INTRO
ANNOUNCER
Live From Mount Olympus is
produced by The Onassis
Foundation and is distributed
by PRX.
2 INTERIOR, PODCAST STUDIO 2
HERMES
The Greek gods live high on
Mount Olympus, but from time to
time, we walk among you
mortals. And wherever the gods
move, stories are born.
Sound of rummaging through a small box of
arrowheads.
HERMES
Our next story is about young
love, bravery, and fate...
EROS
(excitedly)
Ooh! This arrowhead is swift
and fast;
HERMES
-- and to assist me in telling
it, I've invited two special
guests into the godspod studio
today...
EROS
This one wobbles a bit in
transit, but packs a big punch!
Sound of rummaging through the box of
arrowheads again.
APHRODITE
(snapping her
fingers)
You always pick right, son,
just pick!
EROS
Mom, you're so cute when you're
impatient.
HERMES
Welcome to my godspod,
Aphrodite, oh beautiful goddess
of love...
EROS
Yeah!
HERMES
...and your mischievous son,
Eros.
APHRODITE
Thanks for inviting us, Hermes.
Though this is definitely a
story you couldn't really tell
without us.
EROS
(excitedly)
Don't you just love how my
bowstring sings!
Sound of the bow twanging.
APHRODITE
Elbow just a little higher,
elbow higher! I know you like
to hit anybody and everybody,
but we must be precise this
time -- pay attention!
EROS
(annoyed sigh)
I'm a grown god, I'm 18! And
I've been shooting arrows since
I was a toddler -- I know what
I'm doing!
APHRODITE
Well, I don't think you take
your job seriously enough.
EROS
(groaning)
Really? You think I'm supposed
to go around hitting people
with my arrows so they get all
gooey-eyed and lovesick, and be
totally serious while doing it?
Get a life, Mom! Or at least a
sense of humor.
HERMES
Eros, you know I enjoy a good
joke as much as anyone, but
even I don't think the way
you're treating your mother is
in good taste.
Sound of arrow being shot into the console,
which makes a terrible electronic shorting-
out noise, B roll of Aphrodite and Eros
responding to the spectacle.
HERMES
And you're making a mess of my
godspod studio -- your arrow
just shorted out the
microphone!
EROS
I have to practice somewhere,
and that flashing red bulb was
just too juicy not to shoot.
The sparks will add a little
life to your storytelling, too!
HERMES
(annoyed)
Aphrodite, your son is
disturbing my equanimity.
Please show him OUT of my
studio.
APHRODITE
Hermes, you may have forgotten
we need him to do his whole
thing with the arrows, or the
whole story falls apart. Eros,
darling, your time is coming
soon and a little quiet would
be appreciated so our listeners
can hear the story.
EROS
What do you mean? I AM the
story!
HERMES
Teenagers...
(clears throat)
Our story begins late at night,
on the wine-dark sea.
FX of a ship on the sea, with oars pulling
through the water
HERMES
A sleek ship from Athens is
gliding quickly through the
waves. The black sail hangs
limp on this still night, so
the crew must pull hard at
their oars. Yet they aren't the
only ones on board...
EROS
(loud aside)
You know, for a cranky old god,
Hermes does know how to tell a
good story...
APHRODITE
(admonishing
whisper)
So please quiet down and let
him do so.
B roll of chatter among the tributes
HERMES
As I was saying, Eros... A
lively group of teens -- six
young men and seven young women
-- huddle together on deck,
while a single, slight figure
stands silently at the prow,
staring into the waves.
They're on their way to the
island of Crete as...tributes.
3 EXTERIOR, THE SEA AT NIGHT 3
Sound of water against the hull of a ship.
Sound of a ship moving through the sea.
Sound of oars rowing in unison.
ERIBOEA
(whispering)
I'm... I'm afraid.
KORONIS
Of what?
ERIBOEA
Snakes...
MENESTHO
We're about to face the
Minotaur, and you're afraid
of...snakes?
ERIBOEA
Yes! I had an awful dream about
snakes.
LYSIDIKE
What happened?
ERIBOEA
A slithering serpent sprang out
of the earth and ate my
eyeballs. Swallowed them whole!
Sound of Lysidike laughing.
LYSIDIKE
Swallowed them!
ERIBOEA
Don't laugh at me!
LYSIDIKE
(chuckling)
I'm not laughing at you,
Eriboea; you just remind me so
much of my little sister.
ERIBOEA
That dream was so scary!
LYSIDIKE
Come here, kid. Let me give you
a hug.
ERIBOEA
Thanks, I feel a little better
now.
KORONIS
You know what I heard? That a
snake priestess rules Crete!
KORONIS
It will be so cool to be in a
country run by a woman...
MENESTHO
Girls rule!
LYSIDIKE
Not in Greece...
ERIBOEA
Will she... will she protect my
eyeballs from the snakes?
LYSIDIKE
Of course! And if she doesn't --
I will!
MENESTHO
I heard she's called Goddess on
Earth.
FEMALE TRIBUTES
OOOOH!
LYSIDIKE
And that her daughter is
betrothed to Dionysus.
ERIBOEA
Dio..., who?
MENESTHO
Dionysus! The god of wine! Of
drunkenness! Of ecstasy!
KORONIS
I heard Dionysus drives women
wild!
FEMALE TRIBUTES
Ooooooh!
LYSIDIKE
Yes! Dionysus, drive us wild!
All of the girls start twirling and music
builds to a frenzy, fading as we overhear
another conversation a few feet away...
SIMON
(soft spoken)
That beast scares me.
PHAIDIMOS
Hey! Don't worry, Simon, we're
a team -- We won't let anything
happen to you.
PROKRITOS
(boastfully)
When I get into the labyrinth
I'm gonna grab that half-man
half-bull by its horns and
smash his head into a wall.
ANT
(laughing)
Yo, he got jokes. Talk about
bull. You gonna smash that
monster's head into the wall
before or after he skewers you
on his horns like a piece of
meat?
SIMON
(fearfully)
Do you think... Do you think
we'll all be eaten?
PROKRITOS
You think we're goin' to Crete
to pick flowers? We got work to
do!
IDAS
We're gonna be bull dancers!
SIMON
(crying)
I wanna go home!
ANT
Hey. Theseus chose each of us
because he knows that together
we'll find a way to get back
home! So, man up, kid.
PROKRITOS
(laughing)
Man up? Look who's talking!
Sound of bold footsteps.
PROKRITOS
Hey, let go of my collar,
Anthylla!
PHAIDIMOS
Whoa -- Ant's lifting Pro off
the deck!
ANT
Don't ever call me that name
again! You call me Ant, or
you're gonna contend with the
fist!
PROKRITOS
OK! OK! Just put me down!
ANT
You dare question my authority?
Bestowed upon me by Theseus
himself? Show some respect!
(BEAT)
PROKRITOS
(choking)
I respect you! I respect you!
Let me go!
Sound of a body falling to the deck.
ANT
Simon, don't worry. Theseus is
gonna kill the Minotaur.
IDAS
Yeah? How's he gonna to do
that?
SIMON
No tributes have ever returned
to Athens...
PHAIDIMOS
They were all eaten by the
Minotaur...
ANT
Stop! Theseus will not let us
die. He has moves -- Any of you
remember the Marathon bull?
Adlibs "Nah, Marathon? Huh?"
ANT
(shouting)
Well then let me tell you a
little story! Ladies, c'mon,
join us!
Sound of the female tributes adlibbing "What
is it? What does she want? What's going on?"
Sound of shuffling on the deck.
ANT
Everybody circle 'round and
listen up!
(BEAT)
ANT
I grew up in Marathon.
SIMON
What's Marathon like?
ANT
Mm...it was home.
SIMON
I wish I was home...
ANT
One summer afternoon, the peace
and quiet of our little town
was split by the sound of
hooves and the bellowing of the
biggest bull you have ever
seen!
FX of a bull rampaging on cobblestone
streets
ANT
It was a majestic beast -- pure
white, with horns the length of
your arm ending in vicious
points.
FX of townspeople running, yelling, scared
ANT
Soon Marathon was in shambles.
The bull was destroying all
that laid in its path -- it was
chaos! And the men of Marathon
were making everything worse.
They were running amok, each
one only out for himself.
4 FLASHBACK: EXT. STREETS OF MARATHON, DAY. 4
Sound of bull roaring and stampeding.
Sound of people screaming.
ANT (V.O.)
But then a young stranger
arrived...
THESEUS
Stop! Slow down everyone! You
three over there -- you're
going to be clowns, do whatever
you can to distract the bull.
Now, you, with the red hair --
as soon as the bull comes near
me, throw the blanket over his
head!
ANT
(voice over)
As the guy threw a blanket over
the bull, Theseus jumped on the
back of the beast, grabbed his
horns from behind, and twisted
and twisted and twisted and
twisted the bull's head until
the bull fell down, with
Theseus still on its back...
THESEUS
Yes! You, take the rope and tie
up his legs -- quickly!
ANT
(voice over)
He was pointing right at me! So
I grabbed the rope and we
worked together to tie up the
beast.
Cheer goes up!
MARATHON MAN ONE
We did it!
ANT
(in scene)
But we never would have done it
without you, stranger.
MARATHON MAN ONE
Who are you anyway?
THESEUS
I am Theseus.
The Marathon Men respond with awe,
skepticism (B roll).
ANT
Theseus...I heard that King
Aegeus just claimed a guy named
Theseus as his own son -- Isn't
that a crazy coincidence?
THESEUS
He... Is me!
Gasps & excited shouts all around.
THESEUS
OK, OK -- Let's get back to the
task -- Who's gonna help me
take this beast to Athens?
ANT
I will!
THESEUS
Our first volunteer! What's
your name?
ANT
Ant, Prince Theseus!
THESEUS
Just call me Theseus, Ant. Why
do you want to go to Athens?
ANT
Well, the men here, as you've
just seen, are kinda useless,
and it's so boring in Marathon -
- I want to go where all the
action is!
THESEUS
I'll gladly have you join my
crew -- but I have to warn you -
- it's not going to be easy...
ANT
Who wants easy? I'm ready for
anything!
THESEUS
(chuckling a little)
It's clear you are, Ant. OK,
come with me! To Athens!
5 EXTERIOR, SHIP AT NIGHT 5
ANT
Theseus and I rode that beast
all the way back to Athens,
where Theseus sacrificed it to
the great goddess Athena!
Adlibs by tributes "Yeah!" "Whoa!" "Oh my
gods!"
SIMON
Look! Land!
Sound of running towards the side of the
ship.
ERIBOEA
I think I see people on the
dock...
PHAIDIMOS
Ugh -- It's King Minos and his
goons...
PROKRITOS
Let me at 'em! I can take 'em
all!
ANT
No one's taking anyone until we
hear Theseus's plan...
PHAIDIMOS
Where is Theseus?
ERIBOEA
At the prow -- staring into the
water again...
ANT
He's always lost in thought
these days -- I'll go get him.
Sound of running.
LYSIDIKE
Whoa! Up on the cliff? What is
going on?
KORONIS
A bonfire?
SIMON
With two figures behind it --
are they -- dancing?
ERIBOEA
(fearfully)
Snake goddesses! With SNAKES!
Protect your eyeballs at all
costs!
LYSIDIKE
Eriboea, we already talked
about this -- Those snakes
aren't going to eat anyone's
eyeballs...
ERIBOEA
Famous last words of somebody
about to get their eyes eaten!
Adlibs by male tributes "Whoa!", "Cool."
"Wow!"
ANT
Theseus! Theseus! Stop staring
into the sea!
THESEUS
Wha... what is it, Ant?
ANT
Look up!
Sound of drumming intensifies.
Sound of flames crackling from a distance.
THESEUS
(to himself)
On the cliff -- She looks like
a goddess!
Aphrodite and Eros should sound like they
are speaking in another dimension.
APHRODITE (V.O.)
Now, Eros, now!
EROS (V.O.)
Finalllllyyyyyy!
Sound of an arrow traveling through
dimensions.
Sound of an arrow hitting flesh.
THESEUS
Ow!
ANT
Theseus? You good?
THESEUS
Something stung me in my...
Sound of a harp.
THESEUS
(drunkenly to
himself)
Who is she?
ANT
You're wobbling there, kiddo!
Watch it! You're getting too
close to the...
THESEUS
(to himself)
Dancing on top of the cliff...I
must learn her name...
ANT
Theseus!
THESEUS
Wha... what happened?
ANT
You almost fell into the water.
I grabbed you just in time! You
seemed like you were in some
kind of trance!
Sound of ship docking and guards boarding
the ship.
MINOAN GUARD ONE
(announcing)
Athenian tributes! You have
arrived at Heraklion Harbor.
Sound of loud footsteps and hushed voices of
men boarding the ship.
MINOAN GUARD TWO
(laughing)
The Minotaur's gourmet meal
delivery all the way from
Athens.
MINOAN GUARD ONE
(laughing)
Ugh! What a pitiful lot!
ANT
(hushed and angry)
Did he just call us pitiful?
PROKRITOS
(hushed and angry)
He's about to look pitiful when
I punch him in the --
THESEUS
(hushed)
Stand down, Pro. I got this.
KING MINOS
Guards --
GUARDS
Yes, King Minos!
KING MINOS
Line the tributes up side by
side so I can inspect them.
GUARDS
Yes, King Minos!
King Minos walks up and down appraising the
tributes.
KING MINOS
Mm...Excellent -- 7 boys and 7
girls, just as required. Some
of you will need a little
fattening up -- though you are
just perfect, girl -- just
perfect.
While the rest are taken to
chambers deep inside the
labyrinth, you will stay in the
palace, with me...
ERIBOEA
No! Help! I don't want to!
ANT
Hey!
THESEUS
Stay your hand, Minos! You have
no right to take her!
KING MINOS
You dare challenge King Minos,
son of the great god Zeus?
THESEUS
Son of Zeus? You don't look a
thing like him... Maybe like a
distant second cousin.
KING MINOS
Do you require a demonstration?
THESEUS
Bring it!
KING MINOS
Alright. Father, please greet
our "guests."
Sound of thunder and lightning striking just
in front of Theseus.
ANT
Whoa! That was close!
THESEUS
Zeus would never strike me --
because if he did he would
offend his brother.
KING MINOS
Why would any god be offended
if lightning struck you?
THESEUS
Because I am Theseus, son of
Poseidon.
KING MINOS
(getting angry)
You claim to be the son of
Poseidon? Okay. I will give you
a chance to prove your
pedigree!
PROKRITOS
(whispering)
Minos is taking off his ring --
SIMON
He's, he's, he's throwing it
into the sea!
KING MINOS
If your father truly is
Poseidon, it will be simple for
you to fetch my ring from the
bottom of the sea.
Sound of a ring falling into the water.
THESEUS
I'll get your ring -- but I
don't need to prove anything to
you.
Sound of Theseus diving into the waves.
ANT
(echoing)
Theseus!
KING MINOS
(laughing)
Say hello to your father.
Sound of King Minos and his men laughing.
B roll improv tumbled over each other from
the tributes:
SIMON
"No!"
MENESTHO
"Theseus!"
ERIBOEA
"What if he drowns!?"
PROKRITOS
"Hope it's been an hour since
he ate."
LYSIDIKE
"Did he hit the rocks?"
KORONIS
"I can't see him anymore..."
PHAIDIMOS
"Does anyone know if he can
swim?"
IDAS
"I don't think anyone can
survive that fall."
KING MINOS
Excellent, one down already and
they haven't even reached the
dock. Captain --
MINOAN GUARD ONE
Yes, King Minos?
KING MINOS
Have a Minoan ship made ready
to sail to Athens immediately
to demand another tribute to
replace him.
ERIBOEA
(Starting to cry)
Theseus is gone! What will
happen to us?
KING MINOS
Guards, lead the rest of them
to shore.
B roll from the tributes, all at once:
SIMON
We can't leave Theseus!
LYSIDIKE
No, we won't go without him!
MENESTHO
What if he drowns?
ANT
(to tributes) This is Theseus,
guys -- He knows what he's
doing. Chill!
Musically we have a moment where we feel
like Theseus could be gone forever.
Sound of a massive wave approaching the
beach.
Sound of screaming and yelling.
GUARD ONE
King Minos! A huge wave is
headed your way --
GUARD TWO
With someone riding on top of
it??
TRIBUTES
Theseus!!! You're back!!!
Sound of a huge wave hitting the shore and
Theseus landing on the sand.
Sound of water receding.
PROKRITOS
(stage whisper)
What does he have in his hand?
ANT
(stage whisper)
What do you think?
ERIBOEA
It's the...
TRIBUTES
The ring!
THESEUS
Same day delivery, King Minos.
KING MINOS
(composing himself)
Hand it over.
THESEUS
Well...since you've already
offered my father this gift,
it's only right I should give
it back to him.
Sound of the ring falling into the sea and
the tributes and guards gasping.
THESEUS
You wouldn't want to offend the
great god of the sea again,
would you?
KING MINOS
(icily)
You think you're so clever.
Guards, take the Athenian
tributes to Knossos -- NOW!
B roll of marching off to Knossos, tributes
worried, guards laughing.
6 INTERIOR, PODCAST STUDIO 6
APHRODITE
Excellent. Their love story is
well launched --
EROS
(exasperated)
But I haven't had the chance to
hit her yet. She just kept
moving all around -- What is
that, a crazy snake dance?
Humans...I couldn't get a clear
shot.
HERMES
Eros, just chillax. You got
this -- Chill!
Sound of rummaging through the arrow head
box.
EROS
(humming)
Ah! This is the right
arrowhead. It works better when
your subject is moving.
HERMES
I trust that you'll have it all
sorted out next time on Live
from Mount Olympus!
THE END
CREDITS
ANNOUNCER
Live From Mount Olympus is
produced by the Onassis
Foundation. Karen Brooks
Hopkins is executive producer.
Our series creator and
showrunner is Julie Burstein.
Live From Mount Olympus is co-
produced by Brooklyn-based
theatre collective The TEAM.
Our co-directors are Rachel
Chavkin, Zhailon Levingston,
Keenan Tyler-Oliphant, and
Josiah Davies, with additional
direction by Joan Sergei. And
our actors are: Eric Berryman,
MaYaa Boateng, Sean Carvajal --
MINOAN GUARD TWO
(laughing)
The Minotaur's gourmet meal
delivery all the way from
Athens.
ANNOUNCER
EJ Duarte --
ANT
(laughing)
Yo, he got jokes. Talk about
bull.
ANNOUNCER
Jill Frutkin --
APHRODITE
This is definitely a story you
couldn't really tell without
us.
ANNOUNCER
Divine Garland, Adrienne
Hopkins--
KORONIS
It will be so cool to be in a
country run by a woman...
ANNOUNCER
Caroline Hopkins, Natalie
Hopkins --
MENESTHO
Girls rule!
ANNOUNCER
Modesto "Flako" Jimenez,
Na'Shay Kelly --
LYSIDIKE
(chuckling)
I'm not laughing at you,
Eriboea; you just remind me so
much of my little sister.
ANNOUNCER
Julian Hart-King, Libby King,
Ian Lassiter --
MINOAN GUARD ONE
(laughing)
Ugh! What a pitiful lot!
ANNOUNCER
Zhailon Levingston, Evalisse
Lopez --
ERIBOEA
Famous last words of somebody
about to get their eyes eaten!
ANNOUNCER
Kimberly Marable, Jake Margolin
--
KING MINOS
Father, please greet our
"guests."
ANNOUNCER
Marcel Isaiah Martinez --
SIMON
No tributes have ever returned
to Athens...
ANNOUNCER
James Harrison Monaco, Xavier
Pacheco --
THESEUS
Same day delivery, King Minos.
ANNOUNCER
Joham Palma --
IDAS
We're gonna be bull dancers!
ANNOUNCER
Damir Priestley --
PHAIDIMOS
Ugh -- It's King Minos and his
goons...
ANNOUNCER
Angel Rodriguez --
PROKRITOS
You think we're goin' to Crete
to pick flowers? We got work to
do!
ANNOUNCER
Conor Sweeney --
EROS
(excitedly)
Don't you just love how my
bowstring sings!
ANNOUNCER
Jillian Walker, and André de
Shields is Hermes!
HERMES
(annoyed)
Aphrodite, your son is
disturbing my equanimity.
Please show him OUT of my
studio.
ANNOUNCER
The TEAM's producing director
is Emma Orme, and associate
producer is Sabine Decatur.
Casting support from Melissa
Friedman, co-artistic director
of Epic Theatre Ensemble.
Live From Mount Olympus is
written by Nathan Yungerberg,
with additional writing by
Julie Burstein and Jason Adam
Katzenstein. Audio production
and mix by John Melillo. Audio
editing and sound design by
Yonatan Rekem. Magdalini
Giannikou composed our original
music, which was performed by
Banda Magda, and mixed and
mastered by Luca Bordonaro.
Jason Adam Katzenstein created
our illustrations and is series
humor consultant. A big thank
you to our creative advisors
Dr. Michael Cohen and Richard
Nodell. Mandy Boikou is
administrative director and
Sofia Pipa is project manager
at Onassis USA. Will McClelland
is our production assistant and
Gizelle Winter is our series
antiquities consultant. Live
From Mount Olympus was recorded
with engineers Roy Hendrickson,
Mor Mezrich, Matthew Sullivan,
and Matthew Soares at the Power
Station at Berklee NYC. Press
by Grand Communications.
Graphic design by Onassis
Creative Studio. Live From
Mount Olympus is distributed by
PRX. Want to learn more about
Hermes and the Olympians?
Check out our website at
www.onassis.link/olympus. Since
1975, the Onassis Foundation
has been dedicated to culture,
community, and education, with
projects that can effectively
inspire social change and
justice across borders. Learn
more at www.onassis.org.