This year, freshmen at Carrollton are reading “The Odyssey,” an old Greek myth, which tells the story of a man willing to face any foe, monster, or Greek god to make it back to his wife and son. It is a story that has captivated students in English classrooms for many years, but it has also undergone numerous adaptations to attract modern audiences.
Jorge Riviera-Herrans, an independent music producer, has been working since 2019 to turn this story into a musical, “Epic.” Recently, his work has received a lot of attention on social media. “Epic” uses catchy lyrics and incredibly powerful vocals to further enhance the storytelling.
If you enjoy Greek mythology, musicals in general, or if you just want to further understand the story for your English class, then give “Epic: The Musical” a try.
One reason for the musical’s high popularity is the fact that several TikTokers such as Troy Doherty (as Hermes) and Janani K. Jha (as Aphrodite) joined the ensemble to enhance the story and advertise it on their accounts. In fact, every member of the cast has appeared on TikTok at least once, some making a cameo on Jorge Riviera-Herrans’ account and others posting on their own.
This musical will pull your heartstrings as it shocks you with sudden surprises and intense battles. The captivating melodies and plot twists are what drew me to this musical and led me to listen to it so often that Jorge Riviera-Herrans was the top artist on my Apple Music Wrapped.
“Epic” is separated into nine different parts called “sagas,” which have been released as separate albums each containing 3-5 songs focusing on a different crucial fight in the story. The musical has not had a stage production yet, relying on music platforms to share it with the world.
The sagas explore different musical styles/genres, which appeal to many different listeners.
In these next few paragraphs, there’s a list of my favorite songs from each saga.
If you plan on listening to this musical, be aware that the next part of this article contains some spoilers!
Troy Saga: “Just a Man”
The beautiful sounds of the background singers and the intense conflicting emotions felt by Odyseuss throughout this song make it my favorite from this saga.
Cyclops Saga: “Remember Them”
The suspense felt throughout this song and the plot twist mixed with powerful storytelling make it a fan favorite for many, including me. It is a very different song from the others in the saga, but stunning nonetheless.
Ocean Saga: “Storm”
The first song in this saga makes me sing along at full volume every time it plays, but also sets up the story for what’s going to come next.
Circe Saga: “Wouldn’t You Like”
This song is my favorite because it is a welcome comic relief after all of the more serious songs in the saga. Hermes is one of my favorite characters as well.
Underworld Saga: “It’s No Longer You”
The catchy, beautiful vocals, leave you with emotions tearing at your very being. You will be begging to know what happens next in the story.
Thunder Saga: “Thunder Bringer”
I listened to this on the day the saga came out, and this is amazing cliffhanger that had me sitting at the edge of my bed unable to believe what happened.
Wisdom Saga: “Love in Paradise”
Even though I don’t like her character, the actor for Calypso has a gorgeous voice, and the multitude of emotions shown throughout this song by the actors and instruments make it awe-inspiring.
Vengeance Saga: “Dangerous”
Back again with my favorite character, he comes back as funny and lovable as ever in his encore. This song is also very upbeat, unlike the others in this saga.
Ithaca Saga: “Would you Fall in Love with me Again?”
All I’m going to say is that I cried after hearing this song for the first time. And the second time. And many times after that…In a good way.
Now that the concept albums are complete, Jorge Riviera-Herrans has been posting updates about the release of the live stage adaptation. Thanks to “Epic: The Musical,” the story of “The Odyssey” is able to live on in a new light.
