By David T. Valentin
The Tony-award winning Broadway show Hadestown has been a hit with Broadway goers and newcomers alike ever since it returned after an 18 week pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic and with no signs of stopping any time soon.
But for Eva Noblezada, Hadestown’s Eurydice, she’s decided to part ways with her role. After doing eight shows a week for four years straight since the musical made its Broadway debut back in April 17th of 2019, Tony nominee Noblezada has said goodbye to the musical this weekend August 13th, taking her last plunge into Hades’ underworld.
Tony award winning musical Hadestown follows the parallels between Orpheus and Eurydices love story with some cleverly crafted background story with Hades and Persephone, the king and queen of the underworld in Greek myth, and how Orpheus began his deal with Hades in his attempt to rescue Eurydice from the underworld.
To those familiar with Greek mythology, you’ll be familiar with the tragedy. But for newcomers of these myths, theatregoers are enchanted with a tale of first love, loss and the reason why we attempt to even love despite knowing that it could all go horribly, horribly wrong. Top that with rhythmic rhymes, a Broadway budgeted designed stage and a cast touched by the muses themselves and you have a masterpiece of a modern Greek play.
In a teary goodbye Sunday night with flowers and endless cheers from both the audience and fellow cast members, Noblezada was joined on stage by none other than the original Persephone, Amber Gray, the original Hermes, André De Shields, and the original Hades, Patrick Page.
Taken by surprise, Eva Noblezada immediately broke into even more tears as she received greetings and hugs from her former cast members.
André in his smooth, fashionable way, quieted the audience down, turned to Noblezada, and said, “Eva Noblezada, you are as beautiful as your name. You make me smile. You make me laugh. And when you sing flowers, you make me cry.” As the audience laughed, André turned and smirked to them. He turned back to Eva and continued, “But today the only thing you make me is proud.”
And after eight long years, this Eurydice can finally have her chance at a happy ending, a new beginning and a proper rest.