A modern twist on beloved Greek myths
Actor Amaya Braganza on the power of ‘Hadestown’ and her Filipino heritage
At 21, Amaya Braganza is a veteran of the professional stage. Her first audition was at age 10. After she flew from California, she and 700 other girls clung to parents outside a New York City school in a line that wrapped around the block — all wanting to score the dream role in a Broadway production of “Annie.”
She impressed casting directors with a rendition of her favorite song, “Astonishing” from the musical “Little Women,” and was cast as one of Annie’s friends. Eleven years later, she’s in her first lead.
Braganza stars as Eurydice in the national Broadway tour of “Hadestown,” opening Tuesday at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk.
“Hadestown” is a modern twist on two Greek myths, Hades and Persephone and Orpheus and Eurydice.
In a classical telling, Orpheus, the son of a muse, is a talented musician and falls head over heels for a wood nymph, Eurydice. But their short-lived marriage ends when Eurydice dies of a snakebite. Orpheus ventures into the underworld to retrieve her.
He plays his lyre so beautifully for Hades and his wife, Persephone, that the parties agree to a deal: Orpheus can leave with Eurydice following him, but he can’t look back at her until they’ve exited.
Orpheus peeks. Eurydice dies.
“Hadestown” has a different retelling.
Hades is an industrialist in a three-piece suit. Instead of living in his namesake hellscape, the god of the underworld lives in a company town surrounding his mining operation.
The show starts with Hades wanting to collect all the Earth’s riches as a
means to profess his love for Persephone. But the goddess of spring isn’t into it — enter thinveiled allusions to climate change — and the Earth’s weather gets wacky.
Persephone isn’t the only woman given more agency than in the traditional myths. Eurydice also gets to choose her future and signs a contract to work in Hadestown.
“It’s Greek mythology, but it contains so many elements that hit home and relate to our world today,” Braganza said during a phone interview, “in terms of climate change, immigration and, just like, hope for a better world. “Even though, it is kind of a haunting story.” After her role in “Annie,” Braganza was in the ensemble for a Broadway production of “The King and I” when she was 12.
After a year in New York, she went on tour with the show, crisscrossing the country while being homeschooled by her mom during the day and heading to the theater in the evenings.
She attributes her yearning to be on the stage to her Filipino heritage and culture.
Her earliest memories are of her great-grandmother directing family gatherings.
“She would always tell every single family member, even if you don’t like to perform, you always have to sing, and the karaoke machine was always out.”
Braganza finished high school at 16, enrolled in Fordham University and continued auditioning. She knew instantly that she wanted to be Eurydice after the show debuted. “Hadestown” won eight Tony Awards in 2019, including Best Musical, and the 2020 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.
“I remember seeing it and being like, I need to be in it,” she said. “The text is just so strong. It’s very poetic. And I just, yeah, I’d never heard anything — anything — like it before.”
Colin Warren-Hicks, 919-818-8138, colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com