New actors in "Hadestown" reenergize hit show taking audiences to Broadway's underworld

NEW YORK -- "Hadestown," the hit Broadway show, has been reenergized with new actors taking audiences to the underworld. 

The cast includes a prolific singer-songwriter and a pair of young stars known for their TV work. 

Ani DiFranco is shining bright on Broadway in Anaïs Mitchell's hit play that won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. 

DiFranco, a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, activist and feminist icon, recently completed her 23rd album, and she wrote a best-selling book. Now, she conquers Broadway in this version of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. 

"It's kinda cool isn't it, that there are many roads to Broadway, and mine is somewhat unique," said DiFranco. "An activist, artist, songwriter sort of on my own mission all these years and then to find myself folded into this incredibly epic show that resonates with everything that I've ever cared about ... politically, socially, environmentally. So I find it very prescient." 

• Flashback: Andre De Shields honored at his final performance in "Hadestown"

While this is DiFranco's Broadway debut, it's also a return to "Hadestown" for her. That's because she originated the role on the original concept album at the beginning of the process. 

"Embodying Persephone on that original album was a joy," said DiFranco. "It was probably 2009, because I think the album came out in 2010, that Anaïs sent me a cassette ... I just instantly loved the songs and they spoke to me." 

"I've done my work and made my songs for so many years and at this point in my life I am looking for a change and a challenge," she added. 

Also stepping up to the joys and challenges of being in "Hadestown" are Lola Tung and Jordan Fisher. 

"We both come from film and television and have different journeys in that way," said Fisher. "We're all encouraged to bring who we are, our experiences, our influences ... It feels different every, single show." 

"It's such a magical thing to watch the completely different interpretations of the characters and people bring themselves to the characters," said Tung. 

The three stars described it as hard work and a heck of a good time in "Way Down Hadestown." 

In:
• Broadway

Dave Carlin

Dave Carlin has covered major national news stories and events in the past four decades including Superstorm Sandy and its tri-state impacts, Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina and Iniki on Kauai, Hawaii. He also covered the Space Shuttle Program, 1989 San Francisco Earthquake, numerous Southern California wildfires, the trial and execution of serial killer Ted Bundy in Florida, the 1994 police shooting death of Tyke the eacaped Cirus Elephant on the streets of Honolulu, 2009's Miracle on the Hudson, the NYC Mayoral administrations of Bloomberg through Adams and more.

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