2026 marks the 25th anniversary of  the Grayslake Central Theater, first opening in 2001 after significant renovations, and also the 20th anniversary of “Hadestown” the musical. This year, to celebrate the momentous anniversaries of both. GCHS Encore! is presenting “Hadestown: Teen Edition.” “Hadestown,” the original musical, was first performed in Barre, Vermont in 2006, and was written by Anaïs Mitchell. This musical opened on Broadway on Apr. 17, 2019, winning eight Tony Awards and a Grammy. The musical is a blend of two Greek myths, Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone, combining stories about both love and hardship. 

“Hadestown: Teen Edition” is being performed four times at GCHS from Nov. 20 to Nov. 22, 2026, with over 100 student actors, musicians, and technicians. Actors rehearse five days a week, learning songs and dances for the musical, while members who are technicians work on set two days a week, building the set, hanging lights, working on sound and audio, and designing costumes. The majority of the work put into the musical is produced by students with crew leaders helping with choreography and to stage some of the dances. Sitting in the theater watching the actors rehearse they showed and represented dedication and hard work.

Maureen Ritter, the theater teacher and director of “Hadestown: Teen Edition,” explained what makes this show unique. “The biggest way it’s different is that this is a ‘sung through’ musical. Instead of having scenes and then a song, the whole story is told by the actors singing and dancing,” Ritter said. This makes “Hadestown: Teen Edition” unique to past Encore! and GCHS theater productions; others sung through musicals include “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Hamilton,” and “Cats.”

Junior Dani Racho, an ensemble cast member, spoke about the unique stage production this year. “Hadestown is the underworld, and to represent our underworld we are using the pit, since it’s under the ground. We have our workers who live in Hadestown rising up from the pit, and representing where we stand in ‘God’s almighty world’ [in the show].”

With the unique challenges of a show of this magnitude, like designing in the pit and the ‘sung through’ element, comes problem solving for technicians and crew. Alex Hartmann, senior and Sound Crew Head, said with the complexity of the stage production, challenges rise for audio particularly. “Dealing with the balance between the actors and the microphone for the pit [has been challenging] because sound leaks through the actors mics, especially because the band is so loud, it just projects all across the stage.” Hartmann and the rest of the sound crew have to “really mak[e] sure that the actors put the mics on the right spot on their face, making sure that everything is set up correctly, optimized for best sound,” Hartmann said.

The musical itself helps students not only get involved in the high school theater program, but also helps them connect with the people around them. Senior Moira  Kleinofen, an ensemble member, said, “It’s a really supportive cast and it’s just a lot of fun to make.”

Freshman Colin Colesia, an ensemble member, said, “[It is] a cool experience being in a show of this caliber.”

Sophomore Gabe Cardona, an ensemble member, said his work is “very fun, very eventful. [Hanging] out with friends and [doing] something [he] [enjoys]” is the highlight of working on “Hadestown: Teen Edition.” Sophomore Colleen Dilger, taking the role Fate #1, said, “[My work is] fun to put together. It’s such a great opportunity to get to work with people that are in this company, and I just think it’s just a great production.”

Hartmann reflected on his favorite part of the grueling rehearsal process, with a looming November 20 premiere date. “My favorite part is the Sitzprobe, the first time the band and actors are together.” Hartmann is most looking forward to “being able to present the months of hard work to an audience.” It is the 25th anniversary of the GCHS theater and it is bound to be eventful.