Grace Reichenau, Staff Writer
Musicals have long been a celebrated art form, combining traditional theater with various genres of music such as jazz, hip-hop, and more. However, nobody could have predicted that a musical that has never been staged would take center stage among theater fanatics: enter “Epic”: The Musical. The composer, Jorge Rivera-Herrans, started composing the musical inspired by The Odyssey in 2019 for his senior thesis project, but it has since grown into a series of albums with almost 3,000,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. What is it about “Epic” that sets it apart from other musicals?
“Epic”’s production has been anything but conventional. When the musical was still unfinished, Riviera-Herrans would document his work with social media posts, including clips from auditions. In each of these, he would encourage his viewers to audition—this means anyone—until he could find the voice he was looking for. Additionally, while a musical’s original cast recording would normally be released all at once, “Epic”’s soundtrack is broken up into nine sagas that were gradually revealed over two years. During this time, Riviera-Herrans would update the audience on his progress. Between these updates and interactions between cast members, many eyes have been on this project and fans eagerly await the next installment of the story, similar to an airing TV series.
The musical follows the Greek hero, Odysseus, and his famous journey home after fighting in the Trojan War. However, “Epic” deviates from its source material in many areas. Most strikingly is Odysseus’s character development. The original Odysseus was the embodiment of the heroic ideal: strong, brilliant, and perfect, if not for his arrogance. “Epic”’s Odysseus exemplifies the heroic ideal, but is also a flawed and nuanced character. For example, his confrontation with the cyclops, Polyphemus, is about the same in both stories. The crew arrives on an island and slaughters some sheep, which disturbs the man-eating monster. Odysseus tricks Polyphemus in two ways: he offers him an abundance of wine to interfere with his senses and gives himself the false name: Nobody. This ploy leaves Polyphemus vulnerable and prevents him from receiving help from his allies.
In this situation, Odysseus could have killed Polyphemus, but settled for blinding him in order to escape, revealing his real name on his way out. The reasoning for this is where the two stories vary. Homer’s Odysseus acts out of foolish pride; he wants it to be known that he outsmarted the cyclops. In “Epic”, however, he’s haunted by the infant he killed in Troy: declaring that the world could use more mercy and wanting it to be known that he spared the cyclops. By the end of the story, Odysseus has turned into a completely different character. “Epic” turns from a military legend into anti-war messaging.
One of the most important things about a musical is the intention behind the lyrics and form. Some musical theater songs have difficulty balancing the rhythm and storytelling, while others can do it effortlessly and in a way that adds to the narrative and characterization. While Chicago is completely different from “Epic”, they are similar in their ability to incorporate story into their music in a way that enhances both. Set in the Roaring ’20s, with a cast of people who are easygoing, yet chaotic, the whole musical centers around the gritty jazz that was popular at the time. “Chicago,” while simple compared to some modern giants, is a perfect example of what a musical should accomplish. Similarly, while it doesn’t stick to one genre, I believe that “Epic”’s music aids in encapsulating its characters. Riviera-Herrans has mentioned his childhood love of Peter and the Wolf, and that inspiration is visible in his compositions. Odysseus encounters the wind god, Aeolus, in “Keep Your Friend’s Close”, which opens with the fittingly airy sound of the flute and a playful tune to fit her mischievous personality. In a similar vein, “There Are Other Ways” uses the form of the tango to communicate Circe’s intentions to seduce Odysseus without explicitly stating it in the lyrics. Riviera-Herrans’ unique instrumental allows each character to feel memorable, regardless of how brief their appearance may be.
Each song in “Epic: The Musical” serves a purpose. Despite the variety of songs, the soundtrack altogether feels cohesive and satisfying. Riviera-Herrans adapted The Odyssey masterfully by keeping it recognizable yet fresh and modern. Many look forward to the day when the musical transforms from a few concept albums to an onstage or film production, though this probably won’t be for a while. In the meantime, “Epic” has a flourishing and dedicated fanbase that creates incredible fanworks that can temporarily quench the thirst for more. These are the same fans who watched as “Epic” grew from a school project to what it is today.