This upcoming Sunday, June 7th, marks the latest of the American award ceremonies: the 79th annual Tony awards, celebrating the musical, technical, and directorial talent behind live Broadway musical productions. Seven years ago, one such production came to light, winning an impressive 8 Tonys, and using its platform as a means of highlighting the sociopolitical commentary present throughout the musical. This was the original Broadway production of Hadestown, a story of Greek myths that become interwoven with a reflection of modern political turmoil that remains to this day. 

Since the opening of Hadestown on Broadway in April 2019, its hauntingly beautiful storytelling has resonated with audiences in New York City, as well as through its subsequent production in the West End.  As a fully sung-through musical written by Anaïs Mitchell, the melody and lyrics drive parallel stories: a blossoming young love between Orpheus and Eurydice, and a reconciliation between Hades and Persephone. The music is used as a vehicle for emotion, such as in “All I’ve Ever Known”, a heartfelt confession of affection between Orpheus and Eurydice, or “Chant”, which explores the conflict Persephone feels after seeing Hades’ new industrialized underground city. However, the music also leaves audience members with a sense of familiarity — not just from the jazzy melodies, but the messages of social injustice that are emphasized throughout. 

Hades’ greed and attitude toward those outside his “neon necropolis” (“Chant”) force audiences to consider the implications of this Greek myth beyond simply the story told in theatres. In Act II, Hades sings a song entitled “Why We Build the Wall”, in which he describes to his workers the reasoning behind the construction of a wall they are forced to build to keep people out of his city. Beyond the literal parallels to Donald Trump’s expanded construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border between 2017-2021, the song expresses modern issues of xenophobia and authoritarianism, both of which have been seen throughout national policies put in place during the Trump Administration. From ICE detention facilities to the weaponization of fear, the lyrics written in 2006 remain true and more prevalent than ever. 

Art and media are at the forefront of Mitchell’s storytelling as well, as Orpheus works on his song to “bring the world back into tune” (“Come Home With Me”). According to a UNESCO report from 2025, there was an over 10% decrease in freedom of expression between 2012 and 2024, demonstrating a strong rise in modern media censorship worldwide. Hadestown casts a light on the strength of music as a form of creative expression, through both Orpheus’s song within the narrative, and the outlying relationship between the work as a whole and international social issues. 

The simultaneous explorations of love, greed, and hope in Hadestown fuel a narrative that leaves a lasting impression on audiences, both for its timeless lyricism and the significance of its political and social commentary. As the Tony Awards celebration approaches, it’s vital to recognize the impact of music and storytelling, not only for avid fans of theatre, but also the broader community of people intent on seeing the world like Orpheus, for “the way it could be, in spite of the way that it is” (“Road to Hell”).