Tony Winner Levi Kreis on Taking on Hermes and Greek Mythology in ‘Hadestown’
06.05.2022 - 23:33
/ variety.com
Jenelle Riley Deputy Awards, Features EditorLevi Kreis was a born performer, a singer-songwriter touring for audiences from the age of 12 and landing a full scholarship to study piano at Vanderbilt University when he was only a sophomore in high school. But he never considered a career as an actor.
“It never crossed my mind,” Kreis, who was born and raised in Oliver Springs, Tenn., admits. That all changed when he was crashing on a friend’s couch in Los Angeles and came across an open call for the national tour of “Rent.” With no headshot or resume, he joined the long line at the cattle call, sang “I Can’t Make You Love Me” for his audition and promptly landed the lead role of Roger in the iconic musical.Admitting it was “insane,” Kreis didn’t take it for granted.
After the tour he began to study at Warner Loughlin Studios and pursue acting while also balancing a fruitful career as a singer-songwriter. He won the 2010 Tony Award for his Broadway debut as Jerry Lee Lewis in “Million Dollar Quartet” — a performance that had him not only playing, but seemingly channeling, the legendary singer.
Now, Kreis finds himself testing his stamina with another energetic, full-throttle role as Hermes in the national tour of “Hadestown,” now in Los Angeles at the Ahmanson Theatre through May 29. The Tony-winning musical boasts music, lyrics and book by Anaïs Mitchell, and combines characters from Greek mythology — most notably Orpheus, Eurydice, Hades and Persephone — with an updated flair that incorporates musical styles from jazz to folk.
Hermes serves as the narrator of the proceedings, and Broadway veteran André De Shields won his first Tony Award for playing the role. As played by Kreis, Hermes is both storyteller and host of the
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