NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – “Wait for me! I’m coming!” This heart-wrenching cry from Orpheus to Eurydice is the aching core of Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell’s captivating Broadway musical that brings ancient Greek myth into the present with a soul-deep blend of folk and jazz.
Directed by Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown takes audiences to a post-apocalyptic underworld where romance, resilience, and sacrifice converge in a tale of love and loss.
The story follows Orpheus, a young dreamer, and his beloved Eurydice as they grapple with poverty in a barren, unforgiving world. When Orpheus embarks on a journey to rescue Eurydice from the underworld, he encounters Hades and Persephone, the mythic king and queen of the underworld, whose own turbulent love story mirrors the conflicts of faith and doubt, hope and despair.
The current cast of Hadestown, led by Jordan Fisher as Orpheus and Maia Reficco as Eurydice, brings renewed energy, with Fisher’s heartfelt vulnerability and Reficco’s intense presence and immaculate voice creating a raw, compelling chemistry that enchants the audience like a mythic spell cast by the Muses.
Reficco, adding to the magic, made her Broadway debut in July. “I very much felt the responsibility of being aware of what I was jumping into… I genuinely wanted to pay homage to everybody that has been in this show,” Reficco told 1010 WINS.
Reficco, American and Argentine actress and singer, is best known for her roles in "Kally's Mashup" and in the Max horror thriller series "Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin." In Hadestown, her voice shines through in every line and note throughout the play.
“I’ve definitely benefited from the deep knowledge everyone has of the story and material,” she said.
Reficco finds personal resonance with her character. “Whether it’s love, whether it’s how far one is willing to go for that love… those are all things I feel very profoundly,” she said. “There is so much room for all of us to see ourselves. I resonate with so many of the characters, that it goes above and beyond what personally as an actor I might feel.”
Each night, the rawness of the lyrics and themes brings her to tears as well as the audience. “I keep crying every single night because I hear those words and they break my heart,” Reficco said.
Beyond the story itself, Hadestown has become a collaborative environment shared. “I truly feel so honored that I get to watch all these people pour their hearts out… It’s the most magnificent thing I’ve ever witnessed,” Reficco said.
Hadestown explores love, loyalty, and the resilience required to keep fighting, even in a world stacked against hope. For Yolanda Quartey, professionally known as Yola, who portrayed Persephone in July, the narrative holds a deeply personal connection. She describes her journey as “finding my own way out of a Hadestown of sorts,” having had to assert her agency in an industry that often sought to define her. Yola identifies with Persephone’s struggle and the strength required to resist being overpowered, saying, “I feel like I’m witnessing my own fight to the surface every night!”
Yola has since been replaced by Lana Gordon, who is thrilled to return to Hadestown on Broadway after earning critical acclaim in the First National Tour. Gordon began her career as a dancer with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, the Dunham Company, and Donald Byrd/The Group before making her Broadway debut in the original cast of Disney’s The Lion King.
Fisher, Reficco and Phillip Boykin (Hades) will give their final Hadestown performances on Jan. 12, 2025. It’s the last chance to see these actors in their roles.
Hadestown first premiered off-Broadway in 2016 before opening on Broadway in April 2019. The show won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Direction of a Musical, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
The most rewarding part of being on Broadway for Reficco goes beyond just performing. “Not only am I lucky enough to do what I love and what makes me the happiest in the world, which is performing, but above all I get to do it with people that are so incredibly wonderful,” she said.
Reficco finds joy in “learning from them, hearing them, watching them,” calling the experience “the most magnificent thing I’ve ever witnessed.” Each night, she feels honored to witness her castmates pour their hearts into their performances. “I think that’s my favorite thing,” she said, “watching people I now love do what they love and feel so moved by it,” a connection that, in turn, deepens her own love for what she does.
With every performance, Hadestown invites viewers to reflect on resilience and how far someone might go for love. As the lights dim and the final chords play, it’s no wonder this show leaves audiences feeling uplifted and forever changed. And the soundtrack? It’s sure to stay in your mind for months.