Hermes in Epic Vs. Hadestown: Dissecting Two Iconic Musical Portrayals
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
To measure the audacity of Rivera-Herrans’ portrayal, one must look at the Broadway giant that preceded it. In Hadestown, conceived by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, Hermes occupies an entirely different moral universe.
Originated on Broadway by André De Shields in a performance that earned him the 2019 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, this Hermes is a dapper, paternal figure rooted in American folk traditions, jazz clubs, and post-industrial mythmaking. When De Shields stepped onstage in a gleaming silver suit, feather tucked into his lapel, his presence commanded silence with a wave of a hand.
Mitchell does not present Hermes as an instigator of chaos, but as the custodian of memory. In "Road to Hell," he sets the rules of the cosmos:
"It’s an old song / It’s a sad song / But we sing it anyway."
Hermes in Hadestown knows the ending before the curtain rises. He knows Orpheus will turn around. He knows Eurydice will descend into the factory depths. Yet he remains bound to tell the story with love, acting as an uncle figure to Orpheus while serving as a sober witness to the brutal economic machinery of Hades' underworld. Mitchell’s lyrics rely on slow, drawn-out brass motifs, poetic repetition, and deep baritone warmth. This is Hermes as an elder who has seen empires rise, sweat, and fall, holding the hand of mortals as they walk toward their inevitable undoing.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
