HADESTOWN Cast Album to Roll Out in Character-Themed Drops

The Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hadestown will have a unique and unconventional release schedule.

As previously announced, on Friday, June 7, 13 tracks from Hadestown, written by celebrated singer-songwriter and two-time 2019 Tony Award nominee Anaïs Mitchell, developed with innovative director and 2019 Tony Award nominee Rachel Chavkin, will be made available digitally. Three of those songs, "Way Down Hadestown," "Our Lady of the Underground," and "Wait for Me," will be released tonight at 12:01 AM.

The rest of the double album which features 40 tracks spanning over two hours of music will be rolled out in three curated character-themed drops.

Anaïs Mitchell said, "A huge thanks to all of our friends for their patience as we take a little more time with our Original Broadway Cast Recording than originally anticipated! We got deep into editing and mixing these two-plus hours' worth of beautiful performances and realized we didn't have the heart to rush what feels like a very special recording that we hope will live for a long time! We've decided to release the entirety of the album in a few installments over the course of the next few weeks as 'character drops.' We hope this will give folks a chance to appreciate all over again the unique gifts of our unicorn company and give us the time we need to make sure we are creating the most magical recording possible!"

Schedule for the drops

Tonight at 12:01 AM

• "Way Down Hadestown"
• "Wait For Me ("Hey, the big artiste...") [Intro]"
• "Wait For Me"
• "Our Lady of the Underground"

Friday, June 7 - Additional highlights

• "Livin' It Up On Top"
• "Hey, Little Songbird"
• "When The Chips Are Down ("Songbird vs. rattlesnake...") [Intro]"
• "When The Chips Are Down"
• "Gone, I'm Gone"
• "Why We Build The Wall"
• "Why We Build The Wall ("Behind closed doors...") [Outro]"
• "Flowers"
• "Road to Hell (Reprise)"

Friday, June 28 - Character Drop 1: Hades and Persephone

Friday, July 12 - Character Drop 2: Hermes, the Fates, and the Workers Chorus

Friday, July 26 - Character Drop 3: Orpheus and Eurydice

The Hadestown Original Broadway Cast Recording is produced by David Lai, Todd Sicakfoose, and Mitchell, co-produced by Mara Isaacs and Hunter Arnold, and executive produced by Dale Franzen, Tom Kirdahy, Craig Balsam, and Thomas M. Neff. The album is distributed by ADA Worldwide in partnership with Arts Music

The Broadway cast of Hadestown is led by Reeve Carney, André De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada, and Patrick Page. They are joined by Jewelle Blackman, Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer, and Kay Trinidad as the Fates. The Workers Chorus is played by Afra Hines, Timothy Hughes, John Krause, Kimberly Marable, and Ahmad Simmons. The full cast includes swings Malcolm Armwood, T. Oliver Reid, Jessie Shelton, and Khaila Wilcoxon.

Hadestown marks the first time in over a decade that a woman has been the solo author of a musical: writing the music, lyrics, and book, and is the fourth time in Broadway history a woman has accomplished this creative feat. The show originated as Mitchell's indie theater project that toured Vermont which she then turned into an acclaimed album. With Chavkin, her artistic collaborator, Hadestown has been transformed into a genre-defying new musical that blends modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz to reimagine a sweeping ancient tale.

Following two intertwining love stories - that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone - Hadestown invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell's beguiling melodies and Chavkin's poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, Hadestown delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy