Courtesy of Winion Entertainment LLC

EPIC: The Musical provides new way to experience theater.

After the coronavirus lockdown in 2020, life changed for a variety of people and professions. While some people struggled to adapt, others thrived on a push towards online entertainment. As a result, Jorge Rivera-Herrans developed EPIC: The Musical, an adaptation of The Odyssey. This musical has no stage version and instead was published as a concept album. The concept album was slowly released as different sagas over the course of two years. As each saga was released, excitement for the production snowballed and artists began releasing animatics (rough fan animations) for each song. As a result, the community had created a visual aspect, unique to the average musical, giving viewers a feeling of nostalgia that many theater fans hadn’t experienced since the early days of Hamilton.

Epic, and its inviting fanbase have taken the internet by storm. Not only because of the vibrant animatics which constantly draw in new fans, but also the brilliant composing that makes the musical catchy and exciting. While there are moments that show Rivera-Herrans’s inexperience, the music is well above the industry standard overall. After just a few listens, you can catch yourself singing along. There are so many amazing songs, but some of my personal favorites include: “Legendary”, “Keep Your Friends Close”, “Dangerous”, “Suffering”, and “Love in Paradise”. Unfortunately, if you are unfamiliar with the story it can be a bit hard to follow the plot, but once you have a basic understanding, the musical and community becomes much more inviting.

The story of Epic is adapted from The Odyssey, an ancient story of Odysseus’s ten-year journey fighting his way home from Troy. Luckily, there are plenty of changes made in the musical, so even if you are familiar with the story, the musical will keep you on your feet. In this adaptation, Odysseus and his men are sailing back to their home, Ithaca, after the Trojan War. Unfortunately, their way home is blocked when they anger Poseidon and are stranded far from home. Odysseus and his men travel from island to island trying to make their way back to Ithaca, meeting Prophets, Monsters, and Gods along the way.

One of the many reasons Epic is so successful is due to its storytelling, is that its theming is strong and consistent. The story centers around Odysseus and how he learns to embrace ruthlessness and sacrifice. Directly after the Trojan war, Odysseus is relatively compassionate, and he believed that every single life is valuable and worth saving. He cares very deeply for the men he is responsible for, and makes it his duty to leave no man behind, oftentimes putting the lives of his men before his own. As the story progresses, the troops encounter monsters and gods, and hundreds of men lose their lives. Odysseus comes to the realization that if he wants to get back to his wife and son, he must be willing to sacrifice everything, including the lives of his crew. One way the musical shows this theme throughout the different tracks and sagas is by establishing motifs in song lyrics that are reused when the theme is front and center. This is done through two contrasting motifs. The first motif is “Open Arms”, introduced in a song with the same title. This is the idea of having an open mind and seeing the best in the world and your situation. The second motif is introduced in the song “Ruthlessness”, which is the idea that to survive, Odysseus must lose all his humanity. The lyrics used to communicate this theme are: “Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves”. This is repeated throughout the musical whenever it is relevant, making it clear the songs are part of the same story while still letting them have their own distinct elements.

As of now, Epic is one of a kind. Any person with access to the internet is able to access the complete viewing experience. This is different from the average theater production where you have to see it live to get the full story. Since Epic was popularized on social media, the creator often posts videos diving into themes, patterns, and behind-the-scenes content; this has led the musical to be exposed to a wider audience and allows fans to learn more about the story and production. This has led to Epic gaining a large, diverse fanbase and has garnered excitement and anticipation for every saga’s release. Due to Epic’s accessibility, it has created a new way to experience musicals. Epic has shown that you can become involved in the story and sound of a production from the comfort of your own home. Previously, this could only be done through filming Broadway productions, but since there is no live version, viewers don’t feel like they are missing out by not watching it live. Not only is this much easier for fans, but it is also free, allowing a much wider audience to enjoy Epic and step into the world of musical theatre.