The Broadway production of “Hadestown” has announced two incoming principal players. Tony Award nominee Daniel Breaker and Grammy Award nominee Merle Dandridge will step into the roles of Hermes and Persephone, respectively, beginning on Feb. 18 at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Breaker will succeed Lillias White, while Dandridge will take over for Allison Russell, both of whom will exit the production on Feb. 16.
Breaker earned a Tony nomination for his featured turn in 2008’s “Passing Strange.” His other Broadway credits include “Shrek,” “The Book of Mormon,” “Hamilton” and, most recently, “Once Upon a Mattress.” On television, Breaker is known for his roles on Showtime’s “Billions” and Peacock’s “Girls 5Eva.”
Dandridge’s most recent Main Stem appearance was in the 2017 revival of “Once on This Island,” whose original cast album garnered her a Grammy nod for Best Musical Theater Album. She also appeared in “Aida,” “Rent” and “Spamalot” both on Broadway and on national tour, in addition to the Broadway production of “Tarzan.” Her television credits include ABC’s “Station 19,” HBO’s “The Last of Us” and the upcoming “Citadel”on Amazon Prime Video.
The current principal cast of “Hadestown” also includes Jordan Fisher as Orpheus, Phillip Boykin as Hades and Maia Reficco as Eurydice, all of whom, as previously reported, will depart the long-musical on Jan. 12. Beginning on Jan. 14, the trio will be replaced by Carlos Valdes, Tom Hewitt and Hailey Kilgore, respectively.
Featuring a Tony-winning score and Tony-nominated book by Anaïs Mitchell, “Hadestown” is a modern adaptation of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The musical opened on April 17, 2019, and was nominated for 14 Tony Awards, winning eight, including Best Musical. A special edition of the musical’s cast recording, featuring Mitchell narrating her creative process, was released in November 2024.
“Hadestown” is produced by Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold and Tom Kirdahy.
