On Saturday, April 6, I drove 3 hours to Indianapolis to see Hadestown. This marked my 10^th viewing in five different cities (New York, Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee, and Indy) in a little less than two-and-a-half years. On my return drive, I considered what makes Hadestown my “favorite musical.” I love the story, all of the songs, and the joy of watching different actors put their unique stamp on the leading roles, but that can be said about a number of musicals. The simplest explanation is that I connect with Hadestown in an way that is greater from the any other musical that I have seen.

In honor of my Hadestown anniversary (and another anniversary since this is my 100th blog post), I have decided to start a series about the musicals that have had the greatest impact on me. I will begin by writing about my five favorite musicals emphasizing memories of my first viewing, the deep connections I make with the characters, and the moments that I eagerly anticipate whenever I am fortune enough to catch a production.

#1 – Hadestown

Hadestown was one of the first musicals to reopen on Broadway after more than a year of darkness due to the COVID pandemic, and I hopped on a plane to see it knowing only a few facts: (1) it had won the Tony award for Best Musical, (2) it’s plot is rooted in Greek mythology, (3) and André De Shields was earning rave reviews as Hermes. Hadestown hooks the audience right at the start. Hermes walks across the stage in a sparkling suit, quietly connecting with each of his fellow actors, and then he asks the audience to acknowledge that we are “all right!” From there, the overture begins with a rousing trombone solo.

I often paraphrase an insightful line from Urinetown: “Nothing kills a musical like too much exposition.” Hadestown accomplishes the unique feat of presenting all of its exposition in the opening song “Road to Hell” and then quickly jumps into the blossoming love of Orpheus and Eurydice, which is soon contrasted by the faded love felt by Hades and Persephone. Both relationships elicit a complete spectrum of emotions before culminating in their inevitable conclusions. I’ve dismissed many musicals over the years because the writers fail to convincingly convey love, but with Hadestown I continue to hope that maybe the story will turn out differently on a new viewing, a theme that composer Anaïs Mitchell explores in the “Road to Hell” reprise when Hermes declares that the outcome is a “sad song, but we’re going to sing it again.”

My favorite moment in Hadestown (maybe my favorite moment in all musical theater) is the start of “Wait for Me.” The song is a true masterpiece, combining intense spoken word poetry from Hermes with two anthems from Orpheus – the impassioned “Wait for Me” chorus and the melody beautiful enough to open the walls of Hell. Two additional highlights are “Way Down Hadestown” for its joyous choreography and “Why We Build the Wall” with Hades’ deep-barratone message being echoed by the chorus.

#2 – Pippin

Unlike Hadestown, I was familiar with some of the songs from Pippin before I first saw the musical – they were often performed during my two-year show choir stint in the mid-90’s. Yet, Pippin (which debuted under Bob Fosse’s direction in 1972) was no longer on the regular performance circuit when I started seeing musicals in the mid-80’s possibly due to very racy lyrics and choreography. My first viewing was the acclaimed 2013 Broadway revival, which enhanced the storyline with an ensemble of acrobats. By the end of this version (which I managed to see three times between New York and Chicago), I could not imagine Pippin without the circus feats, but I have since learned that Pippin is just as enjoyable when done minimally, like the 2018 production in the Mercury Theater’s cabaret space.

While “Magic to Do” is an exciting opening that establishes a direction for the next two hours, Pippin really gets started with the first notes of “Corner of the Sky,” and I remember the beginning of Mathew James Thomas’s Broadway performance in 2013 – his voice expanding like crystal through the theater when he hits the chorus: “Rivers belong where they can ramble. Eagles belong where they can fly.” Pippin is a highly relatable character as he searches for a purpose in life – a path to finding inner contentment with no idea where to start. His father Charlemagne expects Pippin to use tyranny to establish power. His grandmother Berthe encourages Pippin to enjoy life in the always fun sing-along “No Time at All.” In one of the great Act I finales – “Morning Glow” – Pippin tries to find meaning by establishing peace. When the lead player and his troop expect Pippin to sacrifice his life in a climactic spectacle, Pippin refuses.

Hadestown and Pippin share two notable qualities. They both present characters from long ago (mythical and historical) in modern settings, emphasizing the timelessness of their struggles. Also, both involve characters who embark on a physical quest (Pippin throughout Europe / Orpheus down to the underworld), but the challenges they must overcome are more internal than external.

#3 and #4 – Preview

I originally planned to write about all five of my favorite musicals in one post before realizing that post would be far too long. Therefore, in a homage to the method that Aurora’s Paramount Theater presents its upcoming seasons, I am going to release a preview. See if you can guess the next two musicals based on the following sets of emojis. I hope to publish my 101st post soon.