Transcript
Alison Stewart (0:07)
You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. This hour we're taking a trip way down to Hadestown. For the first time since the Tony award winning Musical opened in 2019, Hadestown has launched an all new cast for all five principal roles. We were lucky enough to welcome that new cast and amazing band for a live event in the green space as part of of our series Broadway on the Radio. That new cast includes Paolo Schott as Hades, Rebecca Naomi Jones as Persephone, Morgan Dudley as Eurydice, Jack Wolf as Orpheus, and Kurt Elling as Hermes. You'll hear my conversation with the cast in just a minute. And if you want to watch along, you can find the video of this event on WNYC's YouTube channel. But now here is Kurt Elling and the cast of Hadestown with a special live performance of Road to Hell.
Kurt Elling (1:26)
Once upon a time there was a railroad line. Don't ask where brother, don't ask where. It was the road to hell. It was hard times. It was a world of God and man. It's old sound. It's old town from way back when. It's old sound. We gonna sing it again. Gods and men. We got some gods in the house tonight. See, on the road to hill there was a real road line. There was three old women all dressed the same and they was always singing in the back of the old man. Everybody meet the peeps. And on the road to hill there was a railroad light and a lady stepping off a trail With a suitcase full of summertime Persephone. And if you ride that train Ride that train if you ride that train if you ride that train to the end of the line where the sun don't shine and it's always sh. It's there you'll find King of the mind Almighty Mr. Hades. We got any other guards? Oh, right. Almost forgot.
Alison Stewart (3:13)
Honor.
Kurt Elling (3:13)
On the hill there was a railroad station and a man with families on his feet who can help you to your final destination. Mr. Hermes? That's me. You see, someone's got to tell the tale Whether or not it turns out. Well, maybe it we'll turn out this time. On the road to hell on the railroad line. It's a sad song. It's a sad tale. It's a tragedy. It's a sad song. We gonna sing it anyway. Now not everyone gets to be a God. And don't forget that times are hard. Hard times in the world of men.
Kurt Elling (4:03)
Let me introduce you to a few of them.
Kurt Elling (4:05)
You can tip Your hats and your wallets. With your pennies or your purse. To the hardest working chorus in the God's almighty world. And working just as hard for you. Let's see what this crew can do. On the road to hell. There was a railroad line. Poor boy working on a song. His mama was a friend of mine. And this boy was a music son. On the railroad line. On the road to hell. You might say the boy was touched. Cause he was touched by the gods themselves. Shells, give it up for office. There was one more soul on this road. Girl, come on in from the cold. On a railroad line. On the road to hell. That was a young girl looking for something to eat. And brother, thus begins the tale of Copious and Eurydice. It's love song. Tale of a love from long ago. It's a sad song, sad song. We gonna sing it even so. It's an old song. It's an old time from way back when. And we're gonna sing. We're gonna sing. We're gonna sing. Sam.