Posted on Dec 22, 2025"I Truly Can't Believe I'm Here": Jack Wolfe On His Broadway Debut And The Magic Of "Hadestown"From London to New York City, Jack Wolfe opens up about his journey to "Hadestown," and the people who inspired him along the way.by Andrew FirrioloBuzzFeed StaffFacebookPinterestLink It's a chilly afternoon in the city, but the Walter Kerr Theatre feels instantly warm and inviting. The beauty of Broadway theaters is never lost on me, especially when I get the chance to see one a few hours before doors open.
Jack comes out from backstage and walks over to the orchestra seats to say hi. "I saw you recently interviewed the Bob's Burgers cast!" he tells me. "That is so cool, it's one of my favorite shows." Any pre-interview nerves I had instantly melt away. I tell him how much I loved seeing Hadestown a few weeks prior. Jack Wolfe We walk over to the stage, where the crew is testing the speakers and preparing for tonight's performance. Settling into the front row, I pull out my voice recorder, and we begin our chat.
Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. BuzzFeed: How does it feel to make your Broadway debut?Jack: The idea of moving to New York for any chapter in my life was sort of unbelievable. Moving to London was already a massive dream come true. Growing up in Wakefield, I never even thought I'd get to do a show in London.I truly can't believe I'm here, and I'm so grateful. I actually just came from the Red Bucket Follies [variety show celebrating Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS] at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Hadestown placed in our group for fundraising, which is really exciting.I got to be backstage with artists like Kristin Chenoweth, Jane Krakowski, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. I was sort of feeling like, "How on earth did I end up here?" Matthew Murphy And also to debut in an iconic show like Hadestown!I've been a fan of the show since its inception. I first knew of the concept album with Justin Vernon, Anaïs Mitchell, and Ani DiFranco.A friend of mine, Emma Lucia, and I secretly made a pact that we would travel the world to see Hadestown wherever it was playing. One of my first jobs was at the National Theatre in London, and I started hearing rumblings backstage that they were planning to bring Hadestown there. I called Emma and was like, "I've heard a rumor - it's coming to London, of all places."We saw it, and even got to meet Eva Noblezada [Eurydice] and Reeve Carney [Orpheus].I love that the integrity of Hadestown has been maintained over so many years. It's on Broadway and in the West End, yet it hasn't lost its raw, underdog quality. Its poetry and uniqueness continue to draw people in. Matthew Murphy How do you personally connect to Orpheus?I think there are infinite ways to play Orpheus. A beautiful thing from [director] Rachel Chavkin and [associate director] Keenan Tyler Oliphant is the level of trust they give us. It allows us to explore the role and make it our own, while still honoring Rachel's vision.
The wonderful thing about a show with so many layers is that I've continued to discover more as I've performed it - new ideas, new choices I want to try.
There are parts of myself that I find reflected in Orpheus. One thing I was keen to explore is the idea of cost, specifically human cost. He might be a character who is "the muse," but he's also human. Something I like to explore is that Orpheus is a vessel for something bigger than himself.
The way I interpret Orpheus is that he isn't a confident sharer of his gift, and it actually makes him quite nervous to perform in front of people. I added that detail so that when he sings "Epic III" to Hades, it carries the greatest possible cost. As an actor, that creates a really compelling tension to play with. Matthew Murphy Orpheus is a very vocally challenging role. How do you keep your voice in shape?The music that [composer] Anaïs Mitchell wrote for Orpheus is really close to the music I listen to. The bands and singers I look up to are in that indie folk genre, so getting to sing that style fits me well. My last role, Gabe in Next to Normal, was more of an athletic challenge vocally. With this style, I can give more thought to the clarity of the story, making sure everything is understood, and try not to worry as much about the aesthetics of my voice.I have two incredible singing teachers. I have one in the UK, Sam Kenyon; he has been my vocal coach for years on different projects. Here in New York, I've been working with Mike Ruckles to make sure that everything is sustainable for eight shows a week.
There's an actress in London, Georgina Onuorah, and she said something that changed things for me: calming down, chilling out, and relaxing are just as essential as physically warming up. Her warm-up seems to be about releasing tension, about mentally letting go. Trusting your work, your warm-up, your vocal coaches, your body, and just enjoying the show is key.
There are so many incredible musical moments in Hadesto