Musician-Actors on Stage: ‘Hadestown,’ ‘My Joy Is Heavy’ & More

“I love watching people play music,” the director Rachel Chavkin wrote in an email this week. A sentiment shared by many, especially as a new wave of theatrical productions are embracing musician-actors as central to their storytelling. This shift isn’t merely a stylistic choice; it’s a reconnection to the very roots of musical theatre, a form born from the impulse to share stories through song.

The current Broadway landscape offers a compelling case study. Hadestown, now in its seventh year at the Walter Kerr Theatre, is welcoming a fresh principal cast on Tuesday, March 3rd. This new iteration features Joshua Colley as Orpheus, Gary Dourdan as Hades, J. Harrison Ghee as Hermes, Gaby Moreno as Persephone, and Jordan Tyson as Eurydice. The production, a genre-bending blend of modern American folk and New Orleans-inspired jazz, reimagines an ancient tale with a distinctly contemporary feel. Notably, the incoming cast boasts a wealth of musical talent, signaling a continued emphasis on the performative aspect of the show.

This emphasis on musician-actors isn’t new for Chavkin. She’s also currently working on Sarah Gancher’s bluegrass adaptation of Eugene Onegin, opening at TheatreSquared in Arkansas this June, and previously helmed the Tony-winning Hadestown and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. As Chavkin herself notes, the show “likes a performer as much as it likes an actor,” suggesting a deliberate blurring of lines between acting and musical performance. This approach isn’t limited to Hadestown; it’s a growing trend in musical theatre, one that acknowledges the power of live music to create immediacy and urgency.

The choice of Gaby Moreno as Persephone is particularly noteworthy. Moreno, a Grammy and two-time Latin Grammy Award winner, brings a rich musical background to the role, drawing inspiration from artists like Edith Piaf, Chavela Vargas, and Mavis Staples. Her diverse sound, encompassing blues, jazz, soul, and old-time music, aligns perfectly with Anaïs Mitchell’s score, which blends folk, ragtime, and blues influences. Moreno herself describes the score as “right up my alley,” highlighting the natural synergy between her musical sensibilities and the show’s aesthetic. This casting follows a tradition of bringing accomplished singer-songwriters to the role, previously held by Allison Russell, who coincidentally penned a song titled “Persephone” in 2021, and Ani DiFranco, who performed the role on the original 2010 Hadestown concept album.

Beyond Hadestown, this trend of integrating musician-actors is evident in other productions. The Bengsons’ My Joy Is Heavy, currently in previews at New York Theatre Workshop, takes a different approach, blurring the lines between autobiography and performance. Shaun and Abigail Bengson, known for their intimate and emotionally raw performances, recreate scenes from their own lives, accompanied by a band. Chavkin’s direction encourages them to move beyond traditional musical theatre conventions, to inhabit their bodies and connect directly with the audience. This willingness to experiment with form and embrace vulnerability is a hallmark of their work.

This focus on the performer as a conduit for emotional truth echoes a sentiment expressed by Sarah Gancher regarding her work on Eugene Onegin: she found it easier to write songs when she was writing for a character, allowing her to tap into a deeper emotional well. This mirrors Stephen Sondheim’s famous advice about specificity, emphasizing the power of concrete details to unlock creative potential.

Around Town: A Whirlwind of New Productions

The theatrical landscape is currently brimming with new and exciting productions. A recent highlight was Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s R.E.M. Tribute band, which performed Lifes Rich Pageant at Brooklyn Steel, with a surprise appearance by Michael Stipe himself. The performance wasn’t merely an imitation of R.E.M.; it was a deeply faithful interpretation, a testament to Shannon’s ability to embody the spirit of the original music. It’s a performance that rivals even his acclaimed work in plays like Bug.

Also on the Broadway radar is Maybe Happy Ending, which continues to resonate with audiences, and the upcoming The Lost Boys, a new musical from the team behind Moulin Rouge!. Lauren Yee’s Mother Russia, currently playing at the Signature Theatre, offers a witty and thought-provoking exploration of identity and belonging. Clare Barron’s You Got Older, at Cherry Lane Theatre, is a beautifully observed and emotionally resonant play, though some may find the script itself more compelling than any staging.

One production generating significant buzz is Cold War Choir Practice at MCC Theater. The play, directed by Knud Adams, features a unique blend of music, movement, and storytelling, with a cast that includes Lizan Mitchell, Crystal Finn, and Alana Raquel Bowers. The production’s innovative staging and compelling performances have earned it critical acclaim. The show’s ability to seamlessly integrate music and drama is a testament to the power of collaboration and the enduring appeal of live performance.

And for those seeking a more traditional musical theatre experience, Moulin Rouge! continues to dazzle audiences with its lavish production and energetic performances, even with the recent announcement of Megan Thee Stallion joining the cast as Harold Zidler. However, for those with a preference for more unconventional works, Wallace Shawn’s What We Did Before Our Moth Days, directed by André Gregory, offers a thought-provoking and deeply personal exploration of marriage and mortality.

What’s on the Horizon

Looking ahead, the spring season promises a diverse range of new productions across the country. Manhattan Theatre Club will present Bigfoot!, a new musical comedy from Amber Ruffin, David A. Schmoll, and Kevin Sciretta. INTAR Theater will host Jesús I. Valles’s Spread, a play about the lives of four ninth-grade boys. Portland Stage Company will stage Maggie Kearnan’s Like Flies, a rage play, a darkly comedic exploration of revenge. And New York City’s Sheen Center will present Dust of Egypt: The Story of Sojourner Truth, a play about the life and legacy of the abolitionist and women’s rights activist.

Further afield, Alter Space in Brooklyn will host Charlie Rinehart-Jones’ Lifestyles, while the Goodman Theatre in Chicago will premiere a new adaptation of Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. The Aurora Theatre in Atlanta will present Jacob York’s Initiative, and Imagination Stage in Bethesda, Maryland, will offer Doug Robinson’s Good Morning, Good Night for young audiences. These are just a few examples of the exciting new work that is currently being developed and produced across the country, demonstrating the continued vitality and innovation of American theatre.