EPIC:The Musical

Hi Charlie!

I was looking around the blogs and found out there wasn't one about EPIC

So here I am🙃

“EPIC: The Musical” is a nine-part series of album musicals (referred to as "sagas")  , inspired by the Homer's classic "The Odyssey".

Written and produced in their entirety by the Puerto Rican actor and singer-songwriter Jorge Rivera-Herranseach saga ,named after a specific part of the journey, (Troy, Cyclops, Ocean, Circe, Underworld, Thunder, Wisdom, Vengeance and Ithaca) draws listeners into the timeless tale of Odysseus’ journey by the song writing and instrumental of Jorge, alongside the beautiful voice of the other member of the cast.

All saga are different and the work put in it is obvious as 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 accompanying perfectly the part of the story it tells.

As people listen to EPIC; it is obvious that each saga builds off the previous, culminating into a beautiful progression of “The Odyssey.”

I know that greek mythology isn't everyone's thing but by friends experience River-Herrans’ simple, yet imaginative, storytelling helps clearly understand the story whiteout being lost because of reference not understood or other.

In my opinion, the best part about the musical is it's beginnings.

Jorge 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 beautiful lyrics and incredible composition, but because of the fandom (the community that is built around it, for those who don't know what that means). River-Herrans brought people into his work from the beginning, allowing his audience to see the extensive labor that was put into this project.  

Back in 2021, Jorge Rivera-Herrans began posting snippets of his unfinished musical on TikTok,

Which led to the work of art EPIC is now,

What I also love is the fact that all characters have an instrument associated with them

Jorge said that he uses different instruments unique to each character in Epic (piano for Athena, harp for Hermes, etc.). 

It's really great how hedid it, like you FEEL the different instruments coming together in harmony when there are several people... Like Storm, where the guitar and bass with the choirs (Odysseus and Eurylochus) and then the synths of Aeolus and his flute melody, it's SO GOOD.

I'm gonna talk about Odysseus's instruments because I find what Jorge did with it so cool.

Odysseus's instrument is à guitar and the so cool thing about it is that it changes depending of his emotions and goals.

By exemple in a song where he is going to be calm and emotional it is going to be a basic guitar (sorry if I don't know the name, I don't play instrument) but in another song where he is fighting it will be an electrical guitar.

This adds to the feeling sent by the song and what happens sometimes is we hear the theme of a character with their instrument and honesty that feelings when you hear the music and your like: I KNOW THAT THEME AND INSTRUMENT, I KNOW WHO'S COMMING

It's so cool.

We don't know if a Broadway version is to wait ( tho 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, so It could happen)

 But there are multiples animatics made by fans, and also animatics Jorge (creator of the musical and singer of the main character) comissioned. It is divided in sagas, each saga having 3/5 songs, and we have the full concept album.

But as you read before I loved epic because of it's beginning with the community

Although I wasn't here since the beginning [I discovered right when it was finished 😓] I still could see all the edit, tiktok, fanart, fanfiction, trend and other around) and to be in a living fandom, having updates of fanfics around the musical or the creator posting about it is i think the best thing ever.

And if you don't see this post too late you might also discover this experience.

This is a post made by Jorge on June 24, he later, in a tiktok post, (after having the fandom screaming and debating what would this mean) confessed his current work: 

Ilium, another musical this time inspired by the Iliad

As the time I'm writing this article Jorge has only post two draft of the first two songs

And if you'll care too join into the conception of what will probably another work of art than you're welcome. 

To conclude I really really really advise you to go listen to it or watch the animation on YouTube.

PLEASE LISTEN TO IT

And finally (as you were all waiting for

[absolutely not]):

My favourite song of each saga(because a top 5 of the whole musical is imposible for me)✨️✨️

Troy:  Full speed Ahead 

Love how we discover all the characters,  the music is cool and there is boat

Cyclop:Remember

One line: "I am the infamous ODYSSEUS "

Ocean: Storm

I just LOVE the instrumental

Circe: wouldn't you like

Because of a certain character 

Underwold: The underworld (had a hard time choosing between that and No longer you)

I cried. And cried again (that is basically what you do I that saga)

Thunder:i guess Scylla (favourite saga and goddamm it was hard choosing)

THE VOCALS>>>>

Wisdom: God games and love in paradise

(I cheating for this one because I love these two too much It's too hard to choose)

The vocals, instrumental and everything in general is fabulous

Vengeance: Charybdis

If you know who Charybdis is in Greek mythology, i love that song because the instrumental represents so well Charybdis 

Ithaca:Odysseus 

It's so cool, no comment

(And those who knows epic don't come to me because I didn't choose "WYFILWMA" [not saying the name cause I feel its kinda a spoil] i love it but Odysseus has my heart)

Anyway thank you for reading me and if you read that while I'm still in the High school (I'm in second right now)

COME TALK TO ME AFTER LISTENING TO EPIC

I need someone to talk to about it please.

(Random last fact for those who know hamilton:

Jorge and Lin met [my two world just collided that day and damm I was happy])