Live from Mount Olympus | Theseus and Ariadne

A dramatic adventure for tweens and listeners of all ages, “Live from Mount Olympus’ weaves timeless Greek myths with the artistry of foremost contemporary theater-makers and the imaginative power of audio. Hermes, the god of storytellers, travelers, and thieves (Tony Award-winner André De Shields), is our host.

"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."

When King Minos of Crete demands fourteen young Athenians to feed to the monstrous Minotaur, Prince Theseus and a lively group of teenagers set sail. In Knossos, Minos expects his daughter Princess Ariadne to watch quietly as the Athenian tributes meet their gruesome deaths. But Eros, the mischievous god of love, takes aim with his arrows, intertwining the fate of Theseus and Ariadne. Can our young heroes somehow change the destinies of everyone around them?

Live from Mount Olympus is a production of the Onassis Foundation. Created and produced by Peabody Award-winning showrunner Julie Burstein, this bold and original audio drama is co-produced by the Brooklyn-based theater ensemble The TEAM, and directed by Tony Award-winner Rachel Chavkin, Zhailon Levingston, and Keenan Tyler Oliphant. Karen Brooks Hopkins is the executive producer.

Live from Mount Olympus is distributed by PRX.

“‘Theseus & Ariadne’ is our wildest ride yet! The bull dance, the Minotaur, and the love arrows shot by Eros straight into the hearts of our heroes … make this ‘Live from Mount Olympus’ season an unforgettable adventure. The contemporary voice of the podcast, combined with the power of audio to stimulate the imagination, brings the enduring magic of Greek myths to life like never before!”

–Karen Brooks Hopkins, Executive Producer

“This myth is so rich – full of danger, monsters, romance, societal upheaval, family secrets. Theseus leads a group of teenagers who sometimes jostle and tease each other but always have each other’s back. And when Eros strikes with his arrows, Theseus and Ariadne must defy the conventions and expectations of their families in order to become who they are fated to be. It was a marvelous challenge and such great fun to create and shape this story for the Onassis Foundation with our fabulous and talented team of writers, artists, performers, directors, composers, musicians, and audio producers!”

–Julie Burstein, Creator & Showrunner

“It was amazing being in the studio with so many young performers playing Theseus and his rebellious band of tributes, standing up to an unreasonable and violent King in this season of ‘Live from Mount Olympus.’ And Theseus and Ariadne’s revolutionary love leading to the downfall of an empire is so juicy and moving and tender.”

–Rachel Chavkin, Director

Produced by: The Onassis Foundation and the Brooklyn-based theater company The TEAM

Distributed by: PRX

Executive Producer: Karen Brooks Hopkins

Creator and Showrunner: Julie Burstein

Co-Directors: Rachel Chavkin, Zhailon Levingston, Keenan Tyler Oliphant, Josiah Davis

TEAM’s Producing Director: Emma Orme

TEAM’s Producing Manager: Sabine Decatur

Casting Support: Melissa Friedman

Writer: Nathan Yungerberg

Audio Producer: John Melillo

Editor: Yonatan Rekem

Music Composition: Magdalini Giannikou

Music Performed by: Banda Magda

Music Editing: Luca Bordonaro

Illustrator and Humor Consultant: Jason Adam Katzenstein

Creative Advisor: Dr. Michael Cohen

Press: Grand Communications

Graphic Design: Onassis Creative Studio

Onassis USA Administrative Director: Mandy Boikou

Onassis USA Project Manager: Sofia Pipa

Antiquities Consultant: Gizelle Winter

Production Assistant: Will McClelland

Engineers: Roy Hendrickson, Ian Kagey, Benjamin Miller

Actors: Xavier Pacheco (Theseus), MaYaa Boateng (Ariadne), Flaco Jimenez (Daedalus), Divine Garland (Icarus), André de Shields (Hermes), Conor Sweeney (Eros), Jill Frutkin (Aphrodite), Eric Berryman (Dionysus), Libby King (Athena), EJ Duarte (Ant), Angel Rodriguez (Prokritos), Na’Shay Kelly (Lysidike), Evalisse Lopez (Eriboea), Damir Priestley (Phaidimos), Joham Palma (Idas), Marcel Isaiah Martinez (Simon), Adrienne Hopkins (Koronis), Natalie Hopkins (Menestho), Kimberly Marable (Pasiphae / Drakaina), Jake Margolin (Minos), Ian Lassiter (Asterion), Caroline Hopkins (Phaedra), Jillian Walker (Aethra), James Harrison Monaco (Bull Dance Announcer), Zhailon Levingston (Bull Dance Color / Announcer), Sean Carvajal (Chamber Guard)