Hadestown script
Hadestown Script - Broadway musical
Music, lyrics & book byA N A Ï S M I T C H E L L
Developed with & originally directed by
R A C H E L C H AV K I N
Transcribed by
C . E . M A R T I N E Z
FIGURES IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
A guide to the characters that inspired Hadestown.
ORPHEUS. Son of the muse of epic poetry, engaged to marry
Eurydice. With his golden voice and lyre, Orpheus charmed all
living things, even rocks and stones.
EURYDICE. A dryad, or tree nymph, was engaged to marry Orpheus.
On the day of the wedding, she was bitten by a poisonous
snake, died, and descended to the underworld.
HADES. God of the dead, ruler of the underworld, sometimes
called “the Wealthy One.” Here fell in love with, abducted, and
married Persephone. Her mother, goddess of the harvest,
refused to bless the earth while Persephone was below.
PERSEPHONE. Goddess of the seasons, flowers, fruit, and grain.
By arrangement, she spent half the year with Hades in the
Underworld, causing fall and winter above. The other half, she
returned to her mother, bringing spring and summer with her.
HERMES. Fleet-footed guide, messenger of the gods, and
conductor of souls to the underworld. In some tellings, it was
Hermes, who taught Orpheus to play the lyre.
THE FATES. Three goddesses who together determined the
destinies of mortals, measuring their lifespans and
apportioning their suffering. CLOTHO spun the thread of life,
LACHESIS measured it, and ATROPOS cut it.
THE CHORUS. In ancient Greek theatre, the Chorus sang, spoke,
and danced in unison. Often representing the voice of the
citizens, the Chorus commented on the actions of characters
and served as an emotional conduit for the audience.
Here, the members of the Chorus play the roles of the
WORKERS.
At certain moments throughout, the major characters sing
alongside the Chorus.
2
M U S I C A L N U M B E R S
act i
0 1 R O A D T O H E L L p . 1
HERMES, COMPANY
0 2 A N Y WAY T H E W I N D B L O W S p . 8
HERMES, THE FATES, EURYDICE, ORPHEUS
0 3 C O M E H O M E W I T H M E p . 1 2
ORPHEUS, EURYDICE, CHORUS
0 4 W E D D I N G S O N G p . 1 5
ORPHEUS, EURYDICE, CHORUS
0 5 E P I C I p . 1 7
HERMES, ORPHEUS
0 6 L I V I N ' I T U P O N T O P p . 2 0
HERMES, PERSEPHONE, ORPHEUS, CHORUS
0 7 A A L L I ' V E E V E R K N O W N ( I N T R O ) p . 2 6
HERMES
0 7 B A L L I ' V E E V E R K N O W N p . 2 7
EURYDICE, ORPHEUS
0 8 WAY D O W N H A D E S T O W N p . 2 9
HERMES, PERSEPHONE, THE FATES, CHORUS
0 9 W I N D T H E M E / A G AT H E R I N G p . 3 4
S T O R M
HERMES, ORPHEUS, EURYDICE, THE FATES
1 0 E P I C I I p . 3 6
ORPHEUS, WORKERS
1 1 C H A N T p . 3 7
PERSEPHONE, HADES, ORPHEUS, COMPANY
1 2 H E Y, L I T T L E S O N G B I R D p . 4 4
HADES, EURYDICE
3musical numbers, act i (cont.)
1 3 A W H E N T H E C H I P S A R E D O W N p . 4 6
( I N T R O )
HERMES, EURYDICE, HADES, THE FATES
1 3 B W H E N T H E C H I P S A R E D O W N p . 4 7
THE FATES, EURYDICE
1 4 G O N E , I ' M G O N E p . 4 9
EURYDICE, THE FATES
1 5 A WA I T F O R M E ( I N T R O ) p . 5 0
HERMES, ORPHEUS
1 5 B WA I T F O R M E p . 5 2
HERMES, ORPHEUS, THE FATES, WORKERS
1 6 A W H Y W E B U I L D T H E WA L L p . 5 6
HADES, EURYDICE, WORKERS
1 6 B W H Y W E B U I L D T H E WA L L p . 5 8
( O U T R O )
HERMES, PERSEPHONE
act ii
1 7 O U R L A DY O F T H E p . 5 9
U N D E R G R O U N D
PERSEPHONE, WORKERS
1 8 WAY D O W N H A D E S T O W N p . 6 1
( R E P R I S E )
THE FATES, EURYDICE, HERMES, WORKERS
1 9 F L O W E R S p . 6 7
EURYDICE
2 0 C O M E H O M E W I T H M E ( R E P R I S E ) p . 6 8
ORPHEUS, EURYDICE
2 1 A PA P E R S ( I N T R O ) p . 7 0
HADES, PERSEPHONE, HERMES, EURYDICE,
ORPHEUS
4musical numbers, act ii (cont.)
2 1 B PA P E R S ( I N S T RU M E N TA L ) p . 7 2
2 2 N O T H I N G C H A N G E S p . 7 2
THE FATES
2 3 I F I T ’ S T RU E p . 7 2
ORPHEUS, HERMES, WORKERS
2 4 H O W L O N G ? p . 7 7
PERSEPHONE, HADES
2 5 C H A N T ( R E P R I S E ) p . 7 9
ORPHEUS, HADES, COMPANY
2 6 A E P I C I I I p . 8 4
ORPHEUS, WORKERS
2 6 B E P I C I I I ( O U T R O ) p . 8 6
HERMES, ORPHEUS
2 7 P R O M I S E S p . 8 7
EURYDICE, ORPHEUS
2 8 W O R D T O T H E W I S E p . 9 0
THE FATES
2 9 H I S K I S S , T H E R I O T p . 9 1
HADES
3 0 A WA I T F O R M E ( R E P R I S E ) [ I N T R O ] p . 9 2
HERMES, ORPHEUS, EURYDICE
3 0 B WA I T F O R M E ( R E P R I S E ) p . 9 4
HERMES, ORPHEUS, EURYDICE, COMPANY
3 1 D O U B T C O M E S I N p . 9 8
THE FATES, ORPHEUS, EURYDICE, WORKERS
3 2 R O A D T O H E L L ( R E P R I S E ) p . 1 0 1
HERMES, COMPANY
3 3 W E R A I S E O U R C U P S ( E N C O R E ) p . 1 0 6
PERSEPHONE, EURYDICE, COMPANY?
5A C T I
[THE COMPANY enters and take their places on
stage. The FATES are seated together. HADES and
PERSEPHONE are seated together. ORPHEUS and
EURYDICE are not.]
[HERMES is the last to enter; he walks in and
surveys the scene. THE COMPANY is attentive.]
H E R M E S
A'ight?
C O M P A N Y
A'ight!
H E R M E S
[to the audience]
A'ight?
A U D I E N C E
A'ight!
H E R M E S
A'ight!!!
[And thus, our story begins. THE BAND plays.]
# 0 1 — R O A D T O H E L L
H E R M E S
Mmm. . .
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
Mmhm. . .
1C H O R U S
Mmhm. . .
H E R M E S
Chugga chugga chugga chugga
Chugga chugga chugga chugga
H E R M E S & C H O R U S
Chugga chugga chugga chugga
Chugga chugga chugga chugga
H E R M E S
Once upon a time there was a railroad line
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
Don't ask where, brother, don't ask when
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
It was the road to Hell, it was hard times
It was a world of gods. . .
C H O R U S
Mmm, mmm. . . ?
. . . and men!
[THE CHORUS begins to dance, clapping to the
beat of the music.]
H E R M E S
It's an old song. . .
C H O R U S
It's an old song!
H E R M E S
It's an old tale from way back when
It's an old song. . .
2C H O R U S
It's an old song!
H E R M E S
And we're gonna sing it again
Gods and men, a'ight?
We got some gods in the house tonight!?
See, on the road to Hell there was a railroad line
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
And there were three old women all dressed the same
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
And they was always singin'
in the back of your mind
Everybody meet the Fates!
C H O R U S
Mmm, mmm, mmm. . .
[Applause, THE FATES step forward and bow.]
H E R M E S
And on the road to Hell there was a railroad line
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
And a lady steppin' off a train
C H O R U S
Mmm, hmm. . .
3H E R M E S
With a suitcase full of summertime
Persephone, by name!
C H O R U S
Mmm, mmm, mmm. . .?
[Applause, PERSEPHONE bows.]
H E R M E S
And if you ride that train
C H O R U S
(Ride that train)
H E R M E S
If you ride that train
C H O R U S
(You ride that train)
H E R M E S
If you ride that train to the end of the line
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
Where the sun don't shine and it's always shady
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
It's there you'll find the king of the mine
Almighty Mr. Hades!
C H O R U S
Mmm, mmm, mmm. . .?
[Applause, HADES bows.]
H E R M E S
We got any other gods?
Oh, right, almost forgot. . .
On the road to Hell there was a railroad station
4C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
And a man with feathers on his feet
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
Who could help you to your final destination,
Mr. Hermes, that's me!
C H O R U S
Mmm, mmm, mmm. . .?
[Applause, HERMES bows.]
H E R M E S
See, someone's got to tell the tale?
Whether or not it turns out well
Maybe it will turn out this time?
On the road to Hell?
On the railroad line
It's a sad song. . .
C H O R U S
It's a sad song!
H E R M E S
It's a sad tale, it's a tragedy
It's a sad song. . .
C H O R U S
It's a sad song!
H E R M E S
We're 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,
Let me introduce you to a few of them.
You can tip your hats and your wallets,
5( H E R M E S )
Brothers and sisters, boys and girls,
To the hardest-working Chorus,?
In the gods' almighty world!
[Applause, THE CHORUS bows.]
And workin' just as hard for you
Let's see what this crew can do!
[HERMES signals THE BAND. THE CHORUS dances
and cheers as THE BAND plays.]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
[THE CHORUS applauds. EURYDICE exits.
HERMES demands everyone's attention back to
him.]
A'ight! A'ight! A'ight!
On the road to Hell there was a railroad line
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
And a poor boy workin' on a song
[ORPHEUS plays his lyre (guitar).]
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la. . .
H E R M E S
His mama was a friend of mine
And this boy was a muse's son
On the railroad line on the road to Hell
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
6H E R M E S
You might say the boy was touched. . .
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la. . .
H E R M E S
H E R M E S
Cause he was touched by the gods themselves!
Give it up for Orpheus!
C H O R U S
Mmm, mmm, mmm. . .?
[Applause, ORPHEUS misses the cue.]
H E R M E S
Orpheus!
[ORPHEUS bows.]
There was one more soul on this road
Girl, come on in from the cold!
[EURYDICE enters. She is wearing a coat and
carries a bag.]?
On the railroad line on the road to Hell
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
There was a young girl looking for something to eat!
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
And brother, thus begins the tale
Of Orpheus and Eurydice!
C H O R U S
Mmm, mmm, mmm. . .?
[Applause. ORPHEUS and EURYDICE bow.]
7H E R M E S
It's a love song. . .
C H O R U S
It's a love song!
H E R M E S
It's a tale of a love from long ago
It's a sad song. . .
C H O R U S
It's a sad song!
H E R M E S
But we're gonna sing it even so
It's an old song. . .
C H O R U S
It's an old song!
H E R M E S
It's an old tale from way back when
And we're gonna sing
We're gonna sing
We're gonna sing it again!
C H O R U S
We're gonna sing
We're gonna sing it again!?
H E R M E S
Again!
Again!
[HERMES addresses the audience, and, perhaps,
the other characters themselves.]
# 0 2 — A N Y W A Y T H E W I N D B L O W S
F A T E S
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .?
8H E R M E S
Eurydice was a hungry young girl,
A runaway from everywhere she'd
ever been
She was no stranger to the world,
No stranger to the wind.
F A T E S
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .?
E U R Y D I C E
The weather ain't the way it was before
Ain't no spring or fall at all anymore
It's either blazing hot or freezing cold
Any way the wind blows
C L O T H O
And there ain't a thing that—
F A T E S
—you can do?
L A C H E S I S
When the weather takes a—
F A T E S
—turn on you
'Cept for hurry up and hit the road?
Any way the wind blows
Wind comes up
Ooooh. . .
E U R Y D I C E
Do you hear that sound??
F A T E S
Wind comes up
E U R Y D I C E
Move to another town
F A T E S
Move. . .?
9E U R Y D I C E
Ain't nobody gonna stick around
E U R Y D I C E & F A T E S
When the dark clouds roll
Any way the wind blows
H E R M E S
You met The Fates, remember them?
F A T E S
Ooooh. . .?
E U R Y D I C E
Anybody got a match??
[HERMES pulls out a matchbox from his pocket.]
H E R M E S
Always singing in the back of your mind.
F A T E S
Ooooh. . .?
E U R Y D I C E
Gimme that.
[HERMES hands her the matchbox.]
H E R M E S
Wherever it was this young girl went,?
The Fates were close behind.
F A T E S
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .?
[EURYDICE pulls a candle out of her bag and
lights it. Before she can warm herself with it,
THE FATES (the wind) blow the flame out.]
E U R Y D I C E
People turn on you just like the wind
Everybody is a fair weather friend
In the end, you're better off alone
Any way the wind blows
C L O T H O
When your body aches to—
10F A T E S
— lay it down
C L O T H O
When you're hungry and—
F A T E S
—there ain't enough to go 'round?
Ain't no length to which a girl won't go
Any way the wind blows
Wind comes up?
Ooooh. . .?
E U R Y D I C E
And sometimes you think?
F A T E S
Wind comes up
E U R Y D I C E
You would do anything
F A T E S
You. . .?
E U R Y D I C E
Just to fill your belly full of food
Find a bed that you could fall into
Where the weather wouldn't follow you
E U R Y D I C E & F A T E S
Wherever you go
Any way the wind blows
[ORPHEUS approaches EURYDICE.]
H E R M E S
Now Orpheus was the son of a Muse,
And you know how those Muses are,
Sometimes they abandon you
F A T E S
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .?
11H E R M E S
And this poor boy, he wore his heart out on his sleeve,
You might say he was naïve to the ways of the world,
But he had a way with words
And the rhythm and the rhyme
And he sang just like a bird up on a line
And it ain't because I'm kind,
But his Mama was a friend of mine
And I liked to hear him sing,
And his way of seeing things
So I took him underneath my wing,
And that is where he stayed,
Until one day. . .
# 0 3 — C O M E H O M E W I T H M E
H E R M E S
You wanna talk to her?
O R P H E U S
Yes!
H E R M E S
Go on.
Orpheus?
O R P H E U S
Yes?
H E R M E S
Don't come on too strong.
12O R P H E U S
[to EURYDICE]
Come home with me
E U R Y D I C E
Who are you?
O R P H E U S & C H O R U S
The man who's gonna marry you?
I'm Orpheus
E U R Y D I C E
Is he always like this?
H E R M E S
Yes.
E U R Y D I C E
I'm Eurydice.
O R P H E U S & C H O R U S
Your name is like a melody
E U R Y D I C E
A singer, is that what you are?
O R P H E U S
I also play the lyre. . .
E U R Y D I C E
Oh, a liar, and a player too!
I've met too many men like you.
O R P H E U S
Oh, no
I'm not like that
H E R M E S
He's not like any man you've met.
Tell her what you're workin' on.
13O R P H E U S
I'm workin' on a song. . .
O R P H E U S & C H O R U S
It isn't finished yet
But when it's done and when I sing it?
Spring will come again
E U R Y D I C E
Come again?
O R P H E U S
Spring will come
E U R Y D I C E
When? I haven't seen a spring or fall,
Since. . . I can't recall.
O R P H E U S
That's what I'm workin' on.
O R P H E U S & C H O R U S
A song to fix what's wrong
Take what's broken, make it whole
A song so beautiful
It brings the world back into tune
Back into time
And all the flowers will bloom—
O R P H E U S
—when you become my wife.
E U R Y D I C E
Oh, he's crazy. Why would I become his wife?
H E R M E S
Maybe because he'll make you feel alive.
E U R Y D I C E
Alive? That's worth a lot.
[to ORPHEUS]
What else ya got?
14# 0 4 — W E D D I N G S O N G
E U R Y D I C E
Lover, tell me if you can
Who's gonna buy the wedding bands?
Times being what they are
Hard and getting harder all the time
O R P H E U S
Lover, when I sing my song
All the rivers'll sing along
And they're gonna break their banks for us
And with their gold, be generous?
All a-flashing in the pan, all to fashion for your hand?
The river's gonna give us the wedding bands
E U R Y D I C E
Lover, tell me if you're able
Who's gonna lay the wedding table?
Times being what they are
Dark and getting darker all the time
O R P H E U S
Lover, when I sing my song
All the trees gonna sing along
And they're gonna bend their branches down
To lay their fruit upon the ground
The almond and the apple
And the sugar from the maple
The trees gonna lay the wedding table
[Instrumental break.]
E U R Y D I C E
So when you sing your song —
The one you're working on —
Spring will come again?
O R P H E U S
Yes.
15E U R Y D I C E
Why don't you sing it then?
O R P H E U S
It isn't finished
E U R Y D I C E
Sing it.
You wanna take me home?
O R P H E U S
Yes.
E U R Y D I C E
Sing the song.
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la la. . .
[As ORPHEUS sings his tune, nature awakes
around him. THE CHORUS echoes him.]
O R P H E U S & C H O R U S
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la la. . .
[A red flower appears in ORPHEUS's hand when
he finishes the tune.]
E U R Y D I C E
How'd you do that?
O R P H E U S
I don't know.
The song's not finished though.
E U R Y D I C E
Even so, it can do this?
[EURYDICE takes the flower.]
16O R P H E U S
I know. . .
E U R Y D I C E
You have to finish it!
Lover, tell me when we're wed
Who's gonna make the wedding bed?
Times being what they are
Hard and getting harder all the time
O R P H E U S
Lover, when I sing my song
All the birds gonna sing along
And they'll come flying from all around
To lay their feathers on the ground
And we'll lie down in eiderdown
A pillow 'neath our heads
The birds gonna make the wedding bed
E U R Y D I C E
And the trees gonna lay the wedding table
O R P H E U S
And the rivers gonna give us the wedding bands
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
# 0 5 — E P I C I
H E R M E S
Where'd you get that melody?
O R P H E U S
I don't know
It came to me
As if I'd known it all along
17H E R M E S
You have.
It's an old song,
A song of love from long ago
Long-time since I heard it though
O R P H E U S
You've heard that melody before?
H E R M E S
Sure.
O R P H E U S
Tell me more.
H E R M E S
Remember the tale I told you once about the Gods?
O R P H E U S
Which ones?
H E R M E S
Hades and Persephone.
Remember how it used to be,
Their love that made the world go round?
O R P H E U S
Yeah, I remember now,
But that was long ago.
H E R M E S
Tell it again though.
[ORPHEUS tunes his lyre before playing.]
O R P H E U S
King of shadows
King of shades
Hades was king of the underworld
But he fell in love with a beautiful lady
Who walked up above in her mother's green field
18( O R P H E U S )
He fell in love with Persephone
Who was gathering flowers in the light of the sun
And he took her home to become his queen
Where the sun never shone
On anyone
H E R M E S
Go on. . .
O R P H E U S
The lady loved him and the kingdom they shared
But without her above, not one flower would grow
So King Hades agreed that for half of each year
She would stay with him there in his world down below
But the other half, she could walk in the sun
And the sun, in turn, burned twice as bright
Which is where the seasons come from
And with them, the cycle
Of the seed and the sickle
And the lives of the people
And the birds in their flight
H E R M E S
Singing. . .
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
H E R M E S
Down below and up above,
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
H E R M E S
In harmony and rhythm,
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
19H E R M E S
The Gods sang his song of love,
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
H E R M E S
And the world sang it with them,
But that was long ago
Before we were on this road
# 0 6 — L I V I N ' I T U P O N T O P
H E R M E S
And on the road to hell, there was a lot of waiting
C H O R U S
Mmm. . . waiting!
H E R M E S
Everybody waiting on a train
C H O R U S
Mmm. . . waiting on a lady with a —
H E R M E S
Waiting on a train to bring that lady
C H O R U S
Mmm. . . lady!
H E R M E S
With the suitcase back again
She's never early, always late
C H O R U S
Waiting. . . waiting. . .
20H E R M E S
These days she never stays for long
But good things come to those who wait
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .?
[The sound of a train whistle. Spring arrives.]
H E R M E S
Here she comes!
[PERSEPHONE steps out of the train. She carries
a bag, a flask, and a bouquet of flowers.]
P E R S E P H O N E
Well it's like he said, I'm an outdoor girl
H E R M E S
And you're late again.
P E R S E P H O N E
Married to the king of the underworld
H E R M E S
She forgot a little thing called spring.
P E R S E P H O N E
Are you wondering where I've been?
C H O R U S
Yeah! / Where you been? / I'm wondering. . .
P E R S E P H O N E
Been to hell, and back again
But like my mama always said:
H E R M E S
(A'ight!)
P E R S E P H O N E
Brother when you're down, you're down
When you're up, you're up
If you ain't six feet underground, you're living it up on top
21( P E R S E P H O N E )
Let's not talk about hard times
Pour the wine, it's summertime!
[PERSEPHONE pulls out two bottles of wine. THE
CHORUS cheers.]
'Cause right now we're livin' it
[PERSEPHONE dances with EVERYONE.]
C H O R U S
How are we livin' it?
P E R S E P H O N E
Livin' it, livin' it up
Oh brother, right here we're livin' it
C H O R U S
Where are we livin' it?
P E R S E P H O N E
Livin' it up on top
[A CHORUS MEMBER brings out cups. EVERYONE
is given one before the toast.]
Who makes the summer sun shine bright?
That's right, Persephone!
Who makes the fruit of the vine get ripe?
C H O R U S
Persephone!
P E R S E P H O N E
That's me!
Who makes the flowers bloom again, in spite of a man?
C H O R U S
You do!
22P E R S E P H O N E
Who's doing the best she can?
Persephone, that's who!
Now some might say, the weather ain't the way it used to be
But let me tell you something that my mama said to me
You take what you can get, and you make the most of it
So right now we're livin' it
C H O R U S
How are we livin' it?
P E R S E P H O N E
Livin' it, livin' it up
Oh brother, right here we're livin' it
C H O R U S
Where are we livin' it?
P E R S E P H O N E
Livin' it up on top
H E R M E S
It was summertime on the road to hell.
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
There was a girl who had always run away.
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
You might say that it was in spite of herself
C H O R U S
Mmm, mmm, mmm. . .
23H E R M E S
That this young girl decided to stay. . .
There was a poor boy with a lyre
P E R S E P H O N E
Who says times are hard?
H E R M E S
The flowers bloomed, the fruit got ripe
And brother, for a moment there
P E R S E P H O N E
Anybody want a drink??
H E R M E S
The world came back to life!
C H O R U S
Oooooh. . . Oh!?
[EURYDICE dances with PERSEPHONE and THE
CHORUS while ORPHEUS and THE BAND play.]
P E R S E P H O N E
Up on top, we ain't got much
But we're
P E R S E P H O N E & C H O R U S
Livin' it, livin' it up
P E R S E P H O N E
Just enough to fill our cups
P E R S E P H O N E & C H O R U S
Livin' it up on top
P E R S E P H O N E
Brother pass that bottle around
'Cause we're
P E R S E P H O N E & C H O R U S
Livin' it, livin' it up
24H E R M E S
Let the poet bless this round. . .
[EVERYONE stops to listen.]
O R P H E U S
To the patroness of all of this, Persephone!
H E R M E S
Here, here!
O R P H E U S
Who has finally returned to us with wine enough to share,
Asking nothing in return except that we should live,
And learn to live as brothers in this life,
And to trust she will provide,?
And if no one takes too much, there will always be enough,?
She will always fill our cups,
P E R S E P H O N E
I will.
O R P H E U S
And we will always raise them up,
[pause]
To the world we dream about, and the one we live in now.
[EVERYONE drinks wine.]
'Cause right now we're livin' it
P E R S E P H O N E & C H O R U S
How are we livin' it?
O R P H E U S
Livin' it, livin' it up
Brother, right here we're livin' it
P E R S E P H O N E & C H O R U S
Where are we livin' it?
25O R P H E U S
Listen here, I'll tell you where
We're livin' it up on top
P E R S E P H O N E & C H O R U S
Up on top!
O R P H E U S
Livin' it up and we ain't gonna stop
Livin' it, livin' it
O R P H E U S , P E R S E P H O N E , & C H O R U S
Livin' it, livin' it
O R P H E U S
How are we livin' it?
P E R S E P H O N E & C H O R U S
Where are we livin' it?
O R P H E U S
Livin' it, livin' it
O R P H E U S , P E R S E P H O N E , & C H O R U S
Livin' it, livin' it
Livin' it up on top!
# 0 7 A — A L L I ' V E E V E R K N O W N ( I N T R O )
[ORPHEUS, EURYDICE, PERSEPHONE and THE
CHORUS settle down to rest.]
H E R M E S
Orpheus was a poor boy,
But he had a gift to give,
He could make you see how the world could be,
In spite of the way that it is
And Eurydice was a young girl,
26( H E R M E S )
But she'd seen how the world was,
When she fell,
She fell in spite of herself,
In love with Orpheus.
[EURYDICE dances with ORPHEUS.]
# 0 7 B — A L L I ' V E E V E R K N O W N
E U R Y D I C E
I was alone so long?
I didn't even know that I was lonely
Out in the cold so long
I didn't even know that I was cold
Turned my collar to the wind
This is how it's always been
All I've ever known is how to hold my own
All I've ever known is how to hold my own
But now I wanna hold you, too
You take me in your arms
And suddenly there's sunlight all around me
Everything bright and warm?
And shining like it never did before?
And for a moment I forget?
Just how dark and cold it gets
All I've ever known is how to hold my own
All I've ever known is how to hold my own
But now I wanna hold you
Now I wanna hold you, hold you close
I don't wanna ever have to let you go
Now I wanna hold you, hold you tight?
I don't wanna go back to the lonely life
O R P H E U S
I don't know how or why
27( O R P H E U S )
Or who am I that I should get to hold you
But when I saw you all alone against the sky
It's like I'd known you all along
I knew you before we met?
And I don't even know you yet?
All I know is you're someone I have always known
O R P H E U S & E U R Y D I C E
All I know is you're someone I have always known
And I don't even know you
Now I wanna hold you, hold you close
I don't wanna ever have to let you go
E U R Y D I C E
Suddenly the sunlight
Bright and warm
O R P H E U S
Suddenly I'm holding the world in my arms
E U R Y D I C E
Say that you'll hold me forever
Say that the wind won't change on us
Say that we'll stay with each other?
And it will always be like this
O R P H E U S
I'm gonna hold you forever
The wind will never change on us
Long as we stay with each other
O R P H E U S & E U R Y D I C E
Then it will always be like this
[They kiss.]
28# 8 — W A Y D O W N H A D E S T O W N
[The sound of a train whistle. Winter arrives.]
H E R M E S
On the Road to Hell there was a railroad track
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
P E R S E P H O N E
Oh, come on!
H E R M E S
There was a train comin' up from way down below
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
P E R S E P H O N E
That was not six months!
F A T E S
Better go and get your suitcase packed, guess it's time to go
H E R M E S
She's gonna ride that train
C H O R U S
(Ride that train. . . )
H E R M E S
She's gonna ride that train
C H O R U S
(She ride that train!)
H E R M E S
She's gonna ride that train 'til the end of the line
29C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
'Cause the King of the Mine is coming to call
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
Did you ever wonder what it's like on the underside?
C H O R U S
Way down under
H E R M E S
On the yonder side?
C H O R U S
Way down yonder
H E R M E S
On the other side of his wall
Follow that dollar for a long way down
Far away from the poorhouse door
You either get to hell or to Hadestown
Ain't no difference anymore!
Way down Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Hound dog howl and the whistle blow
Train come a-rollin, clickety-clack
Everybody tryin' to get a ticket to go
But those who go they don't come back
They goin'
C H O R U S
Way down Hadestown
Way down under the ground
30H E R M E S
Ha!
[THE BAND plays. PERSEPHONE dances.]
P E R S E P H O N E
Winter's nigh and summer's o'er
Hear that high, lonesome sound
Of my husband coming for
To bring me home to Hadestown
C H O R U S
Way down Hadestown
Way down under the ground
P E R S E P H O N E
Down there, it's a bunch of stiffs
Brother, I'll be bored to death
Gonna have to import some stuff
Just to entertain myself
Give me morphine in a tin?
Give me a crate of the fruit of the vine?
Takes a lot of medicine?
To make it through the wintertime
[PERSEPHONE pulls out a fan out of her bag.]
C H O R U S
Way down Hadestown
Way down under the ground
F A T E S
Every little penny in the wishing well?
Every little nickel on the drum?
C H O R U S
(On the drum!)?
F A T E S
All them shiny little heads and tails?
Where do you think they come from?
They come from
31C H O R U S
Way down Hadestown
Way down under the ground
H E R M E S
Everybody hungry?
Everybody tired?
Everybody slaves by the sweat of his brow?
The wage is nothing and the work is hard
It's a graveyard in Hadestown
C H O R U S
Way down Hadestown
Way down under the ground
[THE BAND plays. HERMES, THE FATES, and THE
CHORUS march behind PERSEPHONE as she
prepares to head back to the underworld.]
H E R M E S
Mr. Hades is a mean old boss
P E R S E P H O N E
With a silver whistle and a golden scale
C H O R U S
An eye for an eye!
H E R M E S
And he weighs the cost
C H O R U S
A lie for a lie!
H E R M E S
And your soul for sale
C H O R U S
Sold!
P E R S E P H O N E
—to the king on the chromium throne
32C H O R U S
Thrown!
P E R S E P H O N E
—to the bottom of a Sing Sing cell
H E R M E S
Where the little wheel squeals and the big wheel groans
P E R S E P H O N E
And you better forget about your wishing well
C H O R U S
Way down Hadestown
Way down under the ground
[The sound of a train whistle.]
H E R M E S
On the Road to Hell, there was a railroad car,
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
H E R M E S
And the car door opened and a man stepped out.
C H O R U S
Mmm. . .
[HADES steps out of the train.]
H E R M E S
Everybody looked and everybody saw
It was the same man they'd been singin' about.
P E R S E P H O N E
You're early!
H A D E S
I missed ya.
33L A C H E S I S
Mr. Hades is a mighty king
L A C H E S I S & A T R O P O S
Must be making some mighty big deals
F A T E S
Seems like he owns everything
E U R Y D I C E
Kind of makes you wonder how it feels
[HADES and PERSEPHONE, intrigued, stare at
EURYDICE.]
H E R M E S
All aboard!
A-one, A-two
A-one, two, three, four. . .
[HADES and PERSEPHONE step into the train and
descend back to Hadestown.]
C H O R U S
Way down Hadestown?
Way down under the ground?
Way down Hadestown?
Way down under the ground
Way down under the ground?
Way down under the ground!
[HADES and PERSEPHONE are gone.]
# 9 — W I N D T H E M E / A G A T H E R I N G S T O R M
F A T E S
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
34H E R M E S
With Persephone gone, the cold came on.
O R P H E U S
He came too soon.?
He came for her too soon.?
It's not supposed to be like this.
?
E U R Y D I C E
Well, 'til someone brings the world back into tune. . .
This is how it is.
H E R M E S
Orpheus had a gift to give,
E U R Y D I C E
[to ORPHEUS]
Hey, where are you going?
H E R M E S
Touched by the gods is what he was.
O R P H E U S
I have to finish the song.
E U R Y D I C E
Finish it quick.
The wind is changing.
There's a storm coming on.
F A T E S
Wind comes up, ooh. . .
E U R Y D I C E
We need food!
F A T E S
Wind comes up, ooh. . .
E U R Y D I C E
We need firewood.
35H E R M E S
Orpheus and Eurydice
E U R Y D I C E
Did you hear me? Orpheus?
H E R M E S
Poor boy workin' on a song
E U R Y D I C E
Orpheus!
H E R M E S
Young girl looking for something to eat
E U R Y D I C E
Okay, finish it.
H E R M E S
Under a gathering storm.
[EURYDICE grabs her bag and leaves, resolved to
look for supplies herself.]
# 1 0 — E P I C I I
[ORPHEUS plays his lyre.]
O R P H E U S
King of silver?
King of gold?
And everything glittering?
Under the ground
Hades is king?
Of oil and coal?
And the riches that flow?
Where those rivers are found
But for half of the year with Persephone gone
His loneliness moves in him crude and black
He thinks of his wife in the arms of the sun
36( O R P H E U S )
And jealousy fuels him and feeds him and fills him
With doubt that she'll never come
Dread that she'll never come
Doubt that his lover?
Will ever come back
[During the following, we catch a glimpse of
Hadestown, where WORKERS labor steadily.]
King of mortar?
King of bricks?
The River Styx is a river of stones
And Hades lays them high and thick
With a million hands that are not his own
With a million hands, he builds a wall
Around all the riches he digs from the Earth
The pickaxe flashes
The hammer falls
And crashing and pounding
As rivers surround him
And drown out the sound of the song he once heard:
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la. . .
# 1 1 — C H A N T
[Down in the underworld, HADES and
PERSEPHONE make their arrival.]
W O R K E R S
Low, keep your head, keep your head low?
Oh, you gotta keep your head low?
If you wanna keep your head?
Oh, you gotta keep your head low?
Keep your head, keep your head low
37( W O R K E R S )
Oh, you gotta keep your head low?
If you wanna keep your head?
Oh, you gotta keep your head
P E R S E P H O N E
In the coldest time of year
Why is it so hot down here?
Hotter than a crucible
It ain't right and it ain't natural
H A D E S
Lover, you were gone so long
Lover, I was lonesome
So I built a foundry
In the ground beneath your feet
Here, I fashioned things of steel
Oil drums and automobiles
Then I kept that furnace fed?
With the fossils of the dead
Lover, when you feel that fire
Think of it as my desire—
Think of it as my desire for you!
[Meanwhile, ORPHEUS is still working on his
song. . . ]
O R P H E U S
La la, la la?
La la la la la?
La la, la la?
La la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la. . .?
La la?
La la la la la la?
La la la la la la?
La la la la la la
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
W O R K E R S
Low, keep your head,
Keep your head low?
38[EURYDICE enters.]
E U R Y D I C E
Is it finished??
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
W O R K E R S
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head?
H E R M E S
Not yet.
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
W O R K E R S
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
Keep your head, keep your head low?
E U R Y D I C E
Is he always like this??
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
W O R K E R S
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head?
E U R Y D I C E
Looking high and looking low?
For the food and firewood I know?
We need to find and I am?
Keeping one eye on the sky and?
Tryin' to trust that the song
He's working on
Is gonna shelter us?
From the wind, the wind, the wind
F A T E S
[singularly]
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .?
P E R S E P H O N E
In the darkest time of year
Why is it so bright down here?
Brighter than a carnival
It ain't right and it ain't natural
39H A D E S
Lover, you were gone so long
Lover, I was lonesome
So I laid a power grid
In the ground on which you stood
And wasn't it electrifying
When I made the neon shine?
Silver screen, cathode ray
Brighter than the light of day
Lover, when you see that glare
Think of it as my despair—
Think of it as my despair for you!
O R P H E U S
They can't find the tune
H E R M E S
Orpheus!
O R P H E U S
[oblivious to HERMES]
They can't feel the rhythm
H E R M E S
Orpheus!
O R P H E U S
King Hades is deafened by a river of stone
H E R M E S
Poor boy working on a song,
O R P H E U S
And Lady Persephone's blinded by a river of wine?
Livin' in an oblivion?
H E R M E S
He did not see the storm coming on.?
40O R P H E U S
His black gold flows?
In the world down below?
And her dark clouds roll
In the one up above
F A T E S
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .
H E R M E S
Look up!?
W O R K E R S
Keep your head low. . .?
O R P H E U S
And that is the reason we're on this road?
And the seasons are wrong?
And the wind is so strong?
That's why times are so hard
It's because of the gods
The gods have forgotten the song of their love
Singing:?
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la
W O R K E R S
Low, keep your head, keep your head low
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
Keep your head, keep your head low
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head?
E U R Y D I C E
Lookin' low and lookin' high
L A C H E S I S
There is no food left to find?
A T R O P O S
It's hard enough to feed yourself?
41C L O T H O
Let alone somebody else
E U R Y D I C E
I'm trying to believe
That the song he's working on
Is gonna harbor me from
E U R Y D I C E & F A T E S
The wind, the wind, the wind
H E R M E S
Eurydice was a hungry young girl,
F A T E S
Ooooh. . .?
[THE FATES —acting as the wind —take
EURYDICE's bag away from her.]?
E U R Y D I C E
Give that back!
H E R M E S
She was no stranger to the wind,
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .?
E U R Y D I C E
It's everything we have! Ooooh. . .?
H E R M E S
But she had not seen nothing, Ooooh. . .?
E U R Y D I C E
Orpheus! Ooooh. . .?
H E R M E S
Like the mighty storm she got
caught in.
Ooooh. . .?
[THE FATES take EURYDICE's coat off and away
from her. EURYDICE attempts to fight back
against the wind, to no avail.]
42E U R Y D I C E
Orpheus!
Shelter us!
( F A T E S )
Ooooh. . .
Ooooh. . .?
H E R M E S
Only took a minute, Ooooh. . .?
E U R Y D I C E
Harbor me! Ooooh. . .?
[Downtrodden, EURYDICE attempts to face the
cold wind on her own.]
H E R M E S
But the wrath of the gods was in it.
P E R S E P H O N E
Every year, it's getting worse?
Hadestown, hell on Earth!
Did you think I'd be impressed
With this neon necropolis?
Lover, what have you become??
Coal cars and oil drums?
Warehouse walls and factory floors
I don't know you anymore?
And in the meantime up above
The harvest dies and people starve?
Oceans rise and overflow?
It ain't right and it ain't natural
H A D E S
Lover, everything I do
I do it for the love of you
If you don't even want my love
I'll give it to someone who does?
Someone grateful for her fate?
Someone who appreciates?
43( H A D E S )
The comforts of a gilded cage?
And doesn't try to fly away
The moment Mother Nature calls
Someone who could love these walls
That hold her close and keep her safe
And think of them as my embrace
O R P H E U S
Singing la la la la la la la. . .
W O R K E R S
Low, keep your head,
keep your head low?
E U R Y D I C E
Shelter us!
H A D E S
Think of them as my embrace?
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la la. . .
W O R K E R S
Low, keep your head,
keep your head?
E U R Y D I C E
Harbor me!
H A D E S
Think of them as my embrace
Of you
[PERSEPHONE and the WORKERS disappear. Back
in the surface world, HADES spots EURYDICE.]
# 1 2 — H E Y , L I T T L E S O N G B I R D
[HADES approaches EURYDICE.]
H A D E S
Hey, little songbird, give me a song
I'm a busy man and I can't stay long
I got clients to call, I got orders to fill
I got walls to build, I got riots to quell
44( H A D E S )
And they're giving me hell back in Hades
Hey, little songbird, cat got your tongue?
Always a pity for one so pretty and young
When poverty comes to clip your wings
And knock the wind right out of your lungs
Hey, nobody sings on empty
E U R Y D I C E
Strange is the call of this strange man
I wanna fly down and feed at his hand
I want a nice, soft place to land?
I wanna lie down forever
H A D E S
Hey, little songbird, you've got something fine
You'd shine like a diamond down in the mine
And the choice is yours if you're willing to choose
Seeing as you've got nothing to lose
And I could use a canary
E U R Y D I C E
Suddenly nothing is as it was
Where are you now, Orpheus??
Wasn't it gonna be the two of us??
Weren't we birds of a feather?
H A D E S
Hey, little songbird, let me guess
He's some kind of poet and he's penniless
Give him your hand, he'll give you his hand-to-mouth
He'll write you a poem when the power is out
Hey, why not fly south for the winter?
Hey, little songbird, look all around you
See how the vipers and vultures surround you?
And they'll take you down, they'll pick you clean
If you stick around such a desperate scene
See, people get mean when the chips are down
45# 1 3 A — W H E N T H E C H I P S A R E D O W N ( I N T R O )
[HADES offers EURYDICE a silver coin.]
H E R M E S
Songbird versus rattlesnake.
A T R O P O S
Mmm. . .
E U R Y D I C E
What is it?
H E R M E S
Eurydice was a hungry, young girl,
L A C H E S I S & A T R O P O S
Mmm. . .
H A D E S
Your ticket.
H E R M E S
And Hades gave her a choice to make,
F A T E S
[singularly]
Mmm. . .
Mmm. . .
Mmm. . .
[EURYDICE takes the coin from him.]
H E R M E S
A ticket to the underworld.
[HADES exits.]
46# 1 3 B — W H E N T H E C H I P S A R E D O W N
A T R O P O S
Life ain't easy
L A C H E S I S
Life ain't fair
F A T E S
A girl's gotta fight for her rightful share
[EURYDICE pulls out ORPHEUS's flower. She
holds it in one hand, HADES's coin in the other.]
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down
Now that the chips are down?
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down
Now that the chips are down?
L A C H E S I S
Help yourself
A T R O P O S
To hell with the rest
C L O T H O
Even the one who loves you best
F A T E S
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down
Now that the chips are down?
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down
Now that the chips are down?
E U R Y D I C E
Oh, my aching heart. . .
F A T E S
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down
Now that the chips are down?
47[The band plays. THE FATES dance, teasing
EURYDICE.]
C L O T H O
Take if you can
A T R O P O S
Give if you must
F A T E S
Ain't nobody but yourself to trust
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down
Now that the chips are down?
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down
Now that the chips are down?
A T R O P O S
Aim for the heart
L A C H E S I S
Shoot to kill
F A T E S
If you don't do it then the other one will
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down
Now that the chips are down?
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down
Now that the chips are down?
And the first shall be first?
And the last shall be last
Cast your eyes to heaven?
You get a knife in the back
Nobody's righteous?
Nobody's proud?
Nobody's innocent?
Now that the chips are down
Now that the—
Now that the—
Now that the—
48( F A T E S )
Now that the—
Now that the chips are down
# 1 4 — G O N E , I ' M G O N E
E U R Y D I C E
Orpheus, my heart is yours?
Always was, and will be
It's my gut I can't ignore
Orpheus, I'm hungry
Oh, my heart it aches to stay?
But the flesh will have its way
Oh, the way is dark and long
I'm already gone
[HERMES shakes a bag of coins. She gives hers to
him, dropping it in the bag.]
I'm gone.
[The sound of a train whistle. EURYDICE steps
into the train, dropping ORPHEUS's flower on
the ground behind.]
L A C H E S I S
Go ahead and lay the blame?
C L O T H O
Talk of virtue?
A T R O P O S
Talk of sin
L A C H E S I S
Wouldn't you have done the same—
C L O T H O
— in her shoes?
49A T R O P O S
In her skin?
L A C H E S I S
You can have your principles
A T R O P O S
When you've got a belly full
C L O T H O
But hunger has a way with you
F A T E S
There's no telling what you're gonna do
When the chips are down
Now that the chips are down
Whatcha gonna do when the chips are down??
Now that the chips are down
[EURYDICE is gone.]
# 1 5 A — W A I T F O R M E ( I N T R O )
[After a long day of songwriting, ORPHEUS
approaches HERMES.]
O R P H E U S
Mr. Hermes!
H E R M E S
Hey, the big artiste!
Ain't you working on your masterpiece?
O R P H E U S
Where's Eurydice?
H E R M E S
Brother, what do you care?
You'll find another muse somewhere.
50O R P H E U S
Where is she?
H E R M E S
Why you wanna know?
O R P H E U S
Wherever she is, is where I'll go
H E R M E S
And what if I said she's down below?
O R P H E U S
Down below?
H E R M E S
Down below,
Six-feet-under-the-ground below,
[HERMES points to the flower EURYDICE left
behind. ORPHEUS picks it up.]
She called your name before she went,
But I guess you weren't listening.
O R P H E U S
No. . .
H E R M E S
So. . .
Just how far would you go for her?
O R P H E U S
To the end of time
To the end of the earth
H E R M E S
You got a ticket?
O R P H E U S
No. . . ?
51H E R M E S
Yeah, I didn't think so.
Course there is another way,
But nah, I ain't supposed to say.
O R P H E U S
Another way?
H E R M E S
Around the back,?
But that ain't easy walkin', Jack.?
It ain't for the sensitive of soul,
So do you really wanna go?
O R P H E U S
With all my heart
H E R M E S
With all your heart??
Well, that's a start. . .
# 1 5 B — W A I T F O R M E
[ORPHEUS begins his descent towards the
underworld.]
H E R M E S
How to get to Hadestown:
You have to take the long way down,
Through the underground, under cover of night,
Layin' low, stayin' out of sight.
Ain't no compass, brother, ain't no map,
Just a telephone wire and a railroad track,
Keep on walkin' and don't look back,
'Til you get to the bottomland.
O R P H E U S
Wait for me, I'm comin'
Wait, I'm comin' with you
Wait for me, I'm comin' too
52( O R P H E U S )
I'm comin' too
H E R M E S
River Styx is high and wide,
Cinder bricks and razor wire,?
Walls of iron and concrete,
Hound dogs howling 'round the gate.
Those dogs'll lay down and play dead,?
If you got the bones, if you got the bread,
But if all you got is your own two legs,?
Just be glad you got 'em.
O R P H E U S & C H O R U S
Wait for me, I'm comin'
Wait, I'm comin' with you
Wait for me, I'm comin' too
I'm comin' too
[THE FATES, carrying lanterns, stop ORPHEUS
dead on his tracks.]
F A T E S
Who are you?
L A C H E S I S
Where do you think you're going??
F A T E S
Who are you?
C L O T H O
Why are you all alone?
F A T E S
Who do you —
L A C H E S I S
—think you are??
F A T E S
Who are you —
53A T R O P O S
— to think that you can walk a road that no one ever walked before?
O R P H E U S
La la la la la la. . .
?
La la la la la la la. . .
C H O R U S
[echoing ORPHEUS]
La la la la la la la. . .
La la la la la la la. . .
O R P H E U S & C H O R U S
La la la la la la la. . .?
La la la la la—
[The ground trembles. THE FATES, intrigued,
move aside as the rocks and stones make way
for ORPHEUS to continue through the River Styx.
ORPHEUS runs, sneaking through the new path,
and tries to avoid being spotted again.]
H E R M E S
You're on the lam, you're on the run!
Don't give your name, you don't have one,
And don't look no one in the eye,
That town'll try to suck you dry.
They'll suck your brain, they'll suck your breath,
They'll pluck the heart right out your chest,
They'll truss you up in your Sunday best,
And stuff your mouth with cotton!?
O R P H E U S
Wait for me
I'm comin'
Wait, I'm comin' with you
Wait for me, I'm comin' too
I'm comin'!
C H O R U S
Wait for me (I'm comin'!)
I'm comin' (I'm comin'!)
Wait, I'm comin' with you
(I'm comin'!)
Wait for me, I'm comin' too
(Wait I'm comin')
I'm comin'!?
54C H O R U S
Wait!
O R P H E U S
I'm comin' wait for me
C H O R U S
Wait!
O R P H E U S
I hear the walls repeating
H E R M E S
I hear the walls repeating?
C H O R U S
Wait!?
O R P H E U S
The falling of my feet and
It sounds like drumming!
H E R M E S & C H O R U S
The falling of my feet and
It sounds like drumming!?
C H O R U S
Wait!?
O R P H E U S
And I am not alone
H E R M E S & C H O R U S
And I am not alone?
C H O R U S
Wait!?
O R P H E U S
I hear the rocks and stones
H E R M E S & C H O R U S
I hear the rocks and stones?
C H O R U S
Wait!?
O R P H E U S
Echoing my song
I'm comin'!
C H O R U S
Comin', comin', comin'. . . .?
[ORPHEUS finally arrives into Hadestown.
He is gone.]
55# 1 6 A — W H Y W E B U I L D T H E W A L L
[THE CHORUS OF WORKERS prepare themselves
for HADES'S speech. One of them places a
microphone in the middle of the stage. HADES
and PERSEPHONE enter from opposite sides of
the factory floor. PERSEPHONE now wears all
black. HADES stands behind the microphone.]
H A D E S
Why do we build the wall?
My children, my children??
Why do we build the wall?
W O R K E R S
Why do we build the wall?
We build the wall to keep us free
That's why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free
H A D E S
How does the wall keep us free
My children, my children?
How does the wall keep us free?
W O R K E R S
How does the wall keep us free?
The wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That's why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free
H A D E S
Who do we call the enemy
My children, my children?
Who do we call the enemy?
W O R K E R S
Who do we call the enemy?
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out the enemy
56( W O R K E R S )
And we build the wall to keep us free
That's why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free
H A D E S
Because we have and they have not
My children, my children
Because they want what we have got
W O R K E R S
Because we have and they have not
Because they want what we have got
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That's why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free
[EURYDICE enters.]
H A D E S
What do we have that they should want
My children, my children?
What do we have that they should want?
E U R Y D I C E & W O R K E R S
What do we have that they should want??
We have a wall to work upon
We have work and they have none
H A D E S
And our work is never done
My children, my children!
And the war is never won!
H A D E S , E U R Y D I C E & W O R K E R S
The enemy is poverty?
And the wall keeps out the enemy?
And we build the wall to keep us free?
That's why we build the wall?
57( H A D E S , E U R Y D I C E & W O R K E R S )
We build the wall to keep us free
We build the wall to keep us free!
# 1 6 B — W H Y W E B U I L D T H E W A L L ( O U T R O )
H E R M E S
Then Hades told Eurydice:
H A D E S
There are papers to be signed,
Step into my office.
[EURYDICE follows HADES into his office.]
H E R M E S
And he closed the door behind.
Now a lot can happen behind closed doors,
That's for sure, brother, that's a fact,
But a lot can happen on the factory floor?
When the foreman turns his back. . .
P E R S E P H O N E
Anybody want a drink?
[End of Act I. ALL exit.]
58A C T I I
# 1 7 — O U R L A D Y O F T H E U N D E R G R O U N D
[PERSEPHONE and HERMES enter. She is carrying
her bag. HERMES takes a seat as PERSEPHONE
glances at HADES's office doors. She then
beckons THE WORKERS to enter and come closer.
She opens her bag slightly to reveal its contents,
enticing THE WORKERS. She pulls out a flask and
drinks from it. She dances drunkenly throughout
the following.]
P E R S E P H O N E
“Step into my office.”
I don't know about you, boys
But if you're like me
Then hanging around this old manhole?
Is bringing you down?
Six-feet-under?
Getting under your skin
Cabin fever is a-setting in
You're stir crazy!
Stuck in a rut!
Oh you could use a little pick-me-up?
I can give you what it is you crave
A little something from the good old days
I got the wind right here in a jar?
I got the rain on tap at the bar?
I got sunshine up on the shelf
Allow me to introduce myself:
Brother, what's my name?
My name is —
H E R M E S & W O R K E R S
Our Lady of the Underground!
59P E R S E P H O N E
Brother, what's my name?
H E R M E S & W O R K E R S
Our Lady of Ways!
Our Lady of Means!
P E R S E P H O N E
Brother, what's my name?
My name is. . .
H E R M E S & W O R K E R S
Our Lady of the Upside Down!
P E R S E P H O N E
Wanna know my name?
I'll tell you my name:
Persephone!
Come here, brother—let me guess:
It's the little things you miss
Spring flowers
Autumn leaves
Ask me, brother, and you shall receive
Or maybe these just ain't enough
Maybe you're looking for some stronger stuff
I got a sight for the sorest eye
When was the last time you saw the sky?
Wipe away your tears, brother
Brother, I know how you feel
I can see you're blinded by the sadness of it all
But look a little closer and
Everything will be revealed
Look a little closer and
There's a crack in the wall!
[PERSEPHONE pours some of her drink into
HERMES's cup. She then addresses the audience
and introduces THE BAND MEMBERS. THE
WORKERS cheer after each introduction.]
60( P E R S E P H O N E )
Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Drye on the trombone!
Marika Hughes on the cello!
Dana Lyn on the violin!
Ben Perowski on the drums!
Robinson Morse on the bass!
Michael Chorney on the guitar!?
And Liam Robinson on the keys!
You want stars?
[THE WORKERS cheer.]
I got a sky-full!
Put a quarter in the slot, you'll get an eyeful
You want the moon?
Yeah, I got her too
She's right here waiting in my pay-per-view
How long's it been?
A little moonshine ain't no sin
Tell my husband to take his time!
What the boss don't know
The boss won't mind
[She takes another sip before leaving THE
WORKERS.]
# 1 8 — W A Y D O W N H A D E S T O W N ( R E P R I S E )
[THE WORKERS continue to forge, build, and
hammer. EURYDICE comes out of HADES's office.
On her way to the factory floor, she encounters
THE FATES.]
L A C H E S I S
The deal is signed?
E U R Y D I C E
Yes.
61C L O T H O
About time.
A T R O P O S
Get on the line!
E U R Y D I C E
I did what I had to do.
A T R O P O S
That's what they did too.
[EURYDICE approaches THE WORKERS.]
H E R M E S
Now in Hadestown there were a lot of souls
W O R K E R S
Low, keep your head, keep your head
H E R M E S
Working on the wall with all their might
W O R K E R S
Oh, you gotta keep your head
H E R M E S
You see, they kept their heads down low
W O R K E R S
If you wanna keep your head
H E R M E S
You couldn't quite see their faces right
But you could hear them singing:
W O R K E R S
Low, keep your head, keep your head
H E R M E S
Swinging their hammers in the cold, hard ground
You can hear the sound of the pickaxe ringin'
62W O R K E R S
If you wanna keep your head
H E R M E S
And they called it —
H E R M E S & W O R K E R S
“Freedom”
E U R Y D I C E
I'm Eurydice.
Doesn't anybody hear me?
L A C H E S I S
They can hear,
C L O T H O
But they don't care.
A T R O P O S
No one has a name down here.
F A T E S
Mr. Hades set you free
To work yourself into the ground
Free to spend eternity
L A C H E S I S
In the factory
C L O T H O
And the warehouse
F A T E S
Where the whistles scream
A T R O P O S
And the foreman shouts
L A C H E S I S
And you're punchin' in
63C L O T H O
And punchin' in
A T R O P O S
And punchin' in
F A T E S
And you can't punch out!?
F A T E S
And you're way down Hadestown
Way down Hadestown
Way down Hadestown
Way down under the ground!
W O R K E R S
Oh, keep your head, keep your head low
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head
Keep your head low?
E U R Y D I C E
Why won't anybody look at me?
L A C H E S I S
They can look,
A T R O P O S
But they don't see.
C L O T H O
You see, it's easier that way.
F A T E S
Your eyes will look like that someday.
Down in the river of oblivion
L A C H E S I S
You kissed your little life goodbye
F A T E S
And Hades laid his hands on you
C L O T H O
And gave you everlasting life!
64F A T E S & W O R K E R S
And everlasting overtime
C L O T H O
In the mine, —
L A C H E S I S
—in the mill, —
A T R O P O S & W O R K E R S
—and the machinery. . .
F A T E S
Your place on the assembly line
A T R O P O S
Replaces all your memories
F A T E S
Way down Hadestown
Way down Hadestown
Way down Hadestown
Way down under the ground!
W O R K E R S
Oh, keep your head, keep your head low
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head
Keep your head low?
E U R Y D I C E
What do you mean I'll look like that?
L A C H E S I S
That's what it looks like to forget.
E U R Y D I C E
Forget what?
C L O T H O
Who you are,
A T R O P O S
And everything that came before.
E U R Y D I C E
I have to go.
65C L O T H O
Go where?
E U R Y D I C E
Go back!
A T R O P O S
Oh??
And where is that?
L A C H E S I S
So what was your name again?
C L O T H O
You've already forgotten.
H E R M E S
You see, it's like I said before:
A lot can happen behind closed doors.
Eurydice was a hungry young girl,
But she wasn't hungry anymore.
What she was instead, was dead--
Dead to the world, anyway.
You see, she went behind those doors,
And signed her life away.
W O R K E R S
Ah-ooh!
L A C H E S I S
Saw that wheel up in the sky
A T R O P O S
Heard the big bell tolling
W O R K E R S
Ah-ooh!
C L O T H O
A lot of souls have gotta die
66F A T E S & W O R K E R S
To keep the Rust Belt rollin'
W O R K E R S
Ah-ooh!
F A T E S
A lot of spirits gotta break
F A T E S & W O R K E R S
To make the underworld go 'round
F A T E S
Way down Hadestown
F A T E S & W O R K E R S
Way down under the ground!
# 1 9 — F L O W E R S
E U R Y D I C E
What I wanted was to fall asleep?
Close my eyes and disappear
Like a petal on a stream, a feather on the air
Lily white and poppy red
I trembled when he laid me out
You won't feel a thing, he said, when you go down
Nothing gonna wake you now
Dreams are sweet, until they're not
Men are kind, until they aren't
Flowers bloom, until they rot, and fall apart
Is anybody listening??
I open my mouth and nothing comes out
Nothing, nothing gonna wake me now
Flowers, I remember fields of flowers
Soft beneath my heels
67( E U R Y D I C E )
Walking in the sun, I remember someone
Someone by my side, turned his face to mine?
And then I turned away, into the shade
You, the one I left behind?
If you ever walk this way
Come and find me lying in the bed I made
# 2 0 — C O M E H O M E W I T H M E ( R E P R I S E )
[ORPHEUS finally finds EURYDICE. PERSEPHONE
and THE WORKERS observe.]
O R P H E U S
Come home with me
E U R Y D I C E
It's you.
O R P H E U S
It's me
?
E U R Y D I C E
Orpheus!
?
O R P H E U S
Eurydice!
E U R Y D I C E
I called your name before.
O R P H E U S
I know
E U R Y D I C E
You heard?
O R P H E U S
No, Mr. Hermes told me so
68( O R P H E U S )
Whatever happened?
I'm to blame
E U R Y D I C E
No. . .
O R P H E U S
You called my name?
E U R Y D I C E
You came!
But how'd you get here??
On the train?
O R P H E U S
No, I walked
A long way
E U R Y D I C E
How'd you get beyond the wall?
O R P H E U S
I sang a song?
So beautiful?
Stones wept and they let me in
And I can sing us home again
E U R Y D I C E
No, you can't.
O R P H E U S
Yes, I can
E U R Y D I C E
No!?
You don't understand. . .
[Suddenly, HADES appears.]
69# 2 1 A — P A P E R S ( I N T R O )
H A D E S
Young man,
I don't think we've met before,
You're not from around here, son
Don't know who the hell you are but I can tell you don't belong.
These are workin' people, son,
Law-abiding citizens,
Go back to where you came from,
You're on the wrong side of the fence.
P E R S E P H O N E
Hades, I know this boy.
H A D E S
One of the unemployed?
P E R S E P H O N E
His name is Orpheus.
H A D E S
You stay out of this.
H E R M E S
[to the audience]
Orpheus was a poor boy—
H A D E S
You hear me, son?
H E R M E S
You might say he was naive—
H A D E S
You better run!
H E R M E S
But this poor boy raised up his voice with his heart out on his sleeve.
70E U R Y D I C E
No!
Orpheus, you should go.
O R P H E U S
I'm not goin' back alone—
I came to take her home!
[HADES laughs.]
H A D E S
Who the hell do you think you are?
Who the hell you think you're talkin' to?
She couldn't go anywhere even if she wanted to.
You're not from around here, son.
If you were, then you would know,
That everything and everyone in Hadestown I own.
But I only buy what others choose to sell.
Oh, you didn't know?
She signed the deal herself.
And now she—
O R P H E U S
It isn't true—
H A D E S
Belongs to me.
O R P H E U S
It isn't true—
What he said—Eurydice—?
E U R Y D I C E
I did—
I do.
H A D E S
As for you—
Everybody gather 'round!
Everybody look and see,
What becomes of trespassers with no respect for property!
71# 2 1 B — P A P E R S ( I N S T R U M E N T A L )
[THE WORKERS begin to close in on ORPHEUS.
HADES exits. ORPHEUS tries to defend himself —
or at least, tries to escape—but THE WORKERS
outnumber him. They give him a beating. He is
left bruised and bloodied.]
# 2 2 — N O T H I N G C H A N G E S
F A T E S
Why the struggle, why the strain?
Why make trouble, why make scenes?
Why go against the grain, why swim upstream?
It ain't, it ain't, it ain't no use
You're bound, you're bound, you're bound to lose
What's done, what's done, what's done is done
That's the way the river runs
So why get wet?
Why break a sweat?
Why waste your precious breath?
Why beat your handsome brow?
C L O T H O
Nothing changes,
C L O T H O & L A C H E S I S
Nothing changes,
F A T E S
Nothing changes
Anyhow
# 2 3 — I F I T ' S T R U E
[ORPHEUS is left alone. EURYDICE, distraught,
joins THE WORKERS as they continue to labor.]
72O R P H E U S
If it's true what they say
If there's nothing to be done
If it's true then it's too late
And the girl I love is gone
If it's true what they say
Is this how the world is?
To be beaten and betrayed and then be told that nothing changes?
It'll always be like this?
If it's true what they say?
I'll be on my way
H E R M E S
And the boy turned to go,
'Cause he thought no one could hear,
But everybody knows that walls have ears.
And the workers heard him?
W O R K E R S
If it's true what they say?
H E R M E S
With their hammers swinging
W O R K E R S
What's the purpose of a man?
H E R M E S
And they quit their workin'?
W O R K E R S
Just to turn his eyes away??
H E R M E S
When they heard him singing
W O R K E R S
Just to throw up both his hands?
73H E R M E S
No hammer swinging
W O R K E R S
What's the use of his backbone
H E R M E S
No pickaxe ringin'
W O R K E R S
If he never stands upright?
H E R M E S
And they stood and listened
W O R K E R S
If he turns his back on everyone?
H E R M E S
To the poor boy singin'
W O R K E R S
That he could've stood beside
O R P H E U S
If it's true what they say
I'll be on my way
But who are they to say what the truth is anyway?
O R P H E U S
'Cause the ones who tell the lies
Are the solemnest to swear
And the ones who load the dice
Always say the toss is fair
And the ones who deal the cards
W O R K E R S
Ahh. . .
Ooh. . .?
W O R K E R S?
Deal the cards. . .?
74O R P H E U S
Are the ones who take the tricks
With their hands over their hearts
While we play the game they fix
And the ones who speak the words
W O R K E R S
Ahh. . .
Ooh. . .?
W O R K E R S?
Speak the words (speak the words. . . )
O R P H E U S
Always say it is the last
And no answer will be heard
To the question no one asks
W O R K E R S
Ooh. . .
O R P H E U S
So I'm askin' if it's true
I'm askin' me and you
And you
And you
I believe our answer matters more than anything they say
W O R K E R S
We stand and listen (listen. . . )
O R P H E U S
I believe if there is still a will
Then there is still a way
W O R K E R S
We're standing with him. . .
O R P H E U S
I believe there is a way
I believe in us together
More than anyone alone
W O R K E R S
We're standing near him (near him. . . )
75O R P H E U S
I believe that with each other, we are stronger than we know
W O R K E R S
We hear him. . .
O R P H E U S
I believe we're stronger than they know
I believe that we are many
I believe that they are few
W O R K E R S
We're standing (standing, standing. . . )
O R P H E U S
And it isn't for the few
To tell the many what is true
W O R K E R S
We understand him. . .
O R P H E U S
So I ask you:
If it's true what they say
W O R K E R S
We're standing. . .
O R P H E U S
I'll be on my way
W O R K E R S
We're standing. . .
O R P H E U S
Tell me what to do
W O R K E R S
We're standing. . .
O R P H E U S
Is it true?
76( O R P H E U S )
Is it true what they say?
# 2 4 — H O W L O N G ?
[ORPHEUS, EURYDICE, and THE WORKERS exit.
PERSEPHONE confronts HADES.]
P E R S E P H O N E
What are you afraid of?
H A D E S
What?
P E R S E P H O N E
He's just a boy in love.
H A D E S
Have a drink, why don't you?
P E R S E P H O N E
No, I've had enough.
He loves that girl, Hades.
H A D E S
Well that's too bad.
P E R S E P H O N E
He has the kind of love for her that you and I once had.
H A D E S
The girl means nothing to me.
P E R S E P H O N E
I know, but she means everything to him.
H A D E S
So?
77P E R S E P H O N E
Let her go.
Hades my husband, Hades my light, Hades my darkness
If you had heard how he sang tonight you'd pity poor Orpheus
All of the sorrow won't fit in his chest
It just burns like a fire in the pit of his chest
And his heart is a bird on a spit in his chest
How long??
How long??
How long?
H A D E S
How long?
Just as long as Hades is king
Nothing comes of wishing on stars
And nothing comes of the songs people sing
However sorry they are
Give them a piece they'll take it all
Show them a crack they'll tear down the wall
Lend them an ear and the kingd
Last Update:July, 23rd 2025