Tony’s award-winning musical ‘Hadestown’ – the unusual New Orleans-infused hit show based on the Greek tale of Orpheus traveling to the underworld to save Eurydice – returned to Broadway on Thursday after what could best be described as a year from hell.

After the performance, crowds gathered in front of the Walter Kerr Theater as the cast and group walked to the theater’s flower-covered balcony above the street. They sang tunes from the show, as well as Bill Withers’ version of “Lean On Me,” and tossed red flowers at fans below.

Jujamcyn Theaters owner Jordan Roth, whose theaters include the Kerr, called the moment “magical.”

“During that year and a half, one of the ‘Hadestown’ songs I kept coming back to was ‘Wait for Me’, a ballad sung by Orpheus, performed by Reeve Carney, and Hermes, performed by the incomparable Andre de Shields, Roth tell us.

Continuing the reopening, he said: “This is what we have all been waiting for – singing and feeling, laughing and healing, together. That’s what Broadway is.

The show won eight Tony Awards in 2019, including Best Musical, and received 14 nominations.

Broadway went dark in March 2020, and a handful of shows recently opened.

Bruce Springsteen‘s “Springsteen on Broadway” reopened in June, while Sara Bareilles’ “Waitress” also returned this week, and top hits such as “The Lion King”, “Wicked”, “Hamilton” and “Chicago “will return on September 14.

Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu’s play “Pass Over” also took to the stage in August to rave reviews.

“Hadestown” had its world premiere in Vermont in 2006, and the musical created by Anaïs Mitchell at the time. took 13 years to make it Broadway when it opened at Kerr.