It’s a light show! It’s a dance show! It’s a style show! It’s pop tunes! And, oh, by the way, it’s a musical with Broadway intentions currently onstage at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Mythic is also a tale from Greek mythology brought to the today’s world of pop stars, influencers and social media. Although Marcus Stevens and Oran Eldor’s musical was previously produced in London and Montreal before the worldwide pandemic , the show’s dramatically updated production here in the Queen City by an A-list of Broadway talent is more like a world premiere. It has all the eye-popping trappings and big-voiced talent that are the hallmarks of today’s Tony Award aspirants.
So what’s it about? Using the names of Greek gods from more than 3,000 years ago, the story of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, and her daughter Persephone has been used by Mythic’s book writer Stevens as the inspiration for a modern story about conflict and resolution between a loving mother and her strong–minded offspring. In the show’s opening number Demeter speaks of her peers among the gods, the Titans, as ruling the world, “until they had kids.”
That’s the essence of Mythic’s story. Demeter is earthbound after being exiled from Mt. Olympus, and she’s made the best of it by becoming a kind of earth mother. She expects Persephone to follow in her crunchy granola footsteps, but the teen is much more attracted to the latter-day temptations of fame and fortune. She yearns to attend a star-studded, all-night party on the Acropolis, presided over by Zeus, the king of the gods. He also happens to be Demeter’s ex, Persephone’s dad (and maybe 40 other offspring) and the guy who is the life of the party — at least in his own mind.
Building on this base, the story adds in Aphrodite, the goddess of love, a bigtime party girl, and Hades, the bad-boy god of the dead. Mix it all up with Aphrodite imposing a love connection between Persephone and Hades, followed by Demeter trying to untie the bonds of love, and you have the basic story. It’s worth mentioning that a profound knowledge of Greek mythology is hardly necessary for Mythic, which provides songs and storytelling to fill in necessary details, especially about a number of nefarious characters from the Hades’ foreboding realm in the Underworld.
Mythic has been staged by director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall, a three-time Tony winner. Her greatest success has been as a choreographer, and she’s staged Mythic with a Broadway caliber cast that’s constantly, feverishly in motion. Mamie Parris (above) is a warm, loving and voluptuous goddess, dressed in earthy green and floral colors. (Costumer Linda Cho has designed a staggering array of character-appropriate clothing for each character.) When she sings the heartfelt moving number “What Mothers Have to Do,” it’s clear that she represents this show’s core message.
Persephone is embodied by petite but powerful Analise Scarpaci (above), often in overalls and more mundane attire until she evolves into the queen of the underworld. Her rendition of “My Own Place in the Pantheon” early in the show clearly defines her aspirations; when she sings “You’d Be Surprised,” it’s a further sign of her growing maturity and moral compass. As Aphrodite, Savy Jackson (below), is decked out in glittery bling and full of vapid judgment, but over the course of the story (and thanks to Demeter and Persephone) she becomes more self-aware.
The leading men are more caricatures. As Zeus, Michael Park (above) is essentially a preening but over-the-hill rock star, doing his best to keep up with a younger generation. Park is great fun to watch in all his sleazy arrogance, eager to be hip but not quite making it. Then there’s Hades, played by Julius Thomas III (below). As the guy in charge of the dead, he’s quick to call himself a monster, but he’s written to have a softer side that gets too much emphasis in this version of the myth. Persephone is drawn to him (even beyond Aphrodite’s spell) and does her best to convert him into a better man. But that’s the least satisfying incarnation in this fairytale which has Persephone greening the place up.
Nevertheless, the story of Demeter’s fierce and largely successful endeavor to reclaim her daughter — even when it means Persephone will spend time with Mom for six months of the year (that would be spring and summer, get it?) and the rest (fall and winter) with Hades — is the heart of this story. By the way, that’s obviously the whole point of the Greek myth’s underpinning — providing an explanation for the changing seasons.
Audiences are likely to come away from this production mostly talking about the spectacular lighting designed by Kenneth Posner (Tony winner for Wicked and many other Broadway shows) and dazzling laser effects by designer Adam Biscow. In addition Mythic takes full advantage of all the bells and whistles that are now available at Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre, the Playhouse’s new mainstage. From scene to scene, not only are the lights in constant motion as much as the performers, they shoot well beyond the stage into the auditorium. Scenic designer David Korins, another Tony winner, has taken more of a back seat to the lighting, but he makes great use of the stages traps and elevators, including a charming swing for two that Demeter and Persephone employ in several scenes, over the front rows of the audience.
Eight supporting professional actors (who are also polished, expressive dancers) play numerous roles, in and out of costumes and characters at a dizzying pace — Matthew Blum (Charon, the boatman on the river Styx), Aaron Gabriel Graham (Alecto, Hades’ right-hand man), Stephanie Lynne Mason (Nike, a pushy goddess of victory), Owen Scales (Minos and Cyclops, a pair of monsters), Kodiak Thompson (Helios, a silly version of the sun god), and Alexa Magro, Cassidy Stone and Emily Grace Tucker (as Aphrodite’s backups, the Aphrodettes). Each one of them inhabits one or two minor characters, each one well defined and generally amusing to watch. These are all performers with Broadway credits.
Bottom line: Mystic is taking clear aim at a Broadway production. It could go as is and succeed, with topnotch talent and design. If a bit of tweaking happens, especially with the character of Hades, that might make it even better. Nevertheless, huzzahs and best wishes to the Playhouse for providing the venue for this promising, high-caliber show.
PRODUCTION PHOTOS BY MIKKI SCHAFFNER
MYTHIC continues through October 19. For tickets, call 513-241-3888 or go to www.CincyPlay.com.