MC MytholOG - Midas, Medea, Jonah* et al.

This is a brief, light-hearted presentation by two narrators and an ad hoc chorus on the Ides of March, explaining some of the background of this infamous date in history. Enjoy. A little foolishness is good for the soul.

Inspired by Eugene Ionesco's Rhinoceros, an absurdist play about the invasion by a crash of rhinos (read: fascism), my Skool Daze is an absurdist tragicomedy about teachers and students getting distracted by all sorts of things, effectively putting blinders on to a real threat, in this case, an armed intruder (or two) in the school. Daze opens with a faculty meeting wherein administrators head a workshop on protocol for the event of an armed intruder. Things do not quite go as planned in the simulation and the faculty are not quite as attentive as they should be and are easily distracted by this and that. In the midst of their distraction, they see an actual shooter through the halls of the building, leading to at least one administrator getting shot! No, for realz! This episode is the surreal sequel to Act I of Skool Dayz, in which the previous events - an intruder or two runnning through the school hallways and the faculty's slow reaction to it and to their own administrator getting shot - lead to their inevitable (?) conclusion. In this episode you will find out who the intruders are, why they have intruded, and how the administrators, faculty and students in the building react to this menacing breach. Tune in and embrace the strange and unsettling conclusion, Act II, of Skool Dayz. 

In this episode of Skool Dayz, Act I, Part II, the routine faculty workshop on intruder protocol begins to spiral out of control when more alarms sound and another intruder runs through the building, and, even more unsettling, at least one administrator gets shot! How will everyone react this time? Are they prepared for the real thing? Will they apply what they've learned? Will they be able to stay focused on the urgent matter at hand? Enjoy and embrace the increasing dysfunctionality in Act I, Part II of Skool Dayz.

Inspired by Ionesco's Rhinoceros, an absurdist play about the rise of fascism, my Skool Daze is an absurdist tragicomedy about teachers and students getting distracted by all sorts of things, effectively putting blinders on to a real threat, in this case an armed intruder (or two) in their own school. After a general introduction to the play and the actors, Daze opens with a faculty meeting where administrators head a workshop on protocol for the event of an armed intruder. Things do not quite go as planned in the simulation and the faculty are not quite as attentive as they should be and are easily distracted by this and that, which does not bode well should a routine workshop spiral out of control as alarms jangle nerves and an intruder runs through the halls of the school... Enjoy the distracted dysfunction of Act I, Part I of this version of Skool Dayz.

Inspired by Eugene Ionesco's Rhinoceros, an absurdist play about the invasion of a population of rhinos (read: fascism), my Skool Daze is an absurdist tragicomedy about teachers and students getting distracted by all sorts of things, effectively putting blinders on to a real threat, in this case, an armed intruder (or two) in the school. Daze opens with a faculty meeting wherein administrators head a workshop on protocol for the event of an armed intruder. Things do not quite go as planned in the simulation and the faculty are not quite as attentive as they should be and are easily distracted by this and that. In the midst of their distraction, they see an actual shooter through the halls of the building, leading to at least one administrator getting shot! For realz! How will everyone - teachers, administrators, students - react to this? Have they been fully prepared for the real thing? Will they be able to stay focused on the matter at hand or will things spiral out of control? Tune in and embrace the surreal, dysfunctional Act I of Skool Dayz. 

In this episode of Skool Daze the simple faculty workshop begins to spiral out of control with a shooter or two in the building and at least one administrator shot! How will everyone react? Are they ready for this? Embrace the increasingly dysfunction in Part II.

Inspired by Eugene Ionesco's Rhinoceros, an absurdist play about the rise of fascism, my Skool Daze is an absurdist tragicomedy about teachers and students getting distracted by all sorts of things, effectively putting blinders on to the real threat of gun violence in schools. Daze opens with a faculty meeting where administrators head a workshop on protocol for the event of an armed intruder.  Things do not quite go as planned and things are not quite what they seemed. It is not what it is?

This is the updated version of the excerpt, Liz Rant, from Skool Daze, a non-mythology play by MC. How new and improved? Well, we have two mystery cameos giving muc improved voice to Liz and Kendra (instead of yours truly laboring mightily)! Perhaps you know them... The scene set up: during an important faculty workshop on school intruder preparedness, the very earnest Kendra and her rather edgier colleague, Liz, mix it up, but basically Liz just rashes on Kendra. Enjoy! Is it a teacher thing?

Inspired by Eugene Ionesco's absurdist play about the rise of fascism, Rhinoceros, my Skool Daze is an absurdist tragicomedy about teachers and students getting distracted by all sorts of things, effectively putting blinders on to a threat of gun violence in their own backyard, i.e., school. The opening scene begins with a faculty meeting where administrators address protocols to put in place in the event of an armed intruder. Trigger warning: there are guns but no gunfire in this episode. At any rate, enjoy and embrace the absurd.

Answers what is this podcast exactly and who is this MC?

Outtake from a non-myth play, Skool Daze, what I call Liz's rant. A goodie two shoes teacher, Kendra, and her edgier colleague, Liz, mix it up during a faculty meeting, but basically Liz just rashes on K. Enjoy. It's a teacher thing?

For those who need to binge and are not content to listen to The Song of Orpheus in installments, we've added a podcast of the full play, shortened by some aggressive editing, especially of Orpheus's damned rhyming!  So, binge away if so moved! MC

In this episode, Act IV of The Song of Orpheus, we leave the kingdom of Hades for the upper airs, but there is much unfinished business still to sort out.  In answer to your questions - no, Orpheus does not try a third time to bring back his beloved Eurydice. That door has closed.  And yes, Virginia, it is true, Orpheus is a hot mess without the love of his life, and yet, despite his sad disarray, a cult organically develops around him and his music. Understandably, this does not sit well with some of the Olympian gods because it detracts from their respective cults of worship. They work a solution, or rather Dionysus enlists the unpredictable maenads of Thrace to work a solution, which has a strange sort of success.  No, Orpheus is not deified like Hercules, although his lyre does become a constellation.  And also no, there are no bootleg mixtapes of Pyramus or any other of Orpheus' sublime music. Nor any other merch for that matter lol! And yet, despite a lack of technology and social media, his legend has endured. How can this be? Keep puzzling this, and in the meantime, enjoy and embrace the strangeness that is the conclusion to The Song of Orpheus.  *Credit for original background music to Steve Hayden et al. for the hair raising exchanges between the fanboys in Thrace and on Lesbos. 

Like the previous episode of Act II, this episode, Act III of The Song of Orpheus has entertainment aplenty, but of a different sort, as the scene shifts from mortal Thrace to immortal Hades. Here of course there are many of the characters you've come to know and love down below: the Dark Lord himself and his consort, Persephone, Cerberus the three-headed hound, Charon the boatman, the Three Judges in Hades, the Furies and then of course Orpheus himself who has somehow made it there as a mortal, coming for the shade of Eurydice to bring her back again to the upper airs. After charming everyone in the Underworld including Hades himself, Orpheus, and by extension, Eurydice are given a second chance, but with certain stipulations. No real spoiler alert again as many of you know that unfortunately, tragedy strikes again. Arguably this episode is more tragi- than comedy, alas, but of course in an MC Mythol OG production, there some light moments piercing through the dark Underworld. You may have some questions that need enlightening. Does Orpheus try to bring Eurydice back another time? Does Hades relent on the terms of the deal, especially given Persephone's advocacy for the handsome musicus? If not, what happens to Orpheus after his stint in the Underworld? What happens to him after the irrevocable loss of his soulmate, Eurydice? Surely there is more. Indeed, there is, and it bears knowing, but I'm getting ahead of myself (heh-heh). That will all be revealed in Act IV where things get even curiouser and curiouser -as if a wedding day snakebite fatality and an attempt to rescue a loved one from Hades weren't curious enough! In the interim, enjoy and embrace the strange in Act III of The Song of Orpheus.

In this episode, Act II of The Song of Orpheus, there is much ado - dancing and music, salty musicians, one with an unexpected Liverpudlian accent, a couple of dancers who seem to have left their virtue and veils at home, an impertinent attendant or two, not to mention, most importantly, the exceedingly stressed (due to a premonition of disaster) father of Orpheus and his invaluable aide overseeing Orpheus's wedding to the beloved Eurydice. Despite the joy and happiness of the blessed event, tragedy (no spoiler alert here as you probably know this part of the story) strikes suddenly to take Eury away from Orpheus for the first, but (as you probably also well know ), assuredly, not the last time. Tragicomedy indeed.

In this first episode of the Song of Orpheus, two very, if not excessively, devoted fans, old Lucius and younger Melanippus, attend an outdoor concert where the legendary Orpheus musicus plays his magic and, more importantly, meets the Eurydice of his dreams.

In this brief exchange from a musical that should never be produced, imagine a pair of old dudes, kind of like the critics on the Muppets but not so much, asking about the status of another one of their brethren? It opens with ole Billy caning up to his good friend, Ebeneezer, who gives him the lowdown on the third member of their crewe, the eponymous OWD.

In this episode, the short comedy, an Apocalyptic Apotheosis, better known as the Herc play, our beloved Olympians, upon the news of Hercules's incineration, have a spirited conversation about the pluses and minuses of Zeus's desire to grant his son, not by Hera,  immortality. This could include a throne on Olympus and that unnerves many, as it would upset the divine status quo. But as always, this Olympian discussion quickly devolves into accusations, mostly by the gods, of excessive meddling by Hera during Herc's 12 labors. Typical phallocratic pack behavior! How will Hera defend herself against these trumped up charges? What was the nature of her meddling in the first place? Is there any justification for these accusations? Once the dust has settled, does Herc actually get deified and become a god? Stay tuned for the resolution of those burning questions and also, arguably, of even more important questions herein - will Hephaestus ever get a clue? what are pants? and, what, pray tell, is a porter?    Now, before you dive into the play itself, there is a brief introduction and then you will hear the cast introduce themselves, in their own words yet not in any particular order. As always, embrace the random and unexpected and, specifically in this case [heh-heh, case one good trial deserves another], the dysfunctional and dystractible.

Three revealing bloopers from Herc Play, with short set-ups to scenes.

This is an unbelievable tale about a young boy, Billy, and a retired old horse, Murphy, during a dangerous snowstorm. Billy's younger sister, Addie, has broken her leg falling through some lake ice. Billy, and his father and uncle, must get her to safety as quickly as possible, but where is safety in a blizzard of epic proportions? And what does any of this have to do with the unbelievable Murphy? Embrace the unbelievable to see how it all begins, and how it all ends.

In this new and improved version of Act V, Sir Brett Ewer takes on the role of mighty Minos, playing the King of Crete with authority. The story line remains the same, viz., This final episode of Icarus, Son of Daedalus is the aftermath to the fall of Icarus - Act V and an Epilogue. No, Daedalus does not fall, but what does he do after his son's demise? Does he fly on? Although he grieves for Icarus, he cannot stop his flight too long as Minos is not happy that his prized engineer has escaped and is in hot pursuit. And so Daedalus, after doing proper rites for his son, flies on to sanctuary with the King of Sicily, Cocalus. Having landed there safely, Daedalus literally hangs up his wings and gives up flying forever and finds a degree of safety with Cocalus and his two daughters. Then, in an unfortunate turn of events, Daedalus's genius gives himself away by solving the riddle of the shell- in Minos's own words, he outfoxed the foxy engineer - and Minos claims his engineer. What next? Will sanctuary be respected? Will Cocalus protect his refugee? If not, will Daedalus go willingly? Will his wings stay hung in the temple to Apollo? Will Minos burn the palace to the ground to get back his genius? Can anyone stand up to Minos?

Spoiler alert: Icarus dies? This is the episode we all know and love (?). With time on their hands in the tower of Crete, Icarus and Daedalus assess their situation and try to figure a way to escape their confinement. Inspiration comes at last, and, despite a few hiccups and some friction between father and son, they make extensive preparations to fly the coop on wings of their own inventing. The question remains though: how will Minos react to the escape of his invaluable engineer?

In this episode of Icarus, son of Daedalus, we hear of the consequences of defying King Minos. In Act III Daedalus gets thrown in the maze for his instrumental help satisfying Queen Pasiphae's abnormal desire for the bull from the sea. Icarus, in an unusual fit of loyalty, dutifully joins his father in the maze.   Meanwhile, her desire gone, Queen Pasiphae herself defies Minos and helps father and son escape the labyrinth, but Minos has been suspicious of Pasiphae for some time, and he catches all three before they can completely escape. Not only for this will there be Hades to pay from Minos, but also for Daedalus's part in aiding and abetting Princess Ariadne and the hero tribute Theseus slay the Minotaur and escape the labyrinth.  Given all this treachery can you fault Minos his high dudgeon?  This episode ends as father and son are led to the inescapable tower of Crete, their second and final incarceration.

In this episode of Icarus, son of Daedalus, you'll hear more backstory as to what led to Icarus and Daedalus being imprisoned in the tower by king Minos. At this point the young Icarus is no longer obsessed with Pasiphae, which is a relief to all, yet he is not quite grounded yet and is all hot and bothered now for Doula, the maidservant who helped him get over the queen. Pasiphae's obsession with the bull of Poseidon has definitely not abated, and so she gets Daedalus to work on the infamous invention which will enable her to get with the object of her desire. Having worked hard on this device, Daedalus finally has it ready for the following day and instructs Pasiphae on final details to ensure the successful deception and coupling. Surely there will be consequences as all these preparations have not gone unnoticed by, among others, Minos? Enjoy and embrace, especially here with Icarus, the strange and risqué.

Everyone has heard about the fall of Icarus, right? The poster boy for adolescent heedlessness? But what do we really know about the young man beyond his fall? This episode of Icarus, son of Daedalus explores the backstory by covering the difficult youth of Icarus on the island Crete, where his father Daedalus is a virtual prisoner of the powerful King Minos, and his close and fraught relationships, respectively, with his mother, Naukrate, the former concubine of King Minos, and of course his father Daedalus, the creator of the labyrinth and inventor extraordinaire. Not to mention the unstable (at this time) Queen Pasiphae and her obsession and quote unquote relations with Poseidon's bull from the sea. What led to Icarus's foolishness? Was it all his doing? Was it inevitable that he tune out his father? Should Daedalus shoulder some of the blame? His mother Naukrate? King Minos and his court? Nature versus nurture? Tune in to learn more about this complex character beyond the archetype for teen rebellion. Subsequent episodes will of course speak to the father and son's imprisonment in the tower on Crete, the invention and assembly of the famous wings for escape and of course, the infamous fall, but also the continuation of Daedalus's flight from Minos to Sicily after the loss of his dear son, Icarus.

This is just the previously released four episodes of MC's Homeric Cycle combined into one episode for your listening convenience. In these podcasts, you'll hear the Homeric cycle in a generally linear, episodic, but decidedly non-academic and at times rather breezy version of Homer's epic saga, as if MC were a Greek rhapsode narrating it to you around a campfire outside the classroom, sort of authentic to the oral tradition, decidely low tech. Again, the Homeric Cycle is the Iliad and the Odyssey and all the sidebars, digressions and ancillary stories that orbit the two epics. But in my cycle, I have not yet gotten to the Odyssey, primarily because that story has been told and taught ad nauseam, whereas the Iliad, in my humble opinio, deserves a little more treatmentn. Episode 1 includes a brief introduction to the Cycle in toto, then lays out the prequel to the Iliad: the Golden Apple of Discord, the Judgment of Paris and its fallout, Helen of Sparta and the tricky enlistment of Achilles and Odysseus into the Greek war effort. Episode 2 moves forward through the challenges the Greeks, Agamemnon primarily, face launching the thousand ships to wage war on Troy and retrieve Helen, then, having reached Troy, the discord among the Greeks that leads to the rage of Achilles, the showdown between the offending Paris and the offended Menelaus, and an aristeia of Diomedes involving the gods, as well as an interesting sidebar that forms part of the Homeric tradition. Much of Episode 3 hews to the story line of the Iliad, meaning the focus is on the latter stages of the rage of Achilles and its tragic consequences but ultimately also its glorious aftermath. Patrokles and Hector are key elements but an outraged river also makes an appearance? The destructive nature of excess and the paramount importance of honor are the beating hearts of this episode. This last episode in the series highlights events beyond the scope of the Iliad but which are definitely within the Cycle. First and foremost, Achilles's death. The Iliad itself ends with the death of Hector, not Achilles, yet as foretold, Achilles's end must follow hard on the heels, as it were, of Hector's. This episode also answers questions you may have about various other participants: Menelaus, Agamemnon, Philoctetes, Diomedes, Helen, Paris, Laocoon, Priam, Hecuba, Cassandra, Aeneas, Criseis & Briseis. What happens to Ajax is particularly heartbreaking, IMHO. You may wonder if there is more in store for members of the cursed house of Atreus? Fo sho! The house is fodder for much of Greek tragedy. And of course, the elephant in the room, as it were, the Trojan Horse and the fall of Troy after ten years of war. It is strange and twisty, the Homeric Cycle. Hope you enjoy and thanks for listening. MC.

This episode highlights events outside of the scope of the Iliad but which are definitely within the Homeric cycle. First and foremost, Achilles's death must follow hard on the heels, as it were, of Hector's. But then also questions you may have about the various other participants: Menelaus, Agamemnon, Philoctetes, Diomedes, Helen, Paris, Priam, Hecuba, Cassandra, Criseis & Briseis. What happens to Ajax is particularly heartbreaking IMHO. Is there more in store for the cursed house of Atreus? Yes, definitely. And of course, the elephant in the room, as it were, the Trojan Horse and the fall of Troy after ten years of war. Much of this last episode is strange and tragic but fitting somehow. Enjoy episode 4 and thank you for listening.

Much of this episode hews to the story line of the Iliad, meaning the focus is on the latter stages of the rage of Achilles and its tragic consequences but ultimately also its glorious aftermath. Patrokles and Hector are key elements but an outraged river also makes an appearance? The destructive nature of excess and the paramount importance of honor pulse throughout this episode. Harrowing or satisfying? You be the judge. Enjoy nonetheless.

As promised previously in Episode 1, hear the Homeric cycle in a generally linear, episodic but decidedly non-academic and at times rather breezy and sometimes risqué version of Homer's epic story. As advertised, Episode 1 told of the Golden Apple of Discord, the Judgment of Paris, Helen of Sparta and the enlistment of Achilles and Odysseus into the Greek war effort. As anticipated, Episode 2 moves forward through the challenges the Greeks face launching the thousand ships to wage war on Troy and retrieve Helen, the discord among the Greeks that leads to the rage of Achilles, the showdown between the offending Paris and the offended Menelaus, and an aristeia of Diomedes involving the gods, as well as an interesting sidebar that forms part of the Homeric tradition.

Greek mythology is strange stuff. No less so in the works of Homer, but much of it is inaccessible because it's written in Greek after all! But you may still be curious about the Trojan War, the Iliad, the Odyssey and Homer and all the strange doings and characters therein - Achilles, Cassandra, Penelope, Ajax, Diomedes, Odysseus, Thetis, Eris, Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, just to name a few? In these podcasts, you'll hear the Homeric cycle in a generally linear, episodic but decidedly non-academic and at times rather breezy version of Homer's epic saga, as if MC were a rhapsode narrating it to you around a campfire? At any rate, Episode 1 tells of the strange goings on before the Trojan War: the Golden Apple of Discord, the Judgment of Paris, Helen of Sparta, and the enlistment of Odysseus and Achilles into the Greek forces to lay seige to Troy and reclaim the honor of the wronged brother and Greek chieftain, Menelaus. Enjoy and embrace the epic strangeness of Homer.

Everyone has heard of the modern Olympics and all the drama therein. Well, before all that, there was Mount Olympus of course, home to the classical Greek gods and goddesses. Everyone's heard of Zeus, the most powerful of the Olympians, and of Athena, the wisest of the gods, and perhaps some others, but you've probably not heard them quite like this. At any rate, in this episode of Last Gasp or Gigantomachia, you'll hear first a brief introduction to the play by ye olde MC himself and after that our cast, Dreamus Teamus 2.0, introduce themselves. Following that, lend your ears to the two parts of this Olympian comedy to see how the Olympians respond to an external threat to their status quo. After a prologue of sorts, Act I opens with Hera and Zeus looking for a special flower which would confer a sort of prophylactic protection to the gods should the Giants, let loose by Gaea in revenge for the death of her son, Antaeus, storm Mount Olympus. With the exception of Ares, all the Olympians sniff said flower but, like many of the defensive measures put forth by the Olympians, this measure falls short, especially in Hera's case. Our beloved gods do in fact get some unexpected help from unexpected quarters to their great relief. The second scene deals with the aftermath of the Giant attack on the Olympian stronghold and the gods' pathetic defense thereof. As in the first play in MC's Olympian cycle, much dirty laundry gets aired, and nobody in this fractious family comes out smelling like roses. Furthermore, given the near success of the assault on Olympus by the Giants, existential questions surprisingly arise for some of the Olympians. So, without further ado, strap yourselves in, as it may be a harrowing ride up to Mount Olympus during this Giant attack, yet as always, enjoy and embrace in this case, not so much the absurd and dysfunctional, but the apocalyptic.

Act II continues the saga with the three rebels' return from subduing almighty Zeus. As the gods and godesses are in the throes of determining who will rule Olympus in lieu of He Who Must Not Be Named, lo and behold, the god of thunder himself returns, and now that he is unbound, he is raging! Will the rebels get their comeuppance? Will Hades return? Will order ever be restored? Will Hephaestus lose his mind over all the jokes he now gets? Will the gods and goddesses ever stop their infernal correcting? Where in Hades are the censors? Tune in and find out the answers to your burning questions and more, in the conclusion to As The Olympian World Turns: The Rebellion.

You've heard of the Olympics and all the drama therein. Well, before all that, there was Mount Olympus of course, home to the Greek gods and godesses. You've probably heard of Zeus, the most powerful of the Olympians, and of Athena, the wisest of the gods, and perhaps some others. But how well do you really know the denizens of Olympus? Did you know the gods outnumber the goddesses? Well, that explains a lot, doesn't it? Did you know that Hades does not have a throne up there? (Death never takes holiday, does it? And so the Rich One must never leave his precious Underworld?) Did you know that one of the Olympians has a mortal for a mother?! Yes, a mortal. Scandalous I know, but mythologically true. It's beginning to sound like a soap opera, right? Ah-ha, the title! Well, at any rate, in this episode you'll hear first a brief introduction to the play, which itself is an in medias res introduction to the gods and goddesses of Olympus. After that, our Dreamus Teamus of a cast introduces themselves, but you may be hard pressed to recognize the actors, so immersed are they in their roles. Following that, lend your ears to the two parts of this two act comedy, As the Olympian World Turns - MC's particular (read: idiosyncratic and irreverent) take on the Greek Olympians. Act I opens with the gods and goddesses or, more accurately, Hera, Poseidon and Apollo, spearheading an open revolt against their leader, Zeus. Wary of Zeus's power, the remaining Olympians, however, are slow to warm to this insurrection idea. In the course of the arguments for removing the tyrannical Zeus, much dirty laundry gets aired, and nobody in this fractious family comes out smelling like roses. But after some heated discussion, they do finally come to a consensus of sorts! Act II continues the saga with the three rebels' return from subduing almighty Zeus. As the gods and godesses are in the throes of determining who will rule Olympus in lieu of He Who Must Not Be Named, lo and behold, the god of thunder himself returns, and now that he is unbound, he is raging! Will the rebels get their comeuppance? Will Hades return? Will order ever be restored? Will Hephaestus lose his mind over all the jokes he now gets? Will the gods and goddesses ever stop their infernal correcting? Tune in and find out the answers to your burning questions and more, in the conclusion to As The Olympian World Turns: The Rebellion. Please note: unlike previous MC productions, the voices of the characters in this play are provided by the much ballyhooed Dreamus Teamus of former colleagues and students who generously provided us their formidable talents. So, without further ado, strap yourselves in, as it may be a bumpy ride up on Mount Olympus, yet as always, enjoy and embrace - in this case not so much the surreal, as the dysfunction.

You've heard of the Olympics and all the drama therein. Well, before all that, there was Olympus of course. You've probably heard of Zeus, the most powerful of the Olympians, and of Athena, the wisest of the gods, and perhaps some others. But how well do you really know the denizens of Mount Olympus? Did you know the gods outnumber the goddesses? Well, that explains a lot, doesn't it? Did you know that Hades does not have a throne up there? Death never takes holiday, does it? And so the Rich One must never leave his precious Underworld? Did you know that one of the Olympians has a mortal for a mother?! Scandalous, I know, but mythologically true. It all sounds like a soap opera, doesn't it? Ah-ha, the title! Well, at any rate, in this episode you'll hear first a brief introduction to the play, which itself is an in medias res introduction to the gods and goddesses of Olympus. After that, our Dreamus Teamus of a cast introduces themselves, but you may be hard pressed to recognize the actors, so immersed are they in their roles. Following that, lend your ears to the two parts of the two act comedy, As the Olympian World Turns - MC's particular (read: idiosyncratic and irreverent) take on the Greek Olympians. Act I opens with the gods and goddesses, or more accurately, Hera, Poseidon and Apollo, spearheading an open revolt against their leader, Zeus. Wary of Zeus's power, the remaining Olympians, however, are slow to warm to this insurrection idea. In the course of the arguments for removing the tyrannical Zeus, much dirty laundry gets aired, and nobody in this fractious family comes out smelling like roses. But after some discussion, they do finally come to a consensus of sorts! Please note: different from previous MC productions, the voices of the characters in this play are provided by the much ballyhooed Dreamus Teamus of former colleagues and students who generously provided us their formidable talents. So, without further ado, strap yourselves in, as it may be a bumpy ride up on Mount Olympus, yet as always, enjoy and embrace - in this case not so much the surreal, as the dysfunction.

In this busy episode, Act V, the surreal, open ended conclusion to MC’s Jonah, our great prophet has begun in earnest his protest of the Lord’s sparing of the newly penitent citizens of Nineveh. For some reason, despite his reservations about choosing Jonah in the first place, the Lord shows pity on him again by protecting his little hut from the blistering sun with a floating gourd - yes, you read right a floating gourd! Meanwhile, In the middle of all this, Abigail and Enoch have come to Nineveh to confront Jonah with their displeasure; this doesn't end well. In another twist, the Lord sends forth a giant worm to eat up the gourd that protects Jonah. In the extreme heat Jonah has a talk with this worm. And so it goes. Finally, two grizzled prophets debate Jonah’s folly before the gates of the city. Enjoy and embrace the surreality. Note: now if anyone were to need any more incentive to tune in, MC has secured three, yes three! cameos for this episode: the incomparable Jessica Childs returns as Abigail, Jonah’s long-suffering wife, in Scene ii, the multi-talented Brett Ewer as the Worm in Scene iii, and the media veteran William B. Childs as the prophets in Scene iv.

In this episode of Jonah, our hero (?), after repenting and being spat out ashore by the great fish, makes the arduous journey to Ninevah where he preaches as if his life depended on it. Meanwhile, with son in tow, his wife, Abigail (another cameo by the incomparable Jessica Childs) has also made the trek to demand an accounting for his behavior and a road map for their future together. Surprisingly, the people of Ninevah and the king, Ashur himself, after some initial resistance to this prophet of the god of the desert, decide to change their sinning ways and thus be spared the Lord's destructive wrath. This is wholly unexpected and disappointing to Jonah who was looking forward to some Old Testament fireworks from the Lord. Not happening. So there's a bit of a stalemate between the Lord and his chosen prophet. On the one hand, Jonah has finally come through and done as he was bidden and should be applauded. On the other hand he just can't leave well enough alone and criticizes the Lord's judgment in sparing Ninevah. And unfortunately, Jonah is not done yet with venting his displeasure...

Granted there are other matters to consider these days (such as the scourge that has divided our country), but if you need a brief break, give an ear to MC's latest podcast - Jonah, Act III. Surreal as it is, this is the part of the book everyone knows: Jonah’s attempt to escape the Lord by hiding aboard a ship to Tarshish; the Lord’s targeted storm that flushes him out from belowdecks and forces the crew to appease the Lord’s anger by throwing Jonah overboard; Jonah’s rescue by the great fish; his change of heart and deliverance. The fish is relieved to be rid of him, but it's far from over for Jonah. As Coleridge wrote in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - The man hath penance done/ And penance more will do.

In this episode the Lord catches up to Cain, now Jonah, and speaks sense to him, making Jonah an offer he should not refuse - a quid pro quo of tat removal for a preaching stint in distant Nineveh. Jonah deliberates with himself, his wife Abigail, son Enoch, and best friend Nathan, before rashly deciding to head to Joppa for a fast boat to Tarshish, presumably beyond the Lord's reach. As if that weren't incentive enough, in this episode we have secured a cameo appearance of MC's daughter, Jessica as Abigail in Scene IV. Enjoy.

And now for something completely different? We all have heard of Jonah and the whale, but what do we really know of this minor prophet of the Old Testament? Well, my Jonah is a Pythonesque take on the book of the Bible in which the epon is a repeat offending sinner, a bit like Midas but a very different animal altogether. I have hewn to the general outline of the biblical Jonah, which is only four chapters, but, as to be expected in any MC production, liberties have been taken, and there are, even by my pre-established standards, some very strange elements in this interpretation, not all entirely the culpa of your beloved MC. In Act I after an introductory prologue, our Jonah catches up with two fellow prophets who, after an unsettling encounter on the road, provide him with some medicinal fortification to gird him for doing the Lord's bidding, which is to preach to the people of distant NIneveh lest the Lord destroy them utterly. In the course of these preparations for his assignment, some of the backstory to the Lord's selection of Jonah is revealed, as well as more background into Jonah's character, or lack thereof. Why Jonah indeed! At any rate, enjoy this deep dive into the tale of the great minor prophet Jonah!

In this culminating episode of Medea, Jason must face the full force of his wife Medea's rage over his imprudent desire to marry the princess Glauke of Corinth and abandon the woman who had helped him succeed in his quote unquote heroic quest for the Golden Fleece. The end is not pretty but that is the point as Medea yet again shatters the norms of behavior expected of women in the classical world.

In this episode our power couple hits some bumps in the road. Through Medea's magic cauldron sleight of hand, Jason and Medea ascend the throne that Pelias had previously promised and that was rightfully Jason's, but the townspeople drive them out because of the suspicious circumstances of their accession to the throne. Pariahs again, Jason and Medea approach Corinth where it appears their hard times may take a turn for the better, until Medea, who has risked everything for her beloved, learns of Jason's thoughtless plan to re-marry - a beautiful, nubile princess named Glauke - in order to secure some stabilty for their menage. Tune in to Medea Act IV, but strap yourselves in, for hell hath no fury...

Having finessed their escape from King Aeetes, Jason and Medea return to Jason's home with the object of their quest in hand - the golden fleece! Jason's wicked stepfather, the usurping King Pelias, had promised the kingdom for the fleece. Will he honor his promise to cede the throne to Jason (and Medea)? If he does not honor that promise - and he won't of course because he's one of those really wicked uncles - what will the newlyweds do given all that they have risked? They should be on the throne that was rightfully Jason's in the first place. How will they react to Pelias's decision? Will Medea take matters into her own hands again? Will there be collateral damage from her actions? Was the second prophecy - beware a young relative - accurate after all? Find out in Medea Act III.

Again with Medea's magic, Jason and Medea steal the fleece from the serpent that guarded it for Aeetes. Furious at having been betrayed again by his own daughter, Aeetes and his armada set off in pursuit of the Argo and the stolen talisman. Ethnocentrically, the Argonauts thought their ship was the fastest ever, yet Aeetes's boats are poised to overtake them. Things do not look good for our newly affianced, but of course with Medea on board, they will surely get through this trial as well, but how, and at what price? Tune in again to Medea to find out the resolution of this latest dilemma.

Everyone knows the cautionary tale of Midas and the golden touch, Act I, but this Midas has the backstory as well – what the king had done to earn his foolish wish for the proverbial touch. In Midas's celebrated rose garden two laborers stumble upon the passed out body of the old satyr Silenus and take him to their king, Midas, in hopes of a reward. Midas offers Silenus a place to stay as he dries out (as if!) and the silver-tongued Silenus earns his keep by entertaining Midas himself with wonderful stories. For safekeeping Silenus, the dear mentor of Dionysus, the god grants Midas the infamous wish. Midas makes the foolish wish, can’t eat, golds his daughter by accident, repents the wish, it’s forthwith unwished, and the rest is history, er, mythology. This is Act I of MIdas in its entirety - from the backstory to the unforeseen consequences of that foolish wish.

Most everyone these days has heard of Tyler Perry's Madea, right but not necessarily of Medea, niece of Circe? Well, believe it or not, the source for this formidable character (read: badass) is the Colchidean witch, Medea, who herself has no equal in the canon of classical mythology. This might explain her enduring appeal for MC and others across the millennia. In this episode, Medea - Act I, our beloved MC provides a little background to the second offering of his plays ripped from classical mythology, and, after that, the entire first Act. In Act I, Jason and the Argonauts, after an arduous journey across the Black Sea, land in Colchis to take back the fleece that king Aeetes holds in his possession. The king, hoping to kill off the Greek pretender, assigns Jason two impossible tasks to make him quote unquote earn the fleece. If not for Aeetes's daughter's intercession (love at first sight) and black magic (her aunt is Circe), Jason would die on the spot. For her assistance Jason had promised to marry her. When Jason survives these labors, the king Aeetes is not happy and, citing illegal help by his cherished daughter no less, again refuses to give up his beloved talisman, the fleece. What will the two newlyweds do now?

How will Midas handle himself in the afterlife, having made a mess of his mortal one with his acts of folly? Hear what the judges in Hades think of this inveterate fool. Hearken to their final judgment where the little king of Phrygia will spend his eternity. Lend MC your ears now and find out the final disposition of king Midas.

In this scene our poor Midas is utterly devastated by the public expose of his donkey ears. The Fool tries to help him out of his funk, but to no avail as Midas cannot see a way out of his humiliation and commits yet another foolish act. Thus ends Act II in a dark place, leavened only by the subsequent (and forthcoming) Epilogue, of which there is a teaser in Midas Outtakes.

As if the golden touch weren't enough to scare Midas from his foolish ways, Act II - the lesser known part of the Midas myth - sees our foolish king committing another act of folly, second guessing the gods' judgment in a musical competition. For this he gets another punishment - donkey ears (Lord, what fools these mortals be!) How will Midas take his punishment, and will the consequences of his second folly be so easily unwished as the first?

Selections from other MC plays: The prologue to Orpheus and an excerpt of Dionysus's maenads "confronting" the grief-stricken Orpheus. Two versions of Atalanta's taunt to her suitors in Atalanta/Meleager as she runs circles around them before spearing the losers. Cameo by Jessica Childs. Prologue to Perseus. Medusa's talking head sets the table so to speak. In Atalanta/Meleager the Furies advise Althaea, the mother of Meleager, to put an end to her own son. The priestesses of Hecate speak the Prologue to Medea. Saturnalia rap, MC style - for gits and shiggles - cleaned up for PG audiences? *new additions

Bits from Midas: Alternative intro to MIdas. Re-mix courtesy WBC. Opening of Epilogue to Midas.

As his reward for taking care of Silenus, his old mentor, the god Dionysus grants Midas his classically foolish wish, followed hard by the tragic fallout from the wish, that in turn followed by the subsequent unwish.