“EPIC: The Musical” reimagines ancient Greek mythology with dynamic characters, stunning music and imagery that draws listeners into the timeless tale of Odysseus’ journey.
Jorge Rivera-Herrans began his senior thesis project at University of Notre Dame in 2019, and it has since grown into a full-blown musical with over three million monthly listeners. “EPIC: The Musical” is a concept album inspired by Homer’s classic epic, “The Odyssey.” Although it has never debuted on stage, the production quickly became an internet sensation.
Riviera-Herrans began his journey by documenting his progress on social media. According to the Champaign Chronicle, he has been sharing his writing process and giving inside details about his music to audiences ever since January 2021.
“EPIC: The Musical” consists of nine sagas that make up the full tracklist telling the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca. The story follows Odysseus’ journey home from Troy, and each phase of the trek is composed in a unique, musical retelling. Odysseus is voiced by Rivera-Herrans.
Each of the sagas are named after a specific part of the journey: Troy, Cyclops, Ocean, Circe, Underworld, Thunder, Wisdom, Vengeance and Ithaca. The first five of these pieces are considered Act 1, with the final four making up Act 2.
Rivera-Herrans beautifully executed his representations of classic Greek characters by connecting an instrumental motif to each character’s persona that portrays them throughout the entirety of the musical.
For example, Odysseus is accompanied by a guitar. According to Rivera-Herrans, the type of guitar changes with his intentions and moods. Polites is a more upbeat character and is paired with instruments that are higher pitched, like the marimba. Athena, the mystical and, typically, soothing guide is marked with sounds of a piano, and Poseidon, the violent tyrant, is always heard alongside a trumpet.
This creative decision allows for cohesive comprehension throughout the work. Because we haven’t yet seen these characters physically, it is helpful to have the instrumental cues to know who is active in each scene.
Though similar in some ways, the sagas also have their own individual highlights. The number of songs vary in each saga as well as the overarching feel of the music. Some sagas contain more humor and upbeat conversation resulting in lighter sounds, while others feel mysterious or melancholic created by a darker tone in the instruments.
As people listen to EPIC; it is obvious that each saga builds off the previous, culminating into a beautiful progression of “The Odyssey.” As someone who has previously had a hard time understanding the world of Greek mythology, I didn’t find myself confused at all, which is a nod to River-Herrans’ simple, yet imaginative, storytelling.
In my opinion, the best part about the musical is its humble beginnings. River-Herrans has documented each step in his artistic process of transforming straightforward lyrics into a beautiful story of bravery, friendship and perseverance.
This musical doesn’t only excel because of its alluring lyrics and excellent composition, but because of the community that is built around it. River-Herrans brought people into his work from the beginning, allowing his audience to see the extensive labor that was put into this project.
The Ithaca saga was released in December 2024 as the final portion of the concept album. Since then, there has been no confirmation of what lies ahead for the musical’s future. In June 2024, River-Herrans said that he would like to explore the project in a variety of mediums and would love to see EPIC as an animated film, on stage as a Broadway production or even a video game. River-Herrans posts updates on his social media regularly, but also on his website.
Mullet is a staff writer for the Liberty Champion.
