Musicals, The Odyssey, And How Art Is Changing In The Digital Age written by Emma Hall

Musicals can be a polarizing subject. They come with a lot of preconceptions and baggage, including their regularly memed fanbase and, more often than not, disappointing film adaptations. I would say that I am a fan of about maybe three musicals, a short list including Wicked, Les Misérables, and EPIC. 

If you’re interested in Greek mythology, are a former theater kid, or have been on the internet in any capacity, you’ve probably heard of EPIC: the Odyssey-inspired musical with a small, yet devoted, fanbase, a fanbase that includes me. Unlike most musicals, this one is not a star-studded, large scale production. It is quite the opposite. The writer, Jorge Rivera-Herrans, is writing the entire story – music, plot, lyrics – entirely on his own, and the full soundtrack hasn’t even been released. The musical’s “sagas” – groups of about four songs that detail one of Odysseus’s adventures – are being released one at a time, with only one saga left to go. 

This Halloween, Jorge dropped the next saga of EPIC: The Vengeance Saga. (For any Odyssey enthusiasts, this saga details Odysseus’s escape from Calypso’s island, his run in with Charybdis and Poseidon, and his eventual return to the shores of Ithaca.) I practically ran home from the KAMP meeting that Wednesday night to curl up in bed and watch the release livestream, a sacred tradition for EPIC fans where we get to interact with Jorge himself in realtime. Just as I predicted, this last saga was musical gold. 

I am always captivated by how elegantly Jorge is able to combine acoustic sounds with electronic effects. Similar to productions like Peter and The Wolf, each character in EPIC has an assigned instrument, with mortals represented by acoustic instruments and gods or monsters with electric instruments. When gods and mortals interact in EPIC, it can lead to some new, addicting sounds as the two melodies mix together. In my favorite song from the new saga, “Dangerous,” Hermes’s chaotic synth groove compliments Odysseus’s quaint nylon guitar in a way that has me up, dancing, and having already learned every lyric. Whenever Odysseus becomes particularly ruthless, his acoustic guitar transforms into electric guitar riffs, and in his altercation with Poseidon, the two heavy melodies flow together in a battle sequence portrayed entirely through sound. 

EPIC is also heavily influenced by the sequencing and storytelling techniques in video games, and this really shines through in this last saga. At many points, crescendos and combinations of sounds feel similar to the soundtrack to a blockbusting film instead of a musical. Steven Rodriguez, the terrifying voice of Poseidon, carries his lines and utilizes silence in the song “Get in the Water” in a way that quite literally gave me goosebumps. TROY once again shines as Hermes, and you just tell that he always has so much fun recording for EPIC, because he keeps his vocals lively and real. You can hear the smile in his voice every time. 

Now, EPIC is not a perfect musical. The concept album’s cast members were selected through online, social media auditions, and it takes a lot of work for the one-man writing, composing, recording, and production department to put out a new set of songs. There are also a couple of scattered cringe-worthy moments in the musical (namely the wind god’s laugh in “Keep Your Friends Close” or the use of the word “slay” in “The Horse and the Infant”). But overall, EPIC is a testament to how art is changing in our increasingly digital world.

There’s been a lot of fear recently among artists, musicians, and writers over the rise in tools like AI or generative work, me included. For those who go to seek their fortunes in the creative front, the use of technology has become a moral issue. There is a very valid anxiety over the possibilities of technology, and many are upset that AI art, writing, and music is just an amalgamation of already existing works by real humans who are left without credit. Social media has also become a necessity for creatives to get their work out into the world, but for those who want to promote their art, creative works that don’t fit with the ever changing trends are often overlooked in the seas of  “Get Ready With Me’s” on social media. However, in this chaos of technology vs art, Jorge Rivera-Herrans and his little musical have used technology to their benefit. 

Without funding in its beginning, the entirety of EPIC had to be done through volunteer work or by Jorge’s own hand. But how does one find dozens of talented singers who are willing to donate their voices to a small project that may not even get off the ground? Well, for Jorge, the solution was social media. 

A few years ago, when the few hundred desperate EPIC fans were receiving merely scraps of songs on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, Jorge sent out virtual auditions for his musical. He would release an instrumental version of the track, and then people across the world would post their videos of them singing along. Almost every character in the musical was cast in this way, with the exception of Circe, who is played by Jorge’s girlfriend. Even as EPIC grows in popularity, Jorge continues to cast the characters using this tactic. 

EPIC is the perfect example of something that I’ve been thinking about for a while, and that is that the world of art and music is changing. We are seeing musicians leaving their record labels to go independent, something that Jorge himself has had to do. With the rise of social media, we are also seeing an influx in new artists and people putting their work out into the world. When people look back on this era of music, we will likely not have as distinct or as many “big” artists. Likely, many artists will fill the niches left behind by singular acts. However, this is not a terrible thing. Just because things aren’t how they were doesn’t make them bad. There are simply far more creatives getting their time in the limelight. It is becoming easier to reach an audience and produce art. 

Especially while working in a genre so heavily associated with large-scale production, Jorge has proven the power that technology and the connection it can provide has. Almost entirely through social media and independent advertising and production, EPIC has surpassed expectations, leaping to the top of the charts on Apple Music, and not just in the “musicals” category. More and more, I meet people who understand what I’m referencing when I mention a musical about the Odyssey. And more and more, I’m amazed at what a single artist has been able to accomplish. What started out as my quiet little musical is now receiving the massive fame it deserves, and, while the fandom may be getting crowded, it brings me so much joy to see.