Kaitlyn Leister Associate Arts & Culture Editor
“Epic: The Musical” is a concept musical by Jorge Rivera-Herrans following a spin on the classic Greek myth of “The Odyssey” by the poet Homer. Each album is separated into what are referred to as sagas, surrounding specific events from the story, seven out of the planned nine being released so far. This concept musical has taken the internet by storm, filling it with fan art and animation, with multitudes of people covering the vast array of songs.
The main character Odysseus, played by creator Jorge Rivera-Herrans, is accompanied by his right-hand man Eurylochus, voiced by Armando Julián, to return home from the Trojan War. Over this journey home, varying Gods are watching and interfering when they want to.
Filled with varying callbacks to other Greek myths, this soundtrack is perfect for those who enjoy mythology.
A heartwarming voice in the final saga of Act One is Wanda Herrans as Anticlea, Odysseus’s mother, and yes she is Jorge Rivera-Herrans’s mother. In her voice in the song “The Underworld,” one can feel the mother-son bond as Anticlea sings of waiting for her son to come home.
“The Troy Saga,” “The Cyclops Saga,” “The Ocean Saga,” “The Circe Saga,” and “The Underworld Saga” can tell so much in just over one hour. All of the sagas are filled with a wide array of different instruments and background music for each character, helping to signal who is in what scene. The heartache and destruction that goes from the happiness of being able to leave the war to realizing you might never return home has made me cry on the numerous times I have relistened to the first act. You can hear and feel the slow break of Odysseus’ soul with the death of many of his crew, and constantly being pushed back further and further just wanting to return to his wife and son.
Score for Epic: The Musical Act One
“600 Lives at Stake”/10
The Final Act of “Epic: The Musical” is not yet complete. Only two of the four planned sagas have been realized at this current moment. No dates have been announced yet for when the last two will come out, so the musical and story are still incomplete. However, what is currently available is a great continuation of the story and a whole new Odysseus to view.
“The Thunder Saga” and “The Wisdom Saga” return with the same characters as before, but some new ones as well. While in the previous act, his mother played Odysseus’ mother, Jorge Rivera-Herrans had his father, Mike Rivera, play the God of the Forge. This half of the musical is about reclaiming what one has lost, though still at times breaking down when all seems lost. The rebuilding of friendships, remaining loyal, and waiting for someone you never met to return. Those close to you revolt against you and suffer for their actions, all while the Gods watch with bated breath to decide to help or hinder you on a whim. The shift in Odysseus’ personality from the first act is well reflected in the current music, and the dejectedness of his crew follows. The suitors are set up as a great threat to Penelope and Telemachus, feelings of nothing but disgust and terror from the ensemble behind them really pull it off.
Score for the current Epic: The Musical Act Two
“I know we’ll be fine”/10
Overall, “Epic: The Musical” is a passion project that has shown how dedication and hard work can make anything achievable. What started as a few clips online from 2021 has grown into a massive project beyond words.