Betty Who made her Broadway debut in the Tony-winning musical Hadestown September 5 at the Walter Kerr Theatre.
The Australian pop star stepped into the role of Persephone the same day Tony nominee Phillip Boykin (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess)
joined the cast as Hades.
Watch the two artists, who succeeded Jewelle
Blackman and Tom Hewitt, take their first bows with the company of Hadestown in the video above, which also features some vocals from the Australian artist.
Betty Who, known for such chart-topping singles as “I Love You Always Forever” and “Somebody Loves You,” said in an earlier statement, “The opportunity to play Persephone in this incredible show is a dream come true. Musical theatre was one of my first loves—one of the main reasons I wanted to sing in the first place. So, to have arrived at this place in my life, making my Broadway debut … I am just completely overwhelmed and excited.”
Boykin, also seen on Broadway in The Music Man, Once On This Island, Sunday in the Park With George, and On The Town, commented, “I’m extremely excited to join this amazingly gifted cast, superb creative team, and fantastic crew and staff. I am beyond honored to step into a role created by the phenomenal Patrick Page. This really is a dream come true! When I was much younger, I played the role of Orpheus in a musical called Famous Orpheus. I never thought that I’d have the privilege of telling this story in a bright, new, fantastic, and historical way. After seeing the first scene, I was hooked. I fell in love with this masterpiece and am now I’m a huge fan of Hadestown. I can’t wait to join the show and tell this wonderful story."
Directed by Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown currently also stars original cast member and Grammy winner Reeve Carney as Orpheus, Solea Pfeiffer as Eurydice, and Tony winner Lillias White as Hermes. They are joined by Amelia Cormack, Lindsey Hailes, and Brit West as The Fates. The Workers chorus is played by Emily Afton, Malcolm Armwood, Alex Lugo, Sayo Oni, Alex Puette, and Grace Yoo. The cast also includes swings Brandon Cameron, Max Kumangai, Yael “YaYa” Reich, Eddie Noel Rodríguez, and Allysa Shorte.
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.
Phillip Boykin, Betty Who, and Solea Pfeiffer in Hadestown
Betty Who in Hadestown
Phillip Boykin and Betty Who in Hadestown
Phillip Boykin in Hadestown
Phillip Boykin in Hadestown
