The popular West End and Broadway showHadestown is to make its Australia debut in 2025! Coming to Sydney at the Theatre Royal, the multi-award winning show is set to open the gates to the underworld in February next year. Although casting has yet to be announced, fans are speculating whom across the world could be joining the cast.

The receiver of eight Tony Awards,Hadestown has been seen by over three million people worldwide. Vogue has declared that the show is everyones “next musical theatre obsession”. Originally the show opened in London’s National Theatre back in 2018 after being a success in Canada, and opened on Broadway the year after. The show came full circle and premiered on London’s West End earlier this year.Hadestown has had a longer run in theatre before coming onto the larger stages. The original version of the show premiered almost 12 years before it opened in London.

Hosted by Opera Australia and JONES Theatrical Group,Hadestown will find itself some more mortals to join them in the underworld. The show takes the classic story of Hades and his wife Persephone as well as the Greek tale of Eurydice and Orpheus. The show brings everyone to a jazz-centric musical setting while the fates and Hermes tell the tales of the lovers. Even though Hadestown tells a classic story, everyone comes away with a new perspective on both the old world and the modern one. 

Jo Davies, the Artistic Director of Opera Australia, stated:

“I’m absolutely thrilled that we’re able to bring this incredible new musical to Australia for the first time, and I’m sure it will be as adored here as it has been overseas, finding a whole new legion of fans. Creator and writer Anaïs Mitchell is just such an amazing talent, I’m very much looking forward to working with her and her team to realise this production here.”

Anaïs Mitchell is the original songwriter forHadestown. She has been writing songs since she was 17 and released her debut album in 2004. Hadestown was originally a “folk opera” when the show debuted in 2006, with the revised album releasing four years later in 2010.

The JONES Theatrical Group is heavily involved in Sydney’s theatre industry. AlongsideHadestown, they will also be hosting the premiere ofThe Book of Mormon, Chicago The Musical, andPeter and the Starcatcher. Suzanne Jones, Producer and CEO of JONES Theatrical Group, has been closely involved in theatre for the majority of her life. Being a Melbourne native, she founded the company in 2017 to ensure quality theatre production in Australia. 

Suzanne Jones was equally excited aboutHadestown saying:

“Hadestown is one Broadway musical experience you remember forever. It is magical, bold, exciting and full of love and promise. It transports the audience in a way that only great theatre can. JONES Theatrical Group is extremely excited to be bringing this incredible production to Australia with OA and can’t wait for Australians to embrace it just as audiences all over the world have.”

Photo source: Hadestown website

Drew Janine

Live Sound Engineer -EUROPE

Janine has always been a part of music and performing. The first show that inspired her to go into theatre was the Velveteen Rabbit which she saw as a child, and Drew works to keep that magic alive as working behind the scenes in theatre as a live sound engineer. When Drew was accepted into an internship program for audio engineering at a recording studio, she jumped at the opportunity. That was at the start of 2020 and so much has happened since then, both in her career and in the world. Since then, Drew has taken several opportunities to work at recording studios, concerts, festivals, and even large theatres while spending time on tour across the North American continent and Europe. Drew’s favourite by far though has been the chance to work on Broadway and West End shows, as this was a dream come true. Drew is honoured to get to share these experiences from being inside the entertainment industry and hopes to inspire others to continue working in theatre.

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