· Catamount Arts
The critically acclaimed Tony Award-winning musical “Hadestown,” by Vermont’s own Anais Mitchell, hits big screens this week, including Catamount Arts. The live capture, directed by Brett Sullivan and featuring the original five Broadway cast members, was filmed in London’s West End and has absolutely shattered box office records, surpassing “Hamilton” as the highest-grossing filmed theater capture in history.
The musical blends modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz, reimagining two intertwined love stories of Greek mythology: the youthful romance of star-crossed lovers Orpheus and Eurydice and the embittered forced marriage of Hades and Persephone. There’s no need to recall a whit of high school mythology however; the show is narrated by the Greek god Hermes who introduces each character in turn and guides the audience through every step of their powerful journey.
Vermont singer/songwriter Anais Mitchell originally wrote “Hadestown” as a DIY community project and then released it as a folk opera concept album in 2010. The album quickly amassed a cult following amidst huge critical success, and the full scale theater production, set in a moody cabaret in a depressed industrial town, dramatically expanded its already substantial fan base.
The genre-defying production enjoyed an impressive theatrical run, directed by Rachel Chavkin and winning eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. “Hadestown” was the first Best Musical winner written (music, lyrics, and book) by a woman. Both onstage and onscreen, “Hadestown” is consistently, almost breathlessly, celebrated for being visually stunning, musically thrilling, and deliciously heartbreaking. Themes of poverty, politics and resistance to authority underscore the timeless tale of romance, heartache, and human nature.
“Hadestown: The Musical” opens at Catamount Arts on September 11th and runs through the 24th. For show times, tickets, and more information on this and other fall film programming, call 802-748-2600 or visit www.catamountarts.org.