Parents' Guide to Hadestown: The Musical

In making this Tony-winning show widely accessible by filming it, director Brett Sullivan captures the amazing music and fantastic performances but inevitably loses a bit of the stage magic. Sullivan is very experienced in this realm, having brought many other stage productions (Billy Elliot, Aladdin, The Prince of Egypt) to the screen, and it's evident that he knows what he's doing in Hadestown. He has a lot to work with: The stage production is extraordinary, and the choice to make Hell a factory town where workers sign their lives away to work thanklessly for a heartless mogul is a metaphorical masterstroke. This choice, along with the artistry of the songs and choreography, softens many of the harsher elements of the Greek myth in a way that families are likely to welcome.

For those who aren't familiar with the original myth, the lyrics warn us from the beginning: "This is a sad song." We know it's a tragedy. Yet we're swept along by such symphonic hope that the ending still lands like a punch to the gut. Then we're rescued by a final song that explains why this story—and other sad stories—continue to be told. All of that said, as marvelous as this filmed production is, the miracle of theater lies in the watching the actors sing and dance yards away as the sets transform before our eyes. In the theater, the audience is a part of the shared visual and surround sound experience, receiving the performance as a gift and giving back through cheers and applause. Watching it through a screen removes the magical power of immersion. While it's a treat to see the show with five of the original cast members up close, the screen creates a sense of distance that ultimately leaves the experience feeling a little muted.