I will fall in love with you over and over again
— Would You Fall in Love with Me Again, the Ithaca Saga
I don’t care how, where, or when
No matter how long it’s been, you’re mine!
A Modern Hero’s Journey Takes the Stage (Online)
What if Homer’s Odyssey was more than a piece of ancient literature, and instead a vibrant, exhilarating musical? One that begins not with a dusty textbook but with a resounding beat drop? One that doesn’t merely retell myths but brings them back to life for the TikTok generation? This is the phenomenon of EPIC: The Musical, created by Jorge Rivera-Herrans, and it is truly a generational revelation.
Fusing the splendor of Greek mythology with the emotional depth of contemporary music, EPIC reinterprets Odysseus’s treacherous voyage home from Troy in a manner that departs from the status quo. Released as a collection of concept albums and sagas online, the musical unfolds in cinematic song cycles that merge genres such as rock, pop, hip-hop, orchestral film scoring, and musical theater.
Although it lacks a traditional stage run for now, EPIC has already gathered millions of listeners, cultivating a vibrant fanbase composed of animators, vocalists, and mythology-loving fans — which has raised one significant question: Why isn’t this on Broadway yet?
The Nine Sagas: A Musical Odyssey
Rivera-Herrans created EPIC as a serialized musical: each narrative arc, or “saga,” serves as a standalone act in the expansive journey of Odysseus and his family. By late 2024, the narrative reached its conclusion with The Ithaca Saga, culminating in a forty-song, two-act theatrical masterpiece.
Here is a summary of the sagas and their story points:
- The Troy Saga: Odysseus with his schemes topples Troy, but soon realizes that challenging the gods will unleash a curse that will jeopardize his journey.
- The Cyclops Saga: The crew finds themselves in Polyphemus’s lair, whose moving backstory lends tragic depth to his fury.
- The Ocean Saga: Odysseus and his crew are washed out in storms and hopelessness, fighting to remain united on the wide sea.
- The Circe Saga: The men encounter the enchanting Circe, who tests their will and determination as they are drawn into deception.
- The Underworld Saga: A dangerous journey into Hades’ lair unveils the toll of the war, making Odysseus face his past.
- The Thunder Saga: Anger and destiny intertwine as gods and monsters intensify their challenges against the rebellious mortal king.
- The Wisdom Saga: Attention shifts to Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, who must acquire leadership and confidence in the absence of his father.
- The Vengeance Saga: The path home transforms into a war of interest and obligations; Odysseus must decide whether it will be war or peace.
- The Ithaca Saga: Odysseus’ emotional return home; is he still the man his loved ones remember?
Each saga is designed to evoke the feel of a cinematic sequence: emotionally resonant, narratively coherent, and musically explosive.
I’m the reigning king of Ithaca!
— Remember Them, the Cyclops Saga
I am neither man nor mythical
I am your darkest moment!
I am the infamous
Odysseus!
Why It Speaks to Gen Z: Emotional Honesty and Mythical Metaphors
There is a reason EPIC is not merely popular; it is cherished. This generation struggles with mental health, climate anxiety, and identity. That’s why EPIC doesn’t feel like a task we have to decipher; it feels like therapy wrapped in myth.
- Odysseus is not a perfect hero but a flawed man who questions everything.
- Polyphemus is not just a monster but a symbol of trauma and isolation.
- Telemachus’s development signifies the quiet struggle for self-worth and legacy.
Rivera-Herrans imbues every character with emotional depth, allowing their songs to serve as soliloquies. The openness in tracks like “My Goodbye,” “Younger Days,” and “Back to My Father” resonates directly with the internal monologues many Gen Z listeners experience. This transcends conventional musical theater; it becomes reflective therapy framed in mythological storytelling.
Themes: Pride, Power, and the Heavy Weight of Legacy
What makes EPIC so compelling is not solely its music but also its emotional foundation. Rivera-Herrans doesn’t glorify warfare or heroism; he interrogates them.
The show explores the following themes:
- The heavy weight of leadership: Odysseus is torn between his duty and true desire. He is forced to deal with the lives he has affected.
- Generational trauma: Telemachus grows up in the shadow of his father, who was not a good influence on him. He navigated a world he did not choose, one formed from violence.
- Moral ambiguity: Even beings like Polyphemus possess humanity; even heroes are subject to critique.
- Mental health and identity: Tracks like “Younger Days” and “My Goodbye” confront grief, disillusionment, and self-hatred with harsh honesty.
These are not abstract concepts; they reflect real anxieties Gen Z faces today, like political instability, climate dread, toxic leadership, and the pursuit of truth in a polarized world. In EPIC, gods manipulate mortals for sport, offering a chilling metaphor for how powerless many young people feel within global systems they did not create.
My time with you has been splendid
— We’ll be Fine, the Wisdom Saga
The bеst day of my life
‘Cause I got in a fight, and I didn’t die!
I’vе never felt strong before
You’re my friend, I couldn’t ask for more
Cultural Importance: A New Voice in Musical Theater
Jorge Rivera-Herrans, a Puerto Rican-American artist, developed this project independently, writing, composing, and producing it without the backing of Broadway or a major label. His voice challenges the historically white, class-bound structures of musical theater.
His innovative use of digital platforms reimagines how musicals can grow: TikTok served as the first stage. Later on, Spotify became the playbill. Lastly, YouTube animatics and fan covers transformed into the set and lighting.
This digital-first approach democratizes musical theater, placing power into the hands and onto the screens of everyday audiences. In addition, EPIC‘s diversity in sound and storytelling opens space for inclusive casting and cultural remixing. This is not a sanitized version of Greece; it is myth as it was meant to be: vast, raw, and relevant.
Why Broadway Needs EPIC
Broadway is undergoing a transformation. In the post-pandemic era, the stage world is searching for stories that bring in new audiences, not just tourists or theater insiders but teens, young adults, and those who have never even seen a play before. EPIC is already doing that without the Broadway stage. Broadway has the capacity for spectacle, but what it truly needs is emotional resonance. EPIC delivers both.
EPIC: The Musical is more than a musical; it’s a movement. It embodies storytelling that does not wait for permission. It’s a new myth, shaped in the voice of a generation no longer willing to wait for the spotlight.
I see a song of past romance
— No Longer You, the Underworld Saga
I see the sacrifice of man
I see portrayals of betrayal
And a brother’s final stand
I see you on the brink of death
I see you draw your final breath
I see a man who gets to make it home alive
But it’s no longer you…