I used to hate musicals. The random singing bewildered me, and I wondered what the point of spontaneous dancing was, but my sister was obsessed with High School Musical, so I learned to tolerate them.
My life changed when I saw Hamilton.
Even though it’s known as one of the “basic” modern musicals, it’s well-known for a reason. I’ve seen it so many times that I subconsciously connect it to all other information and memories that scatter across my mind every day. Hamilton is my foundation.
I didn’t think anything could beat the feeling of seeing Hamilton for the first time until I saw Hadestown.
I saw a ten-second clip of Orpheus (Jack Wolfe) singing “Wait For Me” on TikTok, and I was sold. I watched that clip repeatedly, trying to figure out how those 10 seconds made me feel as if I were in a different world, a perfect world. A world full of pure love.
To summarize, Hadestown is about the popular love story of Orpheus and Eurydice. In the story, Eurydice is bitten by a viper, dies, and is sent to the underworld, ruled by Hades, but Orpheus doesn’t hesitate before literally walking through hell and back to bring her home.
The first official production of Hadestown was on April 17, 2019, with the original cast including Reeve Carney as Orpheus and Eva Noblezada as Eurydice (and many more). It became the first musical of the 2018–2019 season to repossess its $11.5 million investment, and won eight Tony Awards in 2019, including Best Musical.
I haven’t seen the full show of the original cast yet, only clips, but from what I’ve seen, Wolfe is bringing something refreshing, new, and spectacular to the character Orpheus. I would even go so far as to say I prefer Wolfe’s performance as Orpheus to Reeve Carney’s in the original.
Wolfe’s Broadway debut in Hadestown was on Sept. 2, 2025. Ever since he began performing as Orpheus, profits for Hadestown have increased, shows, on average, are 95% full, and new, energized, younger audiences are attracted to the theater. Both he and his castmate, Morgan Dudley, who plays Eurydice, have started what seems like a new generation of people who are passionate about musical theater.
I can relate to this. I was never invested in theater until Hamilton, and now I know that I don’t just love one popular show; I am starting to develop a new passion for other shows and performances. I’ve seen numerous musicals, such as Next To Normal and Heathers, that have also upheld this interest, but Wolfe’s performance in Hadestown has made that passion official. He has one of the purest yet unique voices I’ve ever heard. Even when I find myself distracted by other performers, Wolfe snaps me back into the show and draws me into the story. He can capture the audience’s attention and feel all the emotions his character experiences. Also, his voice is addictive. He makes you relate to what he’s singing, even if you don’t know the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Before seeing the musical, I always had his songs and his voice stuck in my head, which proves that his performance was memorable.
Dudley also has the same talent and performance abilities as Wolfe, which is why they complement each other so well throughout the show. Their chemistry seems effortless and electric that you have no choice but to root for their happy ending. At the beginning, she shows a closed-off side of her character because of the tough life she had before she met Orpheus, but then she naturally transitions into a softer, more open character who is receptive to love. Orpheus is the sun that brings light and warmth back into her life, and Wolfe glows in this character. At first, he’s shy and naive to the disasters and conflicts of the world that Eurydice has already experienced. But as his love for Eurydice deepens, his dangerous innocence fades away. He becomes a protector.
Wolfe was born to play Orpheus. He breathes new life and greater emotional depth into an already devastatingly beautiful show.
Wolfe and Dudley give a breathtaking performance portraying Orpheus and Eurydice, and I recommend this current show of Hadestown to anyone, even those who don’t like musicals, as I once felt. But if you’re not ready to commit to a two-hour musical, at least watch the 10-second TikTok clip of Wolfe that changed my outlook on musicals and life.
