What would Perseus – the half-god hero who slew Medusa – sound like if he were a teenager today? And what about his immortal relatives; how would they handle his charming bravado?
In “Live from Mount Olympus,” a new podcast series produced by the Onassis Foundation and the Brooklyn-based theater ensemble The TEAM, talented actors take on the roles of the ancient gods and creatures that Perseus meet on his first adventure as a fourteen-year-old boy who has just found out about his unusual family tree.
The podcast was directed by Tony Award-winner Rachel Chavkin and Zhailon Levingston, written by Alexie Basil and Sesame Street writer and playwright Nathan Yungerberg, and created by Peabody Award-winning producer Julie Burstein. Karen Brooks Hopkins is the executive producer.
The cast from The TEAM brings the characters to life in a playful and modern way; it features, among others, Divine Garland as Perseus, Libby King as Athena, Jillian Walker as Danae, and, as a special treat, Tony Award-winning actor André De Shields as Hermes (Shields has already played Hermes before at the West End and on Broadway in Hadestown).
“These recording sessions have been profoundly joyous for the company, in extremely heavy times,” said director Chavkin. “Silliness, as well as depth, abounds. And I think that this joy in making it will translate to listeners of all ages, as these old tales are rendered new and fresh.”
Levingston echoed that sentiment: “It has been such a gift to, within these Covid times of isolation, still be able to visit worlds new and old through the prevailing gift of the imagination and the willingness of everyone to bring their most optimistic and joyful selves to the project. I hope it touches every young listener who hears it.”
Live from Mount Olympus is part of the TRAX network, a podcast network for tweens from public media organization PRX.
Why a podcast for tweens about Greek myths? Brooks Hopkins, executive producer of the series and Onassis USA senior advisor, said: “The Onassis Foundation has a deep and organic connection to the Greek myths and their timeless stories about existence, divinity, struggle, and righteousness. I can’t think of any better medium to communicate these enduring tales than audio drama via a contemporary podcast.”
New episodes of Live from Mount Olympus are released every Tuesday through March 9, and are available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and here.
