Library of Congress Will Get Hadestown Collection Documenting Tony-Winning Musical's Development

Hadestown writer Anaïs Mitchell has donated artifacts from the development of the Tony-winning musical to the Library of Congress. The collection will represent several iterations of the show's development all the way up to its 2019 Broadway premiere.

To celebrate the donation, the Broadway cast will give a performance and discussion at the Coolidge Auditorium, hosted by Dr. Carla Hayden. The special event is planned for October 17, with 500 students set to attend.

"We are delighted to bring the beauty and magic of the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown to the Library of Congress," said Carla Hayden in a statement. "We have one of the best performing arts collections in the world and having Hadestown creator Anaïs Mitchell and the Broadway cast perform and donate items from the production will further enrich the Library’s collection for generations to see."

The musical continues its run at the Walter Kerr Theatre. The current cast features Lillias White as Hermes, Solea Pfeiffer as Eurydice, Betty Who as Persephone, and Phillip Boykin as Hades, along with Belèn Moyano, Lindsey Hailes, and Brit West as the Fates; and a Workers chorus comprising Emily Afton, Malcolm Armwood, Chibueze Ihumoa, Alex Puette, and Grace Yoo. Swings Sojourner Brown, Brandon Cameron, Tara Jackson, Max Kumangai, Alex Lugo, and Tanner Ray Wilson round out the company.

Original company member Reeve Carney will play his final performance as Orpheus November 19, with Jordan Fisher set to succeed him in the role beginning November 20.

Singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell’s folk- and jazz-infused musical layers the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice with that of Hades and Persephone, intertwining the actions—and consequences—of gods and mortals. Hadestown originally began as a theatrical concert performed by Mitchell.

The creative team features Tony-winning set designer Rachel Hauck, Tony-nominated costume designer Michael Krass, Tony-winning lighting designer Bradley King, Tony-winning sound designers Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, choreographer David Neumann, and dramaturg Ken Cerniglia. Musical supervision and vocal arrangements are by Liam Robinson, with arrangements and orchestrations by Tony winners Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose.