Hadestown Announces West End Cast for London Return
The much-lauded musical ‘Hadestown’ is set to make a triumphant return to London’s West End, following a series of accolades, including multiple Tony Awards. The UK revival of ‘Hadestown’ has officially announced its cast, heralding the show’s return after a five-year hiatus.
Scheduled to play at the Lyric Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue from February 10, 2024, ‘Hadestown’ features the creative talents of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, who penned the music, lyrics, and book, and direction by Tony Award-winner Rachel Chavkin.
This innovative musical intertwines two mythic tales of love – Orpheus and Eurydice, and King Hades and his wife Persephone – exploring their journeys to the underworld and beyond.
The cast includes Dónal Finn (known for ‘The Wheel of Time’) as Orpheus, with Grace Hodgett-Young (currently seen as Betty in ‘Sunset Boulevard’) portraying Eurydice. Melanie La Barrie (from ‘& Juliet’) takes the role of Hermes, alongside Gloria Onitiri (of ‘Cinderella’ fame) as Persephone, and Zachary James (known for Philip Glass’s ‘Akhnaten’) as Hades. The trio of Fates will be played by Madeline Charlemagne, Allie Daniel, and Bella Brown.
Additional cast members include Lauren Azania, Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, Beth Hinton-Lever, Waylon Jacobs, and Christopher Short as the Workers, with Lucinda Buckley, Ryesha Higgs, Miriam Nyarko, and Simon Oskarsson serving as Swings.
The show boasts a formidable creative team, with award-winning talents such as set designer Rachel Hauck, costume designer Michael Krass, lighting designer Bradley King, and sound designers Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, all bringing their expertise to this production. Choreography is by the acclaimed David Neumann.
The music department includes Liam Robinson overseeing music supervision and vocal arrangements, with Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose handling arrangements and orchestrations, and Ken Cerniglia as the dramaturg. Jacob Sparrow leads casting for the London production.
Produced by Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, Tom Kirdahy, and the National Theatre in association with JAS Theatricals, ‘Hadestown’ first debuted in 2016 at the New York Theatre Workshop, followed by a run in Edmonton, Canada, and a sold-out stint at the National Theatre in 2018. It premiered on Broadway at Walter Kerr Theatre, sweeping eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The production now holds the record as the highest-grossing and longest-running show in the history of the Walter Kerr Theatre, which celebrates its centenary this year.
