” is the way it takes a very old story and gives it a world of its own. The staging suggests a smoky bar, a factory floor and a mythic underworld all at once. The band is part of the scenery and part of the soul of the show, giving the whole production the feel of a story being sung into existence right in front of you.
The set and lighting are especially strong. The descent into Hadestown is handled with real theatrical imagination, using shadows, movement and light to make the underworld feel both industrial and otherworldly. The show does not need a mountain of scenery to make an impression. It knows how to use what it has.
Like a lot of modern Broadway musicals, “Hadestown” does occasionally slow itself down for the sort of second-act ballad that feels required by law. But even when the momentum dips, the show never loses its sense of purpose. The music, the staging and the central myth keep pulling it forward.
At its best, “Hadestown” is about the fragile, stubborn belief that art still matters. It is about telling the same sad story again and again, not because the ending changes, but because maybe the act of telling it still means something.
That may sound heavy, but the show itself is full of life. It is funny, haunting, romantic and visually striking, with a score that feels both old and new.
You simply have to take the trip to “Hadestown.” It is a breath of fresh air for musical theater, even if that air is coming from somewhere deep below the ground.
“Hadestown” is playing at the Fox Theatre through Sunday, May 31. For tickets call 314-534-1111 or go to metrotix.com.
