(Cover Photo: Will Mann as "Hermes," Amaya Braganza as "Eurydice," J. Antonio Rodriguez as "Orpheus" and the CAST of "HADESTOWN" by Anaïs Mitchell coming to the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston April 23 through April 28, 2024. Photo Credit: Charles Erickson)

By Kevin T. Baldwin

METRMAG Reviewer

# 774-242-6724

METRMAG Spotlight On: Amaya Braganza is “Eurydice” in the Boch Center Wang Theatre's "HADESTOWN"

The Boch Center Wang Theatre

Presents the Smash Broadway Musical 

"HADESTOWN"

"HADESTOWN" will play the Boch Center Wang Theatre for a limited engagement!

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Book, Music & Lyrics by Anaïs Mitchell 

Developed with and Directed by Rachel Chavkin 

Cast Includes: Amaya Braganza as “Eurydice,” Lana Gordon ss “Persephone,” Will Mann as “Hermes,” Matthew Patrick Quinn as “Hades,” J. Antonio Rodriguez as “Orpheus”; Fates: Marla Louissaint, Lizzie Markson, Hannah Schreer; Workers: Sevon Askew, Jamal Lee Harris, Cate Hayman, Quiana Onrae’l Holmes, Daniel Tracht; Swing: Nick Cortazzo, Ian Coulter-Buford, Kc Dela Cruz, Timothy H. Lee, Cecilia Trippiedi

Additional Creative Team:

Choreographer - David Neumann; Scenic Designer - Rachel Hauck; Costume Designer - Michael Krass; Lighting Designer - Bradley King; Sound Designers - Nevin Steinberg, Jessica Paz; Musical Director and Vocal Arrangements - Liam Robinson; Orchestrations/Arrangements - Michael Chorney, Todd Sickafoose; Dramaturg - Ken Cerniglia; Tour Hair Designer - Jennifer Mullins; Music Coordinator - David Lai; Tour Music Director - Eric Kang; Casting - Whitley Theatrical, Tour Booking Agency, The Booking Group; Tour Marketing and Press - Allied Global Marketing; Advertising/Marketing – Spotco; Press Representative - Rick Miramontez, DKO / O&M; Social Media - Mike Karns, Marathon Digital; Diversity Marketing Consultant - Realemn Productions; Tour Production Management - Aurora Productions; Tour Production Stage Manager - Joel Rosen; Tour Company Manager - Denny Daniello; General Management - RCI Theatricals; Producers: Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, Tom Kirdahy.

Performances:

April 23, 2024 at 7:00pm

April 24, 25, 2024 at 7:30pm

April 26, 2024 at 8:00pm 

April 27, 2024 at 2:00pm & 8:00pm

April 28, 2024 at 1:00pm & 6:30pm

BOCH CENTER WANG THEATRE, 270 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116 

TICKETS:

TICKET PRICES Start at $63

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PARKING BOOK PARKING

COVID 19 PROTOCOLS

Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.

METRMAG Spotlight On: Amaya Braganza is “Eurydice” in the Boch Center Wang Theatre's "HADESTOWN"

The 2024 Tour of "HADESTOWN" hits the stage at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston for a scorching tale of desperation, class struggle and environmental clashes, all told in a brilliantly powerful, most inventive way.  

The 2019 Broadway juggernaut opened to rave reviews and seemingly endless awards, winning 8 of their 14 Tony Award nominations (including Best Musical and Best Original Score). 

While the show could hardly be described as anything "basic," "HADESTOWN" is, basically, a cautionary tale - a foreboding and ostentatious musical with overwhelming themes of power - power both romantic and political and both equally corruptible. 

For those who may not be aware, there is also a New England connection to the mammoth hit musical. 

In 2006, the show actually had its premiere in Barre, Vermont and toured between Vermont and Massachusetts during 2007.  

Now, right off the bat, I was faced with a slightly perplexing issue with this interview. 

Normally, I like to ask my interview subjects if they can recall their earliest experiences prior to hitting the professional stage. 

However, for "HADESTOWN"'s latest "Eurydice," AMAYA BRAGANZA, the actress has pretty much been on the professional stage since nearly birth...or darn close to it.

The 20-something Californian made her Broadway debut as the character 'July" in the 2012 revival of “Annie,” when BRAGANZA couldn’t have been more than 12-years-old. 

BRAGANZA would later follow this up with Broadway's revival of “The King and I” in 2016 and, in 2023, as an adult, would return to Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop to appear as "Nikki" in the Off-Broadway production of “How to Defend Yourself” (which was co-directed by "HADESTOWN" director Rachel Chavkin).

On screen, in 2018, BRAGANZA appeared in the HBO series, “Succession” in the second season episode "Safe Room."

According to her "HADESTOWN" bio, BRAGANZA is described as a "Proud Filipino-American" who also makes music with her sisters as "The Braganza Sisters" and whose music can be found on all streaming platforms a la @thebraganzasisters."

BRAGANZA, who hails from Southern California, is also working toward fulfilling a BSW in Social Work at Fordham University. 

The actress recalls her younger days with her siblings and being taught by their mother. 

“My mom was a teacher and she had a hard time juggling between her job and taking care of us," says BRAGANZA. "So, we were home schooled, which made the transition into this industry a little easier.” 

in the 2012 Broadway revival of "Annie," BRAGANZA shared the stage with her sister, Adriana. While unusual for siblings to share the Broadway spotlight like that, it is not as uncommon when it comes to a show like “Annie.” 

Yet, even before "Annie" and "King and I," BRAGANZA notes how performing seemed to be in her DNA.

“Ever since I could speak, my great grandma, every time we went over to her house, the karaoke machine was out," BRAGANZA recalls. "The arts are a big part of the Filipino culture. So, those were really my very first performances - in front of family and people, those are probably my earliest experiences. I have a lot of my love for the arts but also for my Filipino culture.” 

Again, normally in these interviews I like to discuss how a performer makes their decision to perform professionally and how their family reacted at the time but, in this case, the decision by BRAGANZA to pursue this career could not have been that much of a shock, could it? 

“I have a lot of gratitude for my parents for being there for me and being supportive every step of the way. They said ‘as long as you’re happy, we’ll support you.’” 

“I did go to school studying social work - but I decided to study something else instead since performing has been my whole world." 

“I did not expect to go in at such a young age. I was doing this for fun as an extracurricular activity. I never thought about it seriously," BRAGANZA remembers. "There was an open casting call for ‘Annie’ and I ended up booking it.” 

Still, while working professionally as a performer, BRAGANZA emphasizes how "activism is also important to me and combining the two - art and activism - can be merged to present storytelling of representation for marginalized communities.” 

As mentioned. BRAGANZA also performs with sisters, Anika and Adriana, (Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend” with Anika) as "The Braganza Sisters" either as a trio or as duos. Below is a sample of their work, a song entitled "Mirror."

Now being on tour, it must be difficult for the BRAGANZA sisters to get together to perform but AMAYA BRAGANZA says that is something they hope to continue in the future. 

“Yes, definitely. We grew up singing together," BRAGANZA says. "It is a really special thing to be able to make music together, and I definitely want to go on doing it with those people with whom I am close with and love.” 

To go from “Annie” to "HADESTOWN" in approximately 10 years time is extraordinary.

“Yes – Of course, and 'Eurydice' has always been a dream role for me," BRAGANZA says.

That said, BRAGANZA remembers another time, another show and another role between the two musicals which served as a pivotal moment in BRAGANZA's journey as an actor.

In 2023, BRAGANZA was cast in a new play, "How to Defend Yourself" in which she recalls how she worked on "creating the role." 

“It was a truly collaborative process and one in which I had a lot of say, which I had not had that kind of experience before," BRAGANZA says. "So, it was nice for me to originate a role that was personal to me and it was an important story. I was grateful for that experience and for the people I met along the way.” 

Now, BRAGANZA finds herself in "HADESTOWN," a musical featuring music, lyrics and book by Anaïs Mitchell, brings us a uniquely told version of the ancient Greek myth of "Orpheus" and BRAGANZA's character, "Eurydice."   

It was "How to Defend Yourself" co-director Rachel Chavkin who helped re-vitalize the stage production for the ultimate 2019 Broadway premiere and, the rest, as they say, is history...or, in this case, mythology. 

Chavkin added a pivotal, more engaging environmental take, using climate change as a core element, then also provided new material, songs and dialogue.   

Chavkin won a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose also won for Best Orchestration.  

Among other Tony Award technical categories for which "HADESTOWN" won included Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. 

All the musical's main characters are introduced by Greek god "Hermes" (played on this latest tour by Will Mann) in the opener, "Road to Hell" which BRAGANZA notes as being among one of her favorite songs from the musical.

“I love ‘Road to Hell’ - the first song in the show – because it’s a song about connection and how the whole cast is on stage and we are ourselves at the beginning and then we say ‘okay, let’s do this.’" 

“There are a lot of 'points of connections' to be had with the audience," BRAGANZA says. "In a heavy show like this, it’s also nice to have this particular moment – a moment where we can connect with the audience as a cast, as ourselves, and collectively as a community on stage.”

Before seeing the script or being cast in this latest production, had BRAGANZA ever read the story before, or seen the musical? 

“Yes. I saw it a few months after it opened and immediately fell in love," BRAGANZA says. "I had never seen anything like it before. The whole show is done in a very poetic manner and in a style I hadn’t really heard in a Broadway musical before.” 

BRAGANZA describes the casting process. 

“I came in for callbacks, sang three songs from the show and did that in front of the directors. The next day I got another call back and I sang again. We worked on the songs and then, a few days later, I got the call that I had booked the show.”

In the story, "Hades" invites BRAGANZA's character, "Eurydice" - a desperate, starving young girl - to come to "HADESTOWN" in his song, "Hey, Little Songbird."  

The "Fates" also urge Eurydice to join Hades in the song, "When the Chips are Down." 

Not long into the story, though, Eurydice finds herself working in a hellish industrial version of the Greek underworld to help escape her dire circumstances. 

The “Workers” Eurydice sees in "HADESTOWN" act as a Greek Chorus, of sorts, but by referring to them as such almost seems to do them an injustice, as (similar to the "Fates") they serve as far more than an echo on stage. 

(Photo: Will Mann as "Hermes," Amaya Braganza as "Eurydice," J. Antonio Rodriguez as "Orpheus" and the CAST of "HADESTOWN" by Anaïs Mitchell coming to the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston April 23 through April 28, 2024. Photo Credit: Charles Erickson)

BRAGANZA describes Eurydice and her journey to "HADESTOWN." 

“Eurydice (no spoilers) but, even though she basically gives up her life, she is a fighter and survivor. But she goes through a lot of loss, which I didn’t really catch on when I first saw the show," BRAGANZA says. "Now that I’ve done more of a ‘deep dive,’ it has really cleared up a lot about that survivor's instinct that she carries with her.” 

“Eurydice is at a point of loss when she has nothing and feels going to HADESTOWN is for the best. She gives up her life and goes to the underworld. But she does cry for help.” 

After being cast and beginning the rehearsal process, what were some of the challenges BRAGANZA faced as an actress in trying to present the character of Eurydice? 

“I attribute a lot of what I do to our amazing director and assistant director, breaking down the scenes and breaking down the character,” BRAGANZA says with high praise. 

“Coming into such an established role, they worked with me on how to best establish my own take on her.” 

BRAGANZA then notes how she strives to maintain the consistency of the character as written while adding elements of her own personality to the role.

“I like to create a little ‘Bible’ of the character, to give her a background – things not on the page - a backstory that is something I keep to myself. I create the mood and how I view the overall aesthetic of the character.” 

“I add my own to twist to it and make it more personal to me," BRAGANZA says. "There’s also a lot of scene work and working with the music director on what each song means throughout her journey in the story.” 

Because BRAGANZA began working professionally at such an early time in her life, is it possible that the “Annie” experience helped the young performer transition to becoming a performer as an adult? More specifically, did BRAGANZA pick up on 'technical things' as a child actor that other kids might not have picked up when it comes to working in a Broadway level production? 

“Yes. I think, being in such a professional space so early on, you do pick up on a certain professional work ethic," BRAGANZA says. "Not just professionalism, but what to expect and what I should know going in as an actor. Also, I learned how I should interact with directors and casting directors and, just in general, how the whole industry works.”

(Photo: Amaya Braganza as "Eurydice" embraced by J. Antonio Rodriguez as "Orpheus" in a moment from the musical "HADESTOWN" by Anaïs Mitchell coming to the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston April 23 through April 28, 2024. Photo Credit: Charles Erickson)

BRAGANZA describes the "HADESTOWN" touring cast and creative team as a "dream team." 

“I think this is one of my favorite casts with which to work," BRAGANZA says. "Working with this director in how they collaborate with me, the actor, it really makes me feel seen as an artist." 

And with the cast?

"We travel together, we are all living in the same hotels, we spend so much time together," BRAGANZA says. "We are close but it is important to have a close cast because we are the ones holding each other up during every performance. I feel very lucky to share the stage with them each night.” 

BRAGANZA once performed at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston before as a teenager in the ’King and I’ and discusses what she hopes audiences will walk away with after seeing her now in "HADESTOWN."

“A lot of hope," BRAGANZA says. "'HADESTOWN' tells the haunting truth of the world we live in. But there is a reason WE tell the story - which is to bring hope and love to the world and for the better.”

"HADESTOWN" will play at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston from April 23, 2024 through April 28, 2024.

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Approximately two hours, 30 minutes with intermission. 

Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)

@MetrmagReviews

@Theatre_Critics 

ABOUT THE SHOW

Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and innovative director Rachel Chavkin ("Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812") is a love story for today… and always. 

"AN AFFIRMATION OF ART’S TRANSFORMATIVE POWER" Will Hermes, Rolling Stone

"HADESTOWN" intertwines two mythic tales, that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. 

Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. 

Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers and singers, "HADESTOWN" is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go. 

Nominated for a multitude of awards, comes the story of two mythic tales of imagination, faith, and love. "HADESTOWN"'s haunting and romantic theatrical experience will capture its audience with its brilliant and passionate twist on the classic Greek Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. 

According to the New York Times, this is a sumptuous, gorgeous, and as good as it gets masterpiece you do not want to miss!

("HADESTOWN" will play the Boch Center Wang Theatre for a limited engagement!)

ABOUT THE WANG AND SHUBERT THEATRES

Just as the city and audience have evolved with the times, the Boch Center, as guardian of the WANG and SHUBERT THEATRES (and from 2012-15, the Center also managed the historic Emerson Colonial Theatre), has changed to meet the needs of its community. 

Uniquely using a Balanced Scorecard (a Fortune 500 management framework), strategy map, and strategic dashboard, the Boch Center ensures that our Theatres and programs stay relevant to the community we serve. Today, the Boch Center is considered a best practice institution and nonprofit arts leader. With the belief that arts make and keep us a civilized nation, the Boch Center is dedicated to providing high-quality, diverse and culturally relevant arts and entertainment, and arts education programming for New England residents and visitors.

ABOUT THE BOCH CENTER

The Boch Center is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit performing arts institutions and a guardian of the historic WANG and SHUBERT THEATRES. As New England’s largest cultural venue, the Boch Center is home to theater, classical and popular music, dance, comedy, opera, Broadway musicals, family entertainment, and more. Located in Boston’s historic Theater District, the Boch Center also offers a diverse mix of educational, cultural and community outreach initiatives, including the City Spotlights Leadership Program and the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame; collaborates with artists and local nonprofit arts organizations; preserves historic venues; and acts as a champion for Greater Boston’s arts and cultural community. Learn more at bochcenter.org.