After two years of waiting, EPIC: The Musical released its final saga on Dec. 25, 2024. This saga, “The Ithaca Saga,” depicted Odysseus’ return home after 20 years of traveling and the Trojan War.
The musical has nine sagas, each acting as a section of music smaller than the acts. Each saga was between three to five songs, the average length being about fifteen minutes. “The Troy Saga” was released on Dec. 25, 2022; “the Cyclops Saga” released Jan. 27, 2023; “the Ocean Saga” released Dec. 25, 2023; “the Circe Saga” released Feb. 14, 2024; “the Underworld Saga” released April 26, 2024; “the Thunder Saga” released July 4, 2024; “the Wisdom Saga” released Aug. 30, 2024; “the Vengeance Saga” released Oct. 31, 2024; and “the Ithaca Saga” released Dec. 25, 2024. The Troy to Underworld sagas make up Act One while the Thunder to Ithaca sagas make up Act Two.
The composer and creator of the musical, Jorge Rivera-Herrans, uses a lot of buildup and callbacks in the final saga. Songs such as “The Challenge” and “Hold Him Down” were greatly anticipated among fans due to the small promotional clips generating excitement among the community.
This saga is the first time we see Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, voiced by Anna Lea Casey. Casey’s vocals primarily shine in “The Challenge” and “Would You Fall in Love with Me Again,” brilliantly showcasing her emotions with her clear vocals. Casey has several notes she sustains, showing her control of her voice alongside her acting abilities. The emotion she portrays at the end of “Would You Fall in Love with Me Again” can bring a listener to tears if not prepared. The blend that she and Rivera-Herrans, Odyssues’ voice actor, produce at the end of the song is calm and peaceful, bringing a sense of closure to the audience.
Rivera-Herrans makes several callbacks in the songs. “Would You Fall in Love with Me Again” includes a trumpet on the melody of “Just a Man,” a song from the Troy saga depicting how Odysseus just wants to go home to his family. The melody cuts out after the lyric “Deep down I would trade the world to see my son and wife,” bringing Odyssues’ success in that goal to the forefront of the listeners’ minds. In “Odysseus,” Telemachus comes in with the melody from “Legendary,” alongside sword clashes in rhythms of his and Athena’s previous lines in the musical.
“The Ithaca Saga” didn’t disappoint despite the large hype around it. Rivera-Herrans and the cast of EPIC created a heart wrenching adaptation of the Odyssey, drawing in listeners to hear the story once again. Listening through the entirety of EPIC is an experience that everyone should have at least once, but maybe grab some tissues first.
Photo Credits: Jorge Rivera-Herrans
