The Archie Williams drama department, the Peregrine Players, hosted their annual musical production—this year, a rendition of Hadestown, featuring two casts: Olympus and Elysium. Running April 24 through May 3, the musical tells the Greek myths of both Orpheus and Eurydice, as well as Hades and Persephone, in a modern, New Orleans-style setting. The Peregrine Players are hosting performances on April 26 and May 1 through 3 at 7 p.m., as well as matinees April 26 and May 3 at 2 p.m.
Written by Anaïs Mitchell in 2006, the musical originated in Vermont, where it was first performed in smaller venues. After several years of workshopping and refining the musical, Mitchell debuted the performance on Broadway in 2019, and it won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The Peregrine Players performed the teen adaptation of the musical, Hadestown: Teen Edition.
Hadestown blends ancient mythology with an industrial aesthetic, following two intertwining love stories. With a blend of folk, jazz, and blues, the musical reimagines a classic story in a new, modern way.
This year marked a shift in leadership for the Peregrine Players, with Huda Al-Jamal taking on the roles of director and production designer, and Archie Williams drama teacher Jasper Thelin as producer. Junior Georgia Conway, who performed as one of the three Fates—three figures who serve as a Greek chorus—appreciated the new management.
“Having [Huda’s] eyes on it [made the musical] a completely different experience, because she was a lot more visual… Huda’s presence felt completely different [than Jasper’s],” Georgia said.
The production also featured a student band under the direction of music teacher Mario Aparicio, featuring senior Julia Conrad on French horn, freshman cellist Oliver Vazquez, and senior violinists Sam Williams and Jocelyn Ezell. Senior drummer Zeke Cunningham and senior bassist Noah Casey held down the rhythm, with senior guitarist Elijah Galland and freshman pianist Gus Ziegler rounding out the ensemble. For Gus, this marked his first time playing in a pit ensemble.
“I’ve [performed in] a musical from the perspective of an actor… But being a musician is very different, because you have to lay down the background. It’s tougher than just being able to play along with someone else who’s already got the time and everything else locked in,” Gus said.
As an extracurricular production open to all students, Hadestown required cast and crew members to commit more of their free time than typical class-based drama performances at Archie Williams. Rehearsals began months in advance and intensified with longer sessions as opening night approached. While the show traditionally includes six ensemble members, or “workers,” the Peregrine Players worked with 12 per cast, which Georgia found made rehearsals more difficult to manage.
“There’s a ton of people in the show… so [in rehearsals] there were a ton of people in the room at once trying to listen to their directions [which] made it really hard to focus,” Georgia said.
Regardless of the rehearsal struggles, the Peregrine Players delivered a memorable performance. David Donery, an audience member and parent of junior ensemble member Cavan Donery, has attended many of the Peregrine Players’ performances and found this one a standout.
“I thought it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen at Archie Williams Drama. It was fantastic, the audience was into it the whole time, and the quality of the singing was amazing,” Donery said.
(Zoe Levy)
Technical difficulties with microphones did lead to occasional feedback, but Donery found that they didn’t detract from the overall experience.
“It’s always hard to make sure the microphones are working. So there’s always going to be issues there, but everybody projected really well, so it kind of made up for it,” Donery said.
The show’s bold set and costume design further enhanced the industrial, mythic tone of Hadestown. Audience members appreciated the visual elements, as they created a distinct and immersive atmosphere.
Georgia believes her cast particularly shone in delivering an energetic performance.
“Running smoothly is really important, but what we brought tonight was the energy, which is [even more] important,” Georgia said.
The Peregrine Players’ debut performance of Hadestown offered a fresh and compelling take on the classic Greek myth. So far, all performances have received overwhelming praise from audience members, who enjoyed the energy, music, and performances. Advanced Drama students look forward to putting on a production of Our Town by Thornton Wilder as part of the class’s curriculum May 13 to 17 at 7 p.m., with a matinee May 17 at 2 p.m.
