Reeve Carney to depart 'Hadestown' on Broadway

Carney has played the lead role of Orpheus in Anaïs Mitchell's Tony Award-winning musical since its 2017 pre-Broadway premiere in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

He's going, too. Original Hadestown Broadway cast member Reeve Carney will depart the show, playing his final performance at the Walter Kerr Theatre on November 19.

Carney has played the lead role of Orpheus on Broadway since its 2019 premiere. He first originated the character in two pre-Broadway premieres: the 2017 Canadian production in Edmonton, Alberta, and in London's West End in 2018.

“My gratitude goes out to Anäis Mitchell and all who have touched this show with their divine intention,” said Carney. “To my fellow cast mates, who have been with me in the trenches, giving of themselves freely and unceasingly, on and off the stage. Thank you... And to our incredible audiences here at the Walter Kerr Theatre... It has been an honor bringing this story to life for you all night after night over these many years.”

Carney's departure comes shortly after fellow original cast member Eva Noblezada, who earned a Tony Award nomination for starring as Eurydice, played her final performance in August.

Replacement casting for Orpheus has yet to be announced. The current Hadestown cast includes Lillias White as Hermes, Solea Pfeiffer as Eurydice, Betty Who as Persephone, Phillip Boykin as Hades, and Amelia Cormack, Lindsey Hailes, and Brit West as the Fates.

Written by Anäis Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown reimagines the ancient Greek myth of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice. When the poor Eurydice descends into Hades's underworld sweatshop, Orpheus takes a dangerous journey to rescue her. The show won eight 2019 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

“Reeve helped define both stories at the center of this show — the cosmic love story of a young man who changes the laws of the space time continuum to save his lover, and the political story of a ‘poor boy’ who gets angry enough to question ‘the king,’” said Chavkin. “His extraordinary musicianship as guitarist and singer was an endless source of inspiration to both Anaïs and I in the creation of the show, and his elegant leadership as an actor and company member, both onstage and off, will be deeply missed.”

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Photo credit: Reeve Carney and Solea Pfeiffer in Hadestown. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)