This is the story of Orpheus and Eurydice as told in Anaïs Mitchell's album "Hadestown" and stage adaptation.
In depression era New Orleans, young Orpheus and Eurydice fall in love but Eurydice dreams of a better life than the poverty she grew up i...
When the sun went down on Wall Day, the citizens of Hadestown were drawn like moths towards a neon sign which read "Crack in the Wall." The sign lead to the pokey yet expansive caverns beneath Hadestown. These caverns were illuminated by candles stuck in the necks of old wine bottles and cheap paper Chinese lanterns and walls were lined with shelves covered in bottles, both full and empty. A haze of perspiration and tobacco filled the caverns. Persephone held court behind the bar from where she gave out whatever it was her customers needed to take them away from their miserable existences: projecting films of glamorous movie stars dancing at fancy balls and night clubs onto the cavern walls, playing records of the latest music on her victrola, pouring drinks, and preparing lines of cocaine and syringes of morphine. Whatever they asked for, she had it. All of this was technically against the rules but Persephone had been managing to sneak it in through the Wall for a long time hence why she called her club "Crack in the Wall." "What the boss don't know," Persephone always said, "The boss don't mind." Tonight they were showing a film of riverboats sailing down a moonlit bayou. Little lights flickered around the room mimicking lightning bugs and Persephone's victrola played lively jazz music.
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Eurydice was reminded of nights spent with Orpheus out on the bayous, laying underneath the stars and watching the riverboats pass and listening to the music played by their jazz bands. If she closed her eyes, she almost felt like she was there, all those months ago when life had seemed much simpler. "Can I get you anything, cookie?" Persephone asked her. "Just soda water," Eurydice replied. "Is that all?" Persephone gave Eurydice a look which said: Come on, live a little. "Yes, that's all. I better not have anything stronger." "Suit yourself." Persephone shrugged and went to see to the next customer. Eurydice stared at her stomach, which was beginning to look soft and chubby, and gently stroked it. She had just begun to notice this a couple weeks ago when she missed her second period in a row. This was a major factor that contributed to her decision to leave for Hadestown. She hoped that she would be able to build a better life there for herself and her baby. Orpheus was better off never knowing about this.
