PREVIOUSLY ON ANNOUNCER Previously on Live From Mount Olympus... SIMON (fearfully) 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! MINOAN GUARD ONE (announcing) Athenian tributes! You have arrived at Heraklion Harbor. MINOAN GUARD TWO (laughing) The Minotaur's gourmet meal delivery all the way from Athens. LYSIDIKE Whoa! Up on the cliff? What is going on? ERIBOEA (fearfully) Snake goddesses! With SNAKES! APHRODITE (V.O.) Now, Eros, now! EROS (V.O.) Finalllllyyyyyy! THESEUS Ow! ANT Theseus? You good? 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! INTRO ANNOUNCER Live From Mount Olympus is produced by The Onassis Foundation and is distributed by PRX. INTERIOR, PODCAST STUDIO APHRODITE You certainly looked like you enjoyed yourself when you took that shot. EROS Why shouldn't I enjoy it? Isn't that the point of doing this in the first place? APHRODITE Exactly. EROS OK. My next arrow is nocked -- I'm ready for her! HERMES But the story is not yet ready for you, Eros -- always shooting arrows first and asking questions later. You must learn to still yourself in order to allow great stories to unfold in their own time. APHRODITE True, if you shot her now, who knows who she'd be looking at, who she'd fall for... EROS But that could add to the fun! HERMES Remember -- ceremony must come before the sacrifice. And this ceremony is about to begin -- the stunning, suspenseful, potentially lethal bull dance, held in the vast central square of Knossos. DAYTIME, CENTRAL SQUARE OF KNOSSOS Roar of the crowd as the Athenians enter the square BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY (reverberating from a PA system from a distance) Ladies and gentlemen, it's been nine long years since the last tributes arrived from Athens to dance with the bulls before they meet the biggest bull of all -- the Minotaur. Cheers BULL DANCE COLOR Are you ready for the death-defying spectacle of the decade?? BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY I know I sure am, Niko. Let's give the Athenian tributes a big Minoan welcome! B roll of a few weak claps but mostly catcalls and ridicule. POV shifts to the tributes SIMON The palace is so much bigger than I imagined... ERIBOEA With huge red columns and balconies that seem to stretch right up to the sky... KORONIS So many people... MENESTHO -- and they're not very friendly... SIMON (nervously) Where's the bull? PROKRITOS We got this, Simon -- we've been practicing for months -- and you're our fastest runner, don't you worry about the bull! ERIBOEA (hushed) When we practiced dancing with bulls in the fields outside Athens it was remote and quiet -- but so many eyes are on us now! LYSIDIKE (hushed) They're here for a show; so we're gonna give them one! Stand tall Eriboea! You've got this! SIMON (nervous, hushed voice) Um, Theseus, what if, um... What if this time, after I leap over the bull, I'm not quick enough to get away from it? THESEUS (hushed, confident) That's not gonna happen, Simon. Teamwork, remember. We have each other's back! Head high my friend! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY The tribute in charge seems to be that slight young man with the curly hair -- BULL DANCE COLOR Huh. Why would the Athenians chose him as their leader? He's not the tallest and certainly doesn't look like he's the strongest. BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY That's Theseus -- Word is he's been claimed by Aegeus, king of Athens, as his son! BULL DANCE COLOR Ah, Theseus! I've also heard a rumor that Poseidon himself is this young man's father! How's THAT for dramatic backstory? BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Well, that bull won't care in the least who his parents are. Theseus seems to be pretty cocky though, the way he's walked into the square as if somehow he belongs on these royal grounds. We'll see how long that lasts! BULL DANCE COLOR Yeah, pretty hard to be cocky with a bull horn through your abdomen, am I right? Sound of the crowd cheering again. BULL DANCE COLOR Anyway, as we wait for the bull to be released, let's give a shoutout to the royalty in the house. More cheers from the crowd. BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY On the first balcony stands Princess Ariadne, in her snake priestess finery! She's in her "hiss" era. Just 16 years old -- the snake goddess in waiting! Crowd cheering and applauding. THESEUS (lovesick to himself) Did he um... Did he say, Ariadne? ANT Theseus! THESEUS (slowly and lovesick to himself) Ariadne. A perfect name for a perfect-- ANT Theseus! Look me in the eye. Here! Now! FOCUS! THESEUS Focus, right, focus, Ariadne, I mean, focus... BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Next to Ariadne is her darling little sister Phaedra -- this is the 10 year old princess's first bull dance. BULL DANCE COLOR Well, buckle up, little lady. Crowd chanting Ariadne Ariadne Ariadne Ariadne/Phaedra Phaedra Phaedra Phaedra. POV shifts to the royal box PHAEDRA Hey Ariadne, did you see that total dreamboat of a tribute? ARIADNE Which one? PHAEDRA That one! The one giving everyone orders! Is it true that the last time, some of the tributes died on their first day with the bull? ARIADNE (quickly) I don't want to think about that. Images from the last time of a boy being trampled and a girl being gored still haunt me... I hate that we have to watch. PHAEDRA Well, I can't wait! This is the most exciting thing I've ever been allowed to see! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Just above the princesses, on the second balcony, stands their mother, the Snake Goddess on Earth herself, Pasiphae. BULL DANCE COLOR If the Athenians somehow succeed in subduing the bull, they must dedicate it to her as queen of Knossos. Sound of crowd cheering again. BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Across the square, sitting at a suspicious distance from his queen, King Minos sits on his ornate throne, so close to the action he should be able to smell the bull's hot breath. BULL DANCE COLOR Probably pretty stinky, I imagine. BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY The Athenians have gathered in a huddle -- You think they're actually planning something? BULL DANCE COLOR What's there to plan? Just run away from the bull and keep from getting gored. POV shifts to the tributes THESEUS Brothers and sisters! We have practiced for weeks! And through all our work, we've become a team. We've got this! We fight for the honor of Athens! Let's give these Minoans the bull dance of a lifetime. TRIBUTES For Athens! Tributes do one loud clap to punctuate the cheer! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY The young Athenians have broken onto the field. It's so charming they think they stand a chance! Hopefully they'll last longer than the five seconds it took last time. BULL DANCE COLOR Well, eventually of course they'll all be eaten, it's just a question of when and how. Sound of a gate opening. Sound of a bull pawing the ground. BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY (hushed) We'll soon find out -- the bull has been released! BULL DANCE COLOR What a beauty! Deep glossy brown with white markings, and those horns! They must be three feet long with an evil curl at the tips. This beast could be a twin to the beautiful bull in the palace frescos... BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY He's bellowing, pawing the ground -- now he's charging into the center of the square! Sound of the crowd cheering. THESEUS Athenians, Five H Flood! BULL DANCE COLOR The Athenians are flowing into a formation -- surrounding the bull on all sides! I've never seen this move before...and neither has the bull. THESEUS Menestho, ready? MENESTHO Ready! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY A single young woman has broken from the group -- She's running towards the bull! BULL DANCE COLOR Her jaw is clenched tight, her dark piercing eyes focus on the bull, like somehow she's the hunter and not the prey! Look at her calf muscles ripple! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY She's grabbed the bull's horns! And leapt onto its back! Now she's launched herself off -- into a somersault! Sound of crowd roaring. BULL DANCE COLOR Yes!!! Somehow one of the young men put himself right where he needed to be to catch her. THESEUS Athenians! Y-Fan! Go! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY The Athenian tributes are fanning out in all directions! BULL DANCE COLOR But the bull looks confused -- he doesn't seem to know where to look first. Ah! He's going for the tallest young man of the group! Strange -- the kid isn't running away... Sound of the crowd cheering. THESEUS Phaidimos, get ready to fly! PHAIDIMOS Ready! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY The bull has almost reached the young dancer whose arms are stretched out to catch its horns. But the enormous beast has changed its mind - it's swerving, charging two other tributes on its left... ANT Koronis, Simon, fan out! He's coming for you! B roll of tons of running and panting and fear (but not panic) PROKRITOS Theseus, he's turned again! He's headed straight at you! THESEUS Oh, man -- Athenians! 23! Slide Combo! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Hard to make out what the Athenians are doing -- they seem to be running in some sort of zig zag pattern all around the bull. BULL DANCE ANNOUNCER Whatever they're doing - they've completely disoriented him, and us! THESEUS Now, Phaidimos, now! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Holy SMOKES, look at that kid go! A beautiful handspring flip up onto the beast's back and landing with a perfect dismount. Sound of crowd cheering. THESEUS Eriboea, Koronis, Idas, Simon! Early 4! Early 4! Pocket! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Now four young Athenians are leaping over the bewildered bull in quick succession. I have NEVER seen anything like that before! Sound of the crowd cheering. THESEUS Ant, it's time for the finale. ANT Athenians, Sideline Sweep! Sideline Sweep! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Whoa! The boys have just run to the sidelines, to the right of the king, they've drawn the bull's attention. The girls have run to the left. And here comes young Theseus, walking straight out through the center towards the bull! BEAT BULL DANCE COLOR The bull is stopping, and Theseus stops too! There are only ten, maybe twelve feet between them. Sound of Theseus yelling something BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Theseus is rushing the bull! Sound of the crowd cheering. Sound of the crowd gasping. BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY He's grabbed the bull by the horns! BULL DANCE COLOR And that's not a metaphor, folks, Theseus has LITERALLY grabbed the bull's horns! Now he's launching himself into the air -- PODCAST STUDIO HERMES Perfect time to interrupt the action, my little heroes -- Eros, you're on! Time for Ariadne! EROS (excitedly) Now? APHRODITE Yes! She's looking right at Theseus! Now!!! Sound of an arrow flying through the dimensions and hitting flesh. EROS Scooooooore! DAYTIME, COURTYARD ON CRETE ARIADNE Owwwwwwwww! PHAEDRA Ariadne! What happened? You get stung by a bee? ARIADNE I don't um.. I don't know...maybe it was a bee? I feel a little... dizzy. PHAEDRA You look weird, are you ok? ARIADNE (lovesick) I... I don't know, I... I feel a little... my heart's beating so quickly and I'm nervous and cold and hot at the same time and everything feels so new and beautiful and scary but in a... in a lovely kind of way. PHAEDRA Should I call our nurse? You look like you're going to faint! ARIADNE (snapping out of it) No, Phaedra, I'm fine. PHAEDRA (suspiciously under her breath) Then why are your eyes locked on that cute tribute, the one on the bull? (BEAT) BULL DANCE COLOR Theseus balances on the back of the bull as it tries to buck him off. BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY now Theseus grabs its horns again, wrenching, twisting, wrenching and twisting! BULL DANCE COLOR The bull is losing focus, losing energy, the other tributes are darting in and out, taunting the beast as Theseus wrestles it into submission!!! What teamwork! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY What teamwork! THESEUS Let's get you over there, big fella. BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Surrounded by his teammates, Theseus is riding the beast straight to the balcony where Pasiphae, Snake Goddess on Earth, stands holding a writhing snake in each hand, waiting for the bull to be presented to her. BULL DANCE COLOR Ah, hang on -- I may be mistaken, but it seems the young Athenian is not looking up to the top balcony -- instead, standing tall on the back of the bull, he's locking eyes with -- Princess Ariadne? You can feel the lightning bolt in that glance as if Zeus himself had thrown it... Sound of crowd laughing and applauding. BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY What an audacious beginning! BULL DANCE COLOR Yes! The Athenians have given an incredible performance -- and no one died! BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY There's a first for everything, first. These tributes will go to their deaths in the Minotaur's labyrinth with honor! Sound of wild screaming and applause. ARIADNE (to herself) No -- that must not happen! But what can I do? Where can I turn for help? PHAEDRA I knew you liked him! I'll help! ARIADNE OK -- if Mom or Dad ask for me, distract them somehow -- I must go! PHAEDRA Where? ARIADNE To see the only person who will know what to do -- Daedalus. DAYTIME, DAEDALUS'S WORKSHOP Sounds of wings flapping just outside, and Icarus falling to the ground over and over. DAEDALUS (calling out the open terrace doors) Icarus! Increase the celerity! ICARUS The what? DAEDALUS Celerity: you must increase the celerity of your wing flapping in order to create the desired levitation. ICARUS Sure, Pops, I'd do that if I knew what in Hades you're talking about. DAEDALUS Celerity: rapidity, rapidness, quickness -- Sound of loud knocking on a wooden door. DAEDALUS Wait, son -- someone is at the- Sound of Ariadne rushing in. ARIADNE Professor Daedalus! DAEDALUS Princess Ariadne? ARIADNE So glad I caught you in your workshop -- DAEDALUS You know that I'm always in my workshop -- your father has imprisoned me here... ARIADNE Yeah, he always says you're too smart for your own good, he wants all your inventions to himself! ICARUS (from outside the door) Pops! The celerity! I increased my celerity and looooooook! ARIADNE You're FLYING, Icky??? ICARUS It's all about the celerity! ARIADNE Celeri- what? DAEDALUS (urgently) Straighten your wingspan, Icarus, or you're going to... Sound of Icarus falling from the sky and hitting the terrace. ICARUS Owwwwwwwww! DAEDALUS Ariadne, no one must know about this little... experiment... especially not your father. ARIADNE Could you make me a set of wings, too? DAEDALUS Your fate is not to fly, Ariadne -- it's to be the next Snake Goddess on Earth. ARIADNE If my father has anything to do about it, Snake Goddess will soon be a dirty word. ICARUS He's still mad at your mom, huh? ARIADNE (lowering her voice) I can't remember the last time I saw them in the same room. And I think he's planning something even more outrageous than the terrible tribute he demands from Athens... DAEDALUS Sending 14 young Athenians into the labyrinth -- ICARUS -- to be eaten by the Minotaur! ARIADNE I hate that father is sending the tributes to die! I -- I need your help to stop it! I must find a way to talk to their leader, to Theseus. ICARUS Why do you want to see the tributes, Ariadne? Last time, you were so afraid for them you could hardly watch the bull dance. ARIADNE Watching the tributes be killed by the bull was awful! But -- this time feels different -- the Athenians were amazing today, no one died! Somehow they worked together until one of them... She sighs. ARIADNE Until Theseus actually subdued the bull! I need to talk to him. I think he -- ICARUS (singsong) Ariadne likes Theseus! Ariadne likes Theseus! ARIADNE No! It's -- it's not like that! I -- I feel somehow that it's my fate to help him. ICARUS Well, what are you waiting for? Go see him right now! ARIADNE As "goddess in waiting," I can't just waltz into the chamber where they're holding the tributes in the labyrinth. My father's guards would immediately alert him that I was there. ICARUS Hmm -- I have an idea! You need a disguise! (rummaging through a closet) Wear my cloak! ARIADNE Icarus, you're a genius! Let me put it on! Sound of rustling fabric. ARIADNE How do I look? I make a great Icarus, right? ICARUS (laughing) Not with that dainty princess walk. You need some swagger. Watch me. Sound of solid footsteps. ARIADNE Like this? Sound of solid footsteps. ICARUS Slouch a little more, Ariadne. Yeah... perfect! Sound of Ariadne continuing to practice. DAEDALUS Anyone who glimpses your face will know in an instant you're not Icarus -- hmm... (rustling through papers on his desk) Must find scissors... and some glue -- Hold on. DAEDALUS Icarus, stand still, I need a lock of your hair... Snipping sounds. DAEDALUS Ariadne, hold this above your left lip -- let me glue it on... ARIADNE (giggling) It tickles! DAEDALUS There! A wispy mustache, just like Icarus's. ICARUS (indignant) Wispy? My 'stache is manly and full! DAEDALUS (laughing) Yeah, you go on believing that, kid... ARIADNE (laughing) The sun is setting, I must go! DAEDALUS Remember the charm we've been working on? ARIADNE The persuasion charm? DAEDALUS Exactly. You've been practicing, and the mustache and cloak should help make it work. Are you ready? ARIADNE I think so...goodbye Icarus. Thank you, Daedalus. Sound of Ariadne walking out of the workshop. ICARUS Remember, Ari -- swagger! DAEDALUS And keep rocking that mustache! Sound of Ariadne swaggering out the door. INT. GODSPOD STUDIO EROS Ha! My arrows make mortals do some crazy things! APHRODITE All is fair in love! Ariadne is one determined princess. HERMES But is determination enough? We'll find 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 Davis, with additional direction by Joan Sergei. And our actors are: Eric Berryman, MaYaa Boateng -- ARIADNE Everything feels so new and beautiful and scary but in a... in a lovely kind of way. ANNOUNCER Sean Carvajal, EJ Duarte -- ANT Theseus! Look me in the eye. Here! Now! FOCUS! ANNOUNCER Jill Frutkin -- APHRODITE Yes! She's looking right at Theseus! Now!!! ANNOUNCER Divine Garland -- ICARUS Sure, Pops, I'd do that if I knew what in Hades you're talking about. ANNOUNCER Adrienne Hopkins-- KORONIS So many people... ANNOUNCER Natalie Hopkins -- MENESTHO -- and they're not very friendly... ANNOUNCER Caroline Hopkins -- PHAEDRA This is the most exciting thing I've ever been allowed to see! ANNOUNCER Modesto "Flako" Jimenez -- DAEDALUS Your fate is not to fly, Ariadne -- it's to be the next Snake Goddess on Earth. ANNOUNCER Na'Shay Kelly -- LYSIDIKE They're here for a show, so we're gonna give them one. ANNOUNCER Julian Hart-King, Libby King, Ian Lassiter -- Sound of bull lowing. ANNOUNCER Zhailon Levingston -- BULL DANCE PLAY BY PLAY Let's give the Athenian tributes a big Minoan welcome! ANNOUNCER Evalisse Lopez -- ERIBOEA It was remote and quiet -- but so many eyes are on us now! ANNOUNCER Kimberly Marable, Jake Margolin, Marcel Isaiah Martinez -- SIMON What if this time, after I leap over the bull, I'm not quick enough to get away from it? ANNOUNCER James Harrison Monaco -- BULL DANCE COLOR Pretty hard to be cocky with a bull horn through your abdomen, am I right? ANNOUNCER Xavier Pacheco -- THESEUS Let's give these Minoans the bull dance of a lifetime! ANNOUNCER Joham Palma -- IDAS I got red! I got red! Ooh! ANNOUNCER Damir Priestley -- PHAIDIMOS Ready! ANNOUNCER Angel Rodriguez -- PROKRITOS We've been practicing for months, and you're our fastest runner! ANNOUNCER Conor Sweeney -- EROS My next arrow is nocked -- I'm ready for her! ANNOUNCER Jillian Walker, and André de Shields is Hermes! HERMES Remember -- ceremony must come before the sacrifice. 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.