Christian Rasmussen || Issue 12 || February 4, 2025
Jorge Rivera-Herrans, Director and
Producer of EPIC: The Musical has just released their 9th and final edition of their concept album. EPIC: The Musical, is a concept album that encapsulates the events of the Greek tale, The
Odyssey. After 20 years of fighting Trojans, sea creatures, monsters, and even the God of the Ocean, Poseidon, Odysseus finally makes it home, only to find his palace ransacked by suitors. The Saga
starts with “The Challenge,” a song that captures the emotions of Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, who has waited 20 years for his return. This song also captures her struggle when the suitors demand she pick a new king, believing that Odysseus is dead or lost. She comes up with a challenge: a suitor must string the old King’s bow and shoot through 12 axes. Only he who can string the bow and make the very
precise shot can be crowned King of Ithaca. The second song in the Ithaca Saga is “Hold Them Down”. In this song, the leader of the suitors, Antinous, claims that Penelope’s challenge is a ruse to further delay them from claiming the throne. Having enough, Antinous plots to kill the Prince of Ithaca, Telemachus – Odysseus and Penelope’s son. When that’s said and done, the suitors plot to take
the throne by force, but Antinous is struck by an arrow to the neck before they can act. The third song, “Odysseus” is the final ‘Boss Battle’ of the Musical. Odysseus, during his 20-year journey, fought
many of these ‘Boss Battles’, including a cyclops, a witch, a sea monster, and Poseidon. The final boss battle though, is Odysseus. One by one Odysseus slays the suitors. While the bloodshed commences, the suitors find the weapons room, where Telemachus, the Prince of Ithaca, returns home and helps Odysseus defeat the suitors. With ease, Odysseus slays all the suitors and reunites with his son, who he hasn’t seen since infancy. The fourth song, “I Can’t Help But Wonder” is a shorter song, where we
can feel the bonding between father and son. For one, it is a reunion, and for the other, an introduction. After the long hug they share, Odysseus tells Telemachus to inform Penelope that he’s home. When Telemachus leaves, Odysseus finally reunites with Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, and his mentor. Athena claims that all the troubles Odysseus went through were her doing, and wonders if it would be different had she stayed with him. Odysseus forgives her, and Athena leaves. Telemachus returns and tells Odysseus that Penelope awaits him in their bedroom. The fifth and final song, “Would You Fall In Love With Me Again” is a duet between husband and wife. Odysseus finally sees Penelope and instead of melting into her arms, he claims that he is not the man she once fell in love with. He claims that the 20 years away have changed him in ways he believes she would hate him for. With this information, Penelope tells Odysseus to move their wedding bed out of the bedroom. Saddened by this, and slightly enraged, Odysseus claims that the bed cannot be moved, as it was rooted into the olive tree where they had met. Penelope claims that only her husband would know that, so he must still be her husband. Seeing he was tricked; Odysseus gives in and the two finally reconcile. The musical ends with the two harmonizing on the words “I love you”. This musical as a whole has been a very genius and emotional piece of music, all 40 songs have their unique artistry behind them. Overall, I give this musical a 10/10.
The Hudsonian 