On February 19, the Woodhaven Theater Company began auditions for the 2025 spring musical: Hadestown. The audition – open to all – consisted of learning a short dance portion along with vocal cuts; all those interested were asked to prepare regarding memorization and wearing proper attire for movement. Following this, students excitedly anticipated seeing the cast list – especially the selections for the lead roles of Eurydice, Orpheus, Hades, and Persephone.
Soon, the official casting was revealed, and senior Kaylie Ferris was in disbelief as she saw her name at the top of the list, declaring that she would be playing the lead role of Eurydice. Despite having years of involvement and experience in the performance arts, Ferris had never been in a musical before; on top of that, she had never even attempted to audition for any show prior to Hadestown. Consequently, Ferris was “super nervous,” yet overflowing with excitement and emotions after seeing the news; she expressed, “I’ve had no prior theater experience, but since I have a lot of passion for this role, I made it my priority to let that shine through in my audition.”
The lead female character – Eurydice – is a runaway who is described to be both tough and vulnerable. Ferris exclaimed, “I feel so blessed to be given the chance to portray Eurydice’s story, and I’m super excited for the entire show in general because it’s my favorite musical.” As a whole, the Hadestown musical tells a story revolving around Greek Mythology; it takes the audience on a trip to the “underground,” telling the passionate love story of Eurydice and Orpheus and intertwining it with the tale of King Hades and his wife Persephone.
Moreover, Ferris has emphasized how special this new experience is – especially since the show will be a huge part of her final senior year memories. Outside of her new schedule of theater rehearsals, Ferris says she usually spends a lot of time singing, playing piano, and expressing her creativity on TikTok. However, most of all, Ferris enjoys hanging out with her friends – some of whom were also cast in the musical. One of Ferris’s close friends, Jeffrey Prueitt, was cast to play the lead character Orpheus – Eurydice’s partner – alongside her. In addition to this, another one of Ferris’s close friends, Raul Lopez, was cast as Hades – a supporting lead role in the tale. This specific aspect of the show has been especially exciting for Ferris, as the three of them will have opportunities to engage in many fun scenes on stage together.
Ultimately, Ferris is not taking this experience for granted, having clearly established her devotion to the role of Eurydice. Until the show’s official opening night on May 8, Ferris and the rest of the Hadestown cast will continue to rehearse on a daily basis. The musical will be shown at 7 p.m. in the Woodhaven High School auditorium on May 8-10. The Woodhaven Theater Company has a history of impressive performances that all audiences will enjoy, so be sure to attend between the musical’s three-day showing period for an outstanding night filled with talent and entertainment!
