The New Cast of ‘Hadestown’ Is Causing a Stir. Especially Hades’ Domestic Violence Arrest
The new cast of Hadestown has been announced, and the internet is not pleased. In a post on X, the official Hadestown account uploaded a video showing a handful of actors from the production, one of whom is former CSI star Gay Douden, who was arrested for felony battery in November 2011. The caption for the post was “give him just a chance,” a lyric from the Fleetwood Mac song “Silver Springs” that accompanied the video.
Users in the comment section believe the post to be in extremely poor taste. In response to the post, one X user commented “no, I don’t think I will.” Another user wrote “‘give him a chance’ he broke a womans nose.” Douden avoided serving jail time for allegedly attacking his partner, and pled “no contest” to his felony charge. He was sentenced to five years of formal probation and was ordered to complete 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling. While serving his probation, he was legally forbidden to see his now ex-girlfriend.
In an interview with E! News, Dourden attempted to clear his name, saying, “I have been waiting a long time and I haven’t had a voice.” The actor went on to say that he “did not do this,” denying any wrongdoing. A “no contest” plea means that a defendant accepts their conviction and sentencing, but does not formally admit guilt. While this plea generally results in the same legal penalties, it protects the defendant from future civil lawsuits. A “no contest plea” can also be a part of a plea bargain, made with the prosecution in exchange for a lighter sentence.
While Dourden has not publicly admitted guilt, fans of Hadestown are not willing to absolve him. “f*ck you and your abusive cast members,” writes one user in response to the post. Another writes, “we’re not giving a woman-beater a chance.” Other users were floored by the insensitivity of the post, writing “it’s not too late to delete this.”
While fans of Hadestown are outraged at Dourden’s criminal history, the anger is also focused on the Hadestown production itself. “Genuinely disgusting caption to put when they are absolutely aware of how upset everyone is about this hades casting,” writes one user. Many feel that the caption downplays the seriousness of Dourden’s conviction and trivializes the suffering and trauma caused by domestic violence. For a show that explores the painful realities of romantic relationships, the post is oblivious to the greater message of Hadestown itself.
(featured image: HELEN MAYBANKS/2019 HADESTOWN ON BROADWAY)
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