_edited.jpg)
MHS presents musical Hadestown: Teen Edition, opens February 27th
- 16 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A group of talented Menomonie High School students is bringing the award-winning folk opera Hadestown: Teen Edition to the stage.
Based on Greek mythology, Hadestown tells the story of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice and the immortal King Hades and his wife, Persephone. This sung-through production, inspired by American folk music and vintage New Orleans jazz, offers a contemporary retelling of the story using modern music.
Hadestown: Teen Edition is a full-length adaptation of Anaïs Mitchell’s Tony Award-winning musical. The Teen Edition keeps the structure and music of the Broadway version while making it accessible to younger casts and appropriate for family audiences.
The story is told entirely through music, with little spoken dialogue. Unlike traditional musicals, there is no pit orchestra—musicians perform on stage and interact with the actors throughout the show.
MHS English teacher Anna Mae Zabrowski directs the show.
“Our ninth-grade curriculum includes Greek mythology,” Zabrowski said. “We use this story and soundtrack in class, so students are familiar with it. Many students have also seen the show, including our choir students who attended a Broadway performance during a spring break trip to New York last year.”
The lead roles feature Emma Schroeder as Eurydice, Jack Risler as Orpheus, Aidan Wolbert as King Hades, and Julia Prochnow as Persephone.
Although the show draws inspiration from a 1920s-style setting and vintage jazz, the music itself feels modern.
MHS Choir Director Grant Singer, who is assisting with the show, said even people who don’t typically enjoy musicals tend to love Hadestown.
“The music does not get old, even after repeated performances,” Singer said.
“The cast is fantastic,” Zabrowski added. “I’ve worked on several shows with the Menomonie Theatre Guild, and this is as good a group as I’ve ever worked with. For a young cast, this group is extremely experienced and talented.”
While adapted for younger performers, the show does contain mature language, violence, and substance use, making it suitable for audiences ages 12 and up.
The show opens Friday, February 27th at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Tickets are $5 and available at the door. High school students are admitted free with a school ID.
Show dates:
February 27 & 28 – 7:00 p.m.
March 1 – 2:00 p.m.
March 5, 6 & 7 – 7:00 p.m.
