Hadestown producers Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, and Tom Kirdahy announced that original Broadway cast member Reeve Carney will play his final performance as ‘Orpheus’ in Hadestown, Broadway’s Tony Award®-winning Best Musical, on Sunday, November 19.
Carney began playing ‘Orpheus’ in 2017 at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre before transferring with the production to London’s West End and Broadway in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Entertainment Weekly praised his performance as “stellar,” and Time Out New York called his voice “otherworldly.”
Written by Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown is currently playing at the Walter Kerr Theatre (219 W 48th Street).
“It feels so deep and tough to say goodbye to Reeve, who has been with the show since Edmonton in 2017,” said composer Anaïs Mitchell. “His ‘Orpheus’ underwent a massive reimagining en route to Broadway, and Reeve, in his graceful way, taught us so much about who that character wanted to become. There’s no one the phrase ‘earth angel’ describes more exactly. Sending mad love and gratitude as he flies off to his next earth mission.”
“Reeve helped define both stories at the center of this show — the cosmic love story of a young man who changes the laws of the space time continuum to save his lover, and the political story of a ‘poor boy’ who gets angry enough to question ‘the king,’” said director Rachel Chavkin. “His extraordinary musicianship as guitarist and singer was an endless source of inspiration to both Anaïs and I in the creation of the show, and his elegant leadership as an actor and company member, both onstage and off, will be deeply missed.”
“My gratitude goes out to Anäis Mitchell and all who have touched this show with their divine intention,” said Reeve Carney. “To my fellow cast mates, who have been with me in the trenches, giving of themselves freely and unceasingly, on and off the stage. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And to our incredible audiences here at The Walter Kerr Theater… It has been an honor bringing this story to life for you all night after night over these many years.”
Hadestown currently stars Tony Award winner Lillias White as Hermes, Solea Pfeiffer as Eurydice, Betty Who as Persephone, and Phillip Boykin as Hades. They are joined by Amelia Cormack, Lindsey Hailes, and Brit West as the Fates. The chorus of Workers is played by Emily Afton, Malcolm Armwood, Chibueze Ihumoa, Alex Puette and Grace Yoo. The cast includes swings Sojourner Brown, Brandon Cameron, Tara Jackson, Max Kumangai, Alex Lugo, and Tanner Ray Wilson.
