“Hadestown” is coming home.

The musical Addison County native Anais Mitchell created and first presented in Vermont in late 2006 – followed by a reworked production that toured the state the next year – returns to the place of its birth for the first fully-staged Vermont production in 17 years. The four shows Oct. 15-17 come after Mitchell’s scruffy, imaginative folk opera was staged off-Broadway in 2016 and arrived in a big way on Broadway in 2019, winning eight Tony Awards including Best Musical.

As the improbable run of “Hadestown” finally brings the production back to its roots with a Broadway touring production, here are five things you should know about the musical’s past, present and future.

The birth of “Hadestown”

Mitchell, then 25, and Vermont visual artist Ben t. Matchstick created the folk opera and cast in-state friends and musicians in the first productions in Barre and Vergennes in late 2006. Part-Woody Guthrie “stick it to the man” folk project, part-steampunk dreamscape, the production based on the Orpheus myth was esoteric, atmospheric and, according to a Burlington Free Press review of the Vergennes production, told its tale “with clear-eyed creative verve.”

The Free Press caught the Middlebury show when a revamped “Hadestown” toured the state in 2007.

“Another year of experience and a tighter focus made the music more powerful, the visuals more sensual and ‘Hadestown’ much more intense,” according to the Free Press review of that performance. “With no expository dialogue, only songs, it’s still difficult at times to follow the plot, but ‘Hadestown’ is now such a visual and musical wonder, it doesn’t matter. Mitchell presents a bleak world that, through all the angst and despair, is a joy to watch.”

Album on Ani DiFranco’s label

A touring singer-songwriter, Mitchell demonstrated she wasn’t done with “Hadestown.” In 2010 she released an album on which she (as with the stage productions) portrayed Eurydice, condemned to a bleak life of sweatshop-like toil in the world of Hades. The floating voice of Justin Vernon of Bon Iver as Eurydice’s musical lover, Orpheus, and the sassy brass of singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco (whose record label Righteous Babe released the recording) as Hades’ wife, Persephone, set templates for those roles that would carry over to Broadway nearly a decade later.

The toast of Broadway, Tony Awards

Mitchell ceased performing in “Hadestown” by the 2016 off-Broadway retooling (which included in its cast Vermont native and recent Tony-winner Shaina Taub), pre-Broadway tune-ups in London and Edmonton and Broadway in 2019. The Free Press saw the beefed-up Broadway show in April 2019, just before its official opening night.

“The core of ‘Hadestown’ – Mitchell’s songs – remains vividly alive,” the Free Press wrote. “It’s exciting to hear her songs in this fuller context, with the larger Broadway presentation bringing even more richness out of material Mitchell’s Vermont fans have heard for more than a decade. This more-explicitly-explained version helps reveal the brilliance not just of Mitchell’s music but of the storyline that’s always been there, lurking behind the songs that stand as vivid scenes on their own.”

That energy carried over to the Tony Awards that June. “Hadestown” won eight of Broadway’s top prizes, including Best Musical; Best Original Score for Mitchell; Best Direction of a Musical by Rachel Chavkin, who came on board for the off-Broadway show; and Best Orchestrations to Todd Sickafoose and Vermont musician Michael Chorney. Mitchell, Chorney and Vermont bass player Robinson Morse were the only artists to see “Hadestown” through from seed to fully-flourishing flower 13 years later.

The present, future of ‘Hadestown’

In a sign of a Broadway hit, the musical turned a profit by the end of 2019, months before the COVID-19 pandemic shut “Hadestown” down for 18 months. The production continues to thrive at the Walter Kerr Theatre, though almost all performers have changed from opening night.

A new cast member postponed a Vermont show to join the Broadway show. American-roots musician Allison Russell was to perform Oct. 25 at Higher Ground in South Burlington. She delayed that concert until April 30 once she was named as the next singer to portray Persephone, a role that began with Vermont vocalist Miriam Bernardo in 2006 and included DiFranco on Broadway this year. Russell joins “Hadestown” Nov. 12.

Details about the Burlington shows

Vermonters have flocked to New York to see “Hadestown” on Broadway since 2019, but those unable to get to Manhattan or who just want to see it in its state of origin can now witness the Broadway national tour at the Flynn in Burlington.

Those who haven’t bought tickets might be out of luck. Three evening performances sold out quickly. A matinee was added for Oct. 16, but that sold out in early October.

Mitchell announced Oct. 3 on social media that a portion of the proceeds from the Burlington performances will go to the Vermont Community Foundation’s Vermont Flood Response and Recovery Fund. Floods have hit Vermont hard in the past couple of years, including in Barre and Montpelier, two cities where those early creative sparks of “Hadestown” were first lit.

If you go

WHAT: Broadway national tour of “Hadestown”

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15-Thursday, Oct. 17 and 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16

WHERE: The Flynn, Burlington

INFORMATION: Sold out. www.flynnvt.org

Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com.

Poultney, a town of about 3,000 people on Vermont’s western border, is a small but vibrant community with a quaint downtown and a quintessential New England village green. In the heart of the Stone Valley, Poultney is home to some of the state’s earliest marble and granite quarries. Legend has it that its slate industry arose by accident in 1843, while a farmer was showing his land to a prospective buyer. When the buyer kicked a clump of soil, he unearthed a piece of slate, which convinced the farmer not to sell.

Poultney’s stone industry is evident in much of the historic downtown architecture, including the Journal Press Building, built in 1908 to house the town’s weekly newspaper. In fact, Poultney is the birthplace of two famous journalists: Horace Greeley, founder and editor of the New York Tribune; and George Jones, cofounder of the New York Times. The Journal Press Building is now home to Stone Valley Arts at Fox Hill.

Beginning in 1856, East Poultney became one of the country’s largest producers of the melodeon, a small reed organ that was a popular form of 19th-century parlor entertainment. Though the factory closed in 1869, the Poultney Historical Society has maintained the Melodeon Factory as a museum since 1954 and uses it to house several of its permanent exhibits.

Green Mountain College, a private liberal arts school at the base of the Taconic Mountains, was long a fixture in Poultney. After the 185-year-old college closed in 2019, the 155-acre campus was sold in 2020 to entrepreneur Raj Bhakta, founder of WhistlePig whiskey, who has applied for permits to build a hotel and condos.

Poultney’s Lake St. Catherine region is a year-round destination for outdoor recreation, including fishing, boating, swimming, snowshoeing, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

If you want to visit Poultney, Vermont, here’s a suggested itinerary.

Note: Check websites to confirm business hours for the day of your visit.

The Rail Trail Eatery

Begin your Poultney visit with a breakfast of banana caramel French toast, a freshly baked muffin, an egg sandwich or a sloppy Joe omelette with cheese. Good eats right downtown — what more could you ask for?
143 Main St., Poultney

Hit the Trails

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• Courtesy
• Slate Valley Trail in Poultney

The 19.8-mile Delaware & Hudson Rail Trail runs along an abandoned railway corridor between Castleton and West Rupert and includes the Poultney River Loop, a 3.5-mile flat, multiuse trail around downtown Poultney. For more than 50 miles of free, multiuse trails in the area, explore Slate Valley Trails any time of the year. There are at least eight trailheads in Poultney itself, with ample parking for hikers, cyclists, snowshoers and cross-country skiers.

Lake St. Catherine State Park

Searching for a place to hike, swim, fish, mountain bike or camp? This 117-acre state park has plenty to offer, whether for day use or overnight stays. There’s a sandy beach with a designated swim area; a boat launch with canoe, kayak and paddleboat rentals; an 18-hole disc golf course; a 61-site campground for tents and RVs; and a rustic cabin to rent. Lake St. Catherine’s cool waters provide excellent fishing opportunities — and keep an eye out for white-tailed deer and even the occasional moose, especially around sunset.
3034 Route 30, Poultney

Stone Valley Arts at Fox Hill

Founded in 2013, Stone Valley Arts offers classes, workshops, presentations and events in the visual, performing and literary arts for students of all ages and experience levels. Its store sells one-of-a-kind artwork from local artists and craftspeople — drop by on the weekend or make an appointment.
145 E. Main St., Poultney

Green’s Sugarhouse

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• Dreamstime
• Maple sugaring

Whether you like your maple syrup golden and delicate, amber and rich, or very dark and robust, Green’s can satisfy your sweet tooth. Guided tours are complimentary, especially during sugaring season in March and April. Or just stop by the store for maple candies, maple cream, spices, jams, preserves and more.
1846 Finel Hollow Rd., Poultney

Whaleback Vineyard

No matter whether your taste buds lean toward reds, whites, dessert or ice wines, this family-owned vineyard has a bottle or two to please everyone’s palate. Sample for yourself: Whaleback offers free tastings in a renovated 1800s barn.
202 Old Lake Rd., Poultney

Poultney Pub

Let’s face it: Poultney won’t win any awards for its hopping nightlife. Still, folks looking for rustic grub, local craft brews and live tunes can amble over to the Poultney Pub for burgers, apps, sandwiches, salads and wraps. The pub regularly hosts open mics, bluegrass nights and other musical offerings.
158 Main St., Poultney

From a mild winter to a warm, wet and humid summer, one fruit tree in particular is thriving here. The paw paw tree is native to North America and has been a staple of Indigenous peoples for centuries. It also grows the largest edible tree fruit that are native to the U.S.

Found growing in patches or thickets in the eastern U.S., and the mid-Atlantic area, weather conditions like we’ve had this past year mean this temperate climate version of a tropical fruit can also grow well in our region.

In the landscape, it can be pretty impressive, too. The paw paw tree can grow up to 20 feet tall and get heavy with fruits that look like mangoes. Plus, the paw paw tree’s leaves resemble those of an avocado. If you do plan to plant them, plant two or more to get pollination, as the flowers are not very easily pollinated by bees. (You could also try hand-pollination to nudge them along).

The trees produce large flowers first before the leaves emerge, then the fruits themselves can grow between 2 and 6 inches. The paw paw fruits vary in color from green when they are unripe, and yellowish-green with brown or black spots when ripe, in late August through late September.

When ready to eat, paw paws are soft inside with yellow flesh and large magenta seeds. The texture resembles an avocado or cherimoya, thus one of paw paw’s many nicknames — “custard apple.” You can slice them open and scoop out the flesh with a spoon or use the fruits in baking, but avoid eating the seeds and peel, as they are toxic.

Some have compared the sweet fruit’s taste to that of banana, mango and pineapple, or even a mix of all of those. Our own taste-testers tried some paw paw and weighed in with flavor descriptions likening it to mango or lychee, and even cotton candy, with sweet and floral notes.

Paw paw trees are hardy to Zone Five and they have relatively few pests. Though, once the fruits ripen, you might have to fight off the raccoons!

A question about pests on leeks

A: That sounds like it’s probably the leek moth. They lay an egg that hatches into a little caterpillar that will tunnel down into your leeks, garlic, onions and a lot of other alliums.

You could try a spray like bacillus thurengiensis or BT, like you would for a cabbage worm. But if you’d rather not use a spray, try covering your plants with micromesh right after planting. This closely-woven mesh keeps the moth from ever reaching your plants to lay eggs in the first place, thus eliminating the caterpillars.

A question about lilac blight

A: Your lilac will recover! This year, we’ve had several stressors, including a mild winter, then a wet summer, which allowed several fungal diseases to flourish, followed by warm and dry weather later in the season.

All of those conditions are causing a lot of spring bloomers, like lilacs, to flower again. You might even see forsythias and flowering quince and other shrubs flowering now, too.

Blooming now will not harm the plant but you won’t get as many flowers next year. As for your lilacs, as long as you can see live terminal green buds on the lilacs’ branches, that means that the plant is healthy and it’ll come back next year.

All Things Gardening is powered by you, our audience! Send us your toughest conundrums and join the fun. Email your question to gardening@vermontpublic.org or better yet, leave a voicemail with your gardening question so we can use your voice on the air! Call Vermont Public at 1-800-639-2192.