Much like reading the Percy Jackson series, I am late to the game with Epic: The Musical. Epic is a concept musical by Jorge Rivera-Herrans based on Homer’s Odyssey. It started as a passion project in his college dorm room back in 2019 and in 2021 he started releasing snippets on TikTok. He shared his creative process and his enthusiasm for what he was doing. In December of 2022, he released the first installment of the musical, The Troy Saga. Rivera-Herrans released another eight sagas and a re-release of the Troy and Cyclopes Saga between 2023 and 2024, with the final saga, the Ithica Saga, being released on December 25, 2024.
I had heard about the musical from several people I knew and listened to a few of the songs here and there, but recently, I decided to give all of the sagas a listen, and boy am I glad I did. Epic: The Musical is a masterpiece. Here is my ranking of all nine sagas.
9. “The Cyclopes Saga”
Someone had to be last, and in this case, it is The Cyclopes Saga. Featuring four songs- “Polyphemus,” “Survive,” “Remember Them,” and “My Goodbye.” This saga takes Odysseus and his crew to the island of Polyphemus where they go and slay his sheep with the intent to eat them. The cyclopes intevines and Odysseus must escape.
This saga is the one I skip the most when listening. I do not have much to say about this saga, it wasn’t outstanding but it wasn’t bad either. It is not a memorable one to me and I am not the biggest fan of Jorges gravelly vocals when he plays Polyphemus (as Odysseus he is FABULOUS).
8. “The Thunder saga”
The Thunder Saga is the sixth saga and consists of five songs, “Suffering,” “Different Beast,” “Scylla,” “Mutiny,” and “Thunder Bringer.” In this saga, Odysseus faces the sirens who tell him he needs to pass through Sycllas lair (a monster who must take six men). As Odysseus and his crew pass through her lair, he sacrifices six of his men. Eurylochus, Odysseus’s second in command, and his brother-in-law get upset that he willingly sacrifices the men and mutinies. Eurylochus kills the sun gods, scares cows, and unleashes Zeus’s wrath. Odysseus is given the choice to sacrifice himself or his crew, he chooses his crew.
Like The Cyclopes Saga, I skip most of this one too. I enjoy the pacing and storytelling Jorge creates. A standout to me is Luke Holt. He does a great job portraying Zeus. He really sells the regal yet scary and stern presence that is the king of the gods.
7. “the VENGEANCE saga”
This is the eighth saga, and it features five songs: “Not Sorry for Loving You,” “Dangerous,” Charybdis,” “Get in the Water,” and “Six Hundred Strike.” In this saga, Odysseus is released from Calypso’s island and is making his way back to Ithaca after 20 years. He battles Charybdis and ends up escaping the monster. Just as he has almost reached Ithica and his wife Penelope, Poseidon appears still angry that Odysseus blinded his son Polyphemus. Odysseus and Poseidon engage in a fight, ending with Odysseus stabbing Poseidon with his own trident.
My favorite song from this saga is “Dangerous,” I really enjoy TROYs songs and how he plays Hermes. In this saga, you can really feel Odysseus’ desperation and Poseidon’s anger. My favorite part is when Poseidon asks how Odysseus will sleep at night and he responds ‘next to my wife.” It transitions smoothly into The Ithica Saga where it immediately starts with Penelope.
6. “The troy saga”
The Troy Saga is the first installment of Epic, and it features five songs: “The Horse and the Infant,” “Just a Man,” “Full Speed Ahead,” “Open Arms,” and “Warrior of the Mind.” This saga starts with Odysseus leading an army of 600 men in the Trojan War. When heading back to Ithaca, they come across some lotus eaters who tell them about food on Polyphemus’s island.
I think this saga is such a great intro to Odysseus’s mind and how he thinks. We also get an intro into Teagan Earley’s Athena who plays a more prominent role in The Wisdom Saga. This saga has strong songs, and I love how we hear a bit of everyone’s melodies that return in later songs.
5. “The Underworld Saga”
This is the shortest saga in Epic, with only three songs, “The Underworld,” “No Longer You,” and “The Monster.” Guided by Circe, Odysseus and his crew travel to the underworld where he is haunted by the people in his past. He is looking for Tiresias, hoping to learn more about the future and if he will ever see Penelope again. After Tiresias shares what he sees, Odysseus questions his own morality.
Mason Olshavsky has an amazing voice and delivers Tiresias’ prophecy with such clear tone, it’s hard not to press replay.
4. “The circe saga”
The Circe Saga is right before The Underworld Saga and is the fourth in the musical. It has four songs “Puppeteer,” “Wouldn’t You Like,” “Done For,” and “There Are Other Ways.” After escaping Poseidon’s storm, Odysseus and his crew find themselves on Circes Island and she has turned his men into pigs. Circe tries to seduce Odysseus as he is trying to escape and free his men, but she ends up being moved by his love for Penelope ,that she lets them go.
The songs in this saga are fun, we see TROY as Hermes for the first time in “Wouldn’t You Like,”‘ where he gives Odysseus a magic flower, “Holy Moly” as he calls it, to be able to resist Circe’s spell. Talya Sindel plays Circe with charm, and its easy to see how the men got sucked in by her spell.
3. “The storm saga”
Putting the third saga of the musical this high is probably controversial to some because it is not as beloved as other sagas that I have put lower in this list. But I love The Storm Saga. It has four songs “Storm,” “Luck Runs Out,” “Keep Your Friends Close,” and “Ruthlessness.” After leaving the Cyclops’s island, they make their way back to Ithaca and they are caught up in a storm. Odysseus spots a floating island and visits the wind god Aeolus, who gives him a wind back to help him get home. The god tells him he needs to keep the back closed, but Eurlysous ends up opening the bag and steering them far off course. Posiden finds them and is angry about his son. They use the windbag to escape him.
This was the first saga I listened to all the way through, so it has a special place in my epic heart. There is not a bad in this saga in my opinion. The saga feels urgent, and it features fast paced songs that make us hope for the best as they brace the storm.
2. “the Ithaca saga”
This was the last installment of the musical, and it features five songs: “The Challenge,” “Hold Them Down,” “Odysseus,” “I Can’t Help But Wonder,” and “Would You Fall In Love with Me Again.” In this saga we see Penelope as she faces the suitors, who are growing restless with the absence of the King. When the suitors decide they do not to participate in the challange Penelope has prepared and overthrow the palace by killing Telemachus and assaulting Penelope, Odysseus returns and slaughters them all.
There is not a bad song in this saga. We can feel Penelope’s heartbreak and hopefulness as she waits for her husband to return. Anna Lea has such a regal and mature voice that holds so much emotion, everything she sings is truly breathtaking. Aryon Alexander, who plays the lead suitor, Antinous, has a voice as smooth as butter. He sings such gruesome, disgusting lyrics, but it sounds so melodic and beautiful (not the lyrics but the way he hits every note) coming from him you can’t help but love the brilliant song “Hold Them Down.” Overall, this saga is the perfect ending. “Would You Fall in Love with Me Again” is such a powerful final song to close Jorge’s journey with creating Epic: The Musical.
1. “The wisdom saga”
To nobody’s surprise, the seventh installment, The Wisdom Saga, is my favorite. There are five songs: “Legendary,” “Little Wolf,” “We’ll Be Fine,” “Love in Paradise,” and “God Games.” The beginning of this saga takes a break from Odysseus and takes a look at Telemachus, his son, who is wishing he could know his father. The suitors confront him about his mother taking a suitor, and Telemachus and Antinous duel. With the help of Athena, he fights him, but Antinous eventually backs down, threatening the prince of what would happen if Penelope didn’t choose a suitor soon. Confused why Athena helps him, Athena explains to Telemachus that she had a friend like him once (Odysseus). Telemachus tells Athena that she should look for him. She does a deep dive on where Odysseus is and finds out he is on Calypso’s island. She begs with Zeus to free him.
I truly love this story. MICO (who plays Telemachus) has such a beautiful voice that it has me pressing replay whenever “Legendary” is over. “God Games” is one of the first Epic songs I heard. I think Jorge did a fantastic job casting each one of the Olympians. Aphrodite is light and airy, while Ares is rough and strong. You can feel the personality of each god through their own little battle with Athena. Like the Ithaca Saga, there is not one bad song. I have this saga on repeat; that’s how good it is!
Overall Epic: The Musical is fantastic, and everyone should give it a listen, even if you do not know much about Greek mythology.