Album Notes

This is the original workshop recording of Olympus the Musical.

Debuted in Summer '11, at the Shenkman Centre in Ottawa, Canada, the number one comment heard from people upon leaving was "Where can I get the cast recording?" From the driving epic "The game has begun" which opens the show to "What makes a hero", the closing number which audience members hum on the way out, each piece of music makes its own statement. Driving or poignant, hopeful or funny, the combination of music and voices is sure to please.

To get to where it is today, this musical has gone through many living room and basement focus groups organized and run by its creators, Jenny and Larry Tarof. Each time a piece didn't resonate with the focus group (and there were quite a few false starts!), the composers went back to the drawing board to create a combination of music which would resonate with and hopefully win over the audience. A cast was assembled in Summer '11 to do the show for real, some competitive grant money was obtained, and the show took form. Both the excited audience and dedicated cast were eager to do a cast recording and this is the result.

This recording captures the original workshop and showcase in raw form -- vocals and piano, as it was done onstage. We hope you enjoy!



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Olympus the Musical is an original work weaving together a combination of four well-known Greek myths. It journeys through the realm of the living and the land of the dead, exploring the grief that links people even when they're worlds apart. The audience will follow the famous Heracles on his twelve labours, and fight alongside Persephone as she tries to escape the underworld. Exploring sacrifice, friendship and the dizzying games the gods play, Olympus will question the nature of immortality and will leave the audience wondering: just what makes a hero?

Workshop
Aug 28, 2011 premiere
full script and music:

Nicholas Amott Prometheus
Nabil Ayoub Icarus
Amy Einarsson Persephone
Eric Gingras Daedallus
Stacey Ingrey Demeter
Warner McQueen Heracles
Tim Oberholzer Hades
Euan Wheaton Zeus
Larry Tarof Musical Director/Piano
Bronwyn Steinberg Director
Cory Sampson Stage Manager

Showcase
Jun 26, 2011 premiere
10 songs with narration -- presented as musical theater revue:

Nabil Ayoub Icarus
Artem Barry Prometheus
Paula Berry Persephone
Eric Gingras Daedallus
Stacey Ingrey Demeter
Warner McQueen Heracles
Tim Oberholzer Hades
Jenny Tarof Narrator
Larry Tarof Musical Director/Piano
Bronwyn Steinberg Director

lyrics and book Jenny Tarof, music Larry Tarof @2005-2011
Workshop production made possible by the generous support of ARTicipate Canada.