Hadestown is a dark tragedy and, somehow, a helluva good time.

Created by award-winning Anaïs Mitchell, the musical reimagines the tragic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. 

Set in a smoky Southern juke joint with sultry New Orleans-style music, their love story is intertwined with the relationship between Hades, god of the Underworld (Nickolaus Colón), and his wife, the goddess Persephone (Namisa Mdlalose Bizana).

It’s a tale as old as time: a beautiful (but struggling) young woman meets a poor (and also struggling) poet and they fall in love. They are sure their love will endure and conquer all things. But Orpheus (Jose Contreras) and Eurydice (Hawa Kamara) share a cautionary tale about trust, doubt and the finality of death.

Narrated by the enthusiastic Hermes (Rudy Foster), the musical follows the doomed lovers as they navigate a world governed by harsh realities. 

The eerie and sinister Fates (Gia Keddy, Miriam Navarrete and Jayna Wescoatt) represent the negative voices that talk us out of success and prosperity. They play an instrumental role (literally) in guiding and discouraging the characters, casting themselves as chess players, moving people through the story. 

During a brutal struggle with poverty, Eurydice is persuaded by Hades to come with him to the Underworld, promising her a life of security. In the original story, Eurydice is bitten by a snake and dies, and there are allusions to that story in Hades’ proposal. Either way, she follows Hades (and his scene-stealing baritone) on his cool jazz train to hell. 

When Orpheus realizes what happened, he takes an alternate route to the Underworld to save Eurydice. The show includes a brilliant use of lighting, especially in the dark Underworld. Its steampunk vibe is accentuated through the use of train sounds, wire-caged bulbs and dense fog.

The mindless workers toil in the Underworld, forever trapped in a system that exploits them as cheap labor. Eurydice is introduced to her new eternal environment, where she will lose her sense of self, purpose and love, but Orpheus turns up to save her.

Can he convince Hades to let her go? Will they live happily ever after? If you don’t know the story, I won’t ruin the ending, but suffice it to say the musical inspires resilience and love, even when the odds are stacked against you. It reminds us that the story of love continues and repeats itself, over and over again. 

Winning eight Tony Awards, including the 2019 Tony Award for Best Musical, Hadestown is a testament to resilience, hope, faith and love. The songs are a powerful fusion of American folk, blues and jazz, with scene-stealing trombone solos and an improvised feel that hits all the right notes. The on-stage musicians add a flowy, speakeasy feel to the show.

The award-winning set design and orchestrations pull you into a time where life is a struggle and capitalism rules but hope continues. 

Presented by Broadway at the Eccles and Zions Bank, Hadestown is playing at Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St. in Salt Lake City, through Sunday, March 29.