Get Your One-Way Ticket to Hadestown

From left to right, Nicholas Bowler as Orpheus, Makayla Lloyd as Hermes, Mason Scheel as Hades (seated), Annaliese Witz as Fate 3, Meera Antigua as Fate 2, Annie Sturtz as Fate 1, and Alannah McGlocklin as Persephone in Hadestown: Teen Edition at Waukesha Civic Theatre. Photo credit: Andy Holley.

A review of Hadestown: Teen Edition

by Madelyn Verhyen, age 14

Waukesha Civic Theatre recently performed Hadestown: Teen Edition, one of the best musicals I’ve ever seen. This show, based on Greek mythology, intertwines two love stories: Orpheus and Eurydice, and Hades and Persephone. Orpheus and Eurydice don’t have much, but they have each other. Though Eurydice loves Orpheus, the Fates sing in the back of her mind. She finds herself wanting to ride the train six feet underground to where Hades and Persephone bicker and banter. The music in the show combines both jazz and folk to create an amazing sound I haven’t ever heard before.

The cast worked well together, and their harmonies were incredible. They moved around and danced while singing, which is not easy. In spite of their difficulties, like the limited space and quantity of memorization, the players brought the play to life with their talent.

Usually I would acknowledge a few cast members, but the entire company really made it unbearable to pick just two or three. The harmonies between the three Fates (Annie Sturtz, Meera Antigua, and Annaliese Witz) were incredible. They blended so perfectly that they sounded like they were one person. It is very arduous to sing low or high, so I appreciated the effort that went into Nicholas Bowler’s (Orpheus) high vocals and Mason Scheel’s (Hades) low voice, both making it sound effortless. Livea Pinkert (Eurydice) sang so smoothly from high to low, it was like satin. Alannah McGlocklin (Persephone) truly personified her character; throughout the performance, her body language, vocals, and facial expressions showed what Persephone felt. And all of the Workers in the ensemble really brought the show to another level. Without them, it wouldn’t be half as astounding as it was. Last, but not least, Hermes was overall my favorite character after watching the play, not only because of the way the character was scripted but because of the way Makayla Lloyd interpreted and executed the role. I give many thanks to the director, Madison Penzkover for this once-in-a-lifetime cast and show.

You could come way down to Hadestown at Waukesha Civic Theatre from February 27 to March 8. It’s an old song, and I’m glad they sang it again.