“You gotta listen to this,” my teen said, pressing play on her phone. From that first taste of Telemachus singing about his desire to fight monsters like his father Odysseus, we were hooked on Epic. In this sweeping musical, composer and storyteller Jorge River-Herrans brings Homer’s classic tale alive for a new audience. If you are also huge fans of great music and stories, you need to check out this musical.
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More about Epic
Epic: the Musical is a work in progress. The official concept album is available on Spotify and YouTube. The musical is divided in sagas (or chapters), with a new saga released every few months. Currently, Jorge has completed 8 of 9 sagas. While each song and saga flows smoothly into the next, each saga has a unique theme and introduces specific characters.
For example, the Troy Saga introduces us to Odysseus as he hides in the wooden horse at Troy, issuing instructions to his fellow warriors. Having spent ten years at war, Odysseus wants only to go home to Ithaca to see his wife Penelope and son Telemachus. First, however, he meets Zeus, who gives him an unpleasant task to accomplish. With his 600 men, he sets sail and lands on the island of the Lotus-Eaters. In a flashback, we meet his mentor, the goddess Athena.
Epic follows Odysseus through the ancient Greek land of myth and legend, as he encounters various monsters, storms, and Greek gods. The journey from Troy to Ithaca is actually fairly long and complicated on a map–and its made even more so in this story by Odysseus’ encounters with mercurial gods, bad weather, and his own wavering crewmen. Throughout the story, he remains focused on one thing: getting back to Penelope and Telemachus. However, before the end of the story, that goal is going to cost him everything.
Epic is not only a physical and legendary journey around ancient Greece; it is also a psychological journey with Odysseus. As the story begins, he’s an idealistic, brave, and inspiring king and captain who has taken 600 men to war and lost none there. As he faces obstacle after obstacle on his journey home to Penelope, and more years pass, he grows ever more desperate. While I’m not facing an angry sea god or six-headed monster, there’s a lot in Odysseus’ pain and suffering (and his reaction to it) that connected with me. This is what makes The Odyssey a timeless classic, and Jorge’s profound exploration of Odysseus’ emotions and character make this musical a masterpiece.
Is Epic Suitable for Kids?
As I mentioned, my teens were the first to get hooked on Epic and soon drew the rest of us into the story. We have now all listened to all the sagas currently available, from my 16-year-old to my 6-year-old. This has prompted some great family discussions about Odysseus’ choices in various scenes, what actually happened at Troy, different types of monsters, and more.
Epic does handle some dark themes. There’s infanticide (“Just a Man” and “Monster”), fighting monsters throughout most sagas, the death of Odysseus’ best friend, massacre (“Different Beast”), and mutiny (“Mutiny”). Suicide is hinted at in “Love in Paradise,” as Odysseus struggles with his memories of where he’s been and the choices he’s made. Odysseus’ faithfulness to Penelope comes up on several occasions, as various goddesses try to tempt him (spoiler: they fail). There’s some bad language (but not enough for Spotify to label any songs “E”).
We usually skip the darker songs when listening with my younger children, but they have heard the entire saga at least once and we’ve discussed what happens in the story. I would recommend listening to the songs once before letting kids under 10 listen, so you can decide whether your kids are ready for the topics mentioned or not.
Diving into Ancient Greek History
We were already fans of ancient Greek myths and legends, thanks to Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books. We’ve also studied ancient Greece and Rome several times in our homeschooling years. Epic: the Musical has reawakened the kids’ interest in all things Greek, and we’ve trundled off to the library to read the original poem ourselves, as well as to learn more about everything surrounding it.
The Odyssey is one of the oldest works of literature still widely read today, and was written in 800 BCE. It is often paired with The Iliad, which is the story of the Trojan War. While both poems are attributed to Homer, he may have simply written down what were long-standing oral legends and stories. They have been used as school texts since the days of ancient Greece and have influenced numerous novels, movies, and more.
There are many kid-friendly adaptations of this story, including:
- Tales from the Odyssey by Mary Pope Osborne
- The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel
- The Odyssey (large book with numerous pictures)
Kids may also be interested in learning about the topics mentioned in the musical:
- Classical Kids: An Activity Guide to Life in Ancient Greece and Rome
- Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Greece
- Introduction to Greek Mythology for Kids: A Fun Collection of the Best Heroes, Monsters, and Gods in Greek Myth
More about Jorge Rivera-Herrans
Jorge Rivera-Herrans is the voice of Odysseus in Epic. He was raised in Puerto Rico and is now a singer, songwriter, and storyteller extraordinaire. Epic was inspired by video games and anime/animation. To find out more about him, drop by his website.
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