Homer’s Heroes! An Ancient Greek Musical Tale

Full Synopsis

Our show opens with a high-octane musical number, Kingdom of Troy. We meet Hecuba, Queen of Troy, who has recently give birth to her son, Paris. We discover from Hecuba’s Lady In Waiting that all during Hecuba’s pregnancy with Paris she kept having that Troy would burn to the ground. All the wise men have prophesied this means Paris will destroy Troy when he is fully grown and so Hecuba’s husband, King Priam insists that they kill their new born son!

Hecuba is distraught and refuses to kill her baby but instead agrees to leave him on a hillside just outside the city of Troy. The Gods intervene and a kindly shepherd finds the baby Prince and not knowing who he takes him in to look after as his own son.

Many years later when Paris is a fully grown young man he is out looking after the sheep when three Goddesses appear. Hera, Queen of the Gods, Athena, Goddess of wisdom and war and Aphrodite, the Goddess of love have a sacred apple which should be kept by the most beautiful but they can’t decide between them who that should be so they ask Paris to choose! Hera tries to bribe him offering him gifts of power and wealth, Athena tries to bribe him with wisdom and the greatest war victories that will ever be known to man while Aphrodite bribes Paris by guaranteeing he will win the heart of the most beautiful woman in the World. Paris picks Aphrodite!

Later that year Paris is competing in the Games of Troy and wins every event with his strength and prowess, featuring the number Heroes We Will Be, the whole country is so surprised at Paris’s talent that his step-father the Shepherd realises who he is and tells everyone, the long-lost youngest son of the King and Queen of Troy!

To celebrate the return of their son, King Priam decides to send Paris off with his eldest son and heir, Hector to introduce Paris to all the local nobility and royal families. While Paris and Hector are staying at Menelaus’s home in Greece Paris meets the most beautiful woman in the World and falls hopelessly in love. The only problem is that the most beautiful woman in the World is Helen, Menelaus’ wife who in turn falls totally in love with Paris! Together they elope and run set sail for Troy with the number Paris and Helen’s Love Song.

When Menelaus discovers what has happened he gather’s his troops for War and calls in all the other noble men and soldiers from Troy who swore allegiance to protect his marriage.

Ten years of fighting follows with losses on both sides. The full company number, Battle On Both Sides, tells the story of the fighting bringing the audience right up to the ninth year when Agamemnon, Menelaus’s brother and leader of the army has an argument with Achilles, the famous and brave fighter.

Achilles refuses to fight until Agamemnon has apologised to him and asks his Mum, a half Goddess, and his Dad, King of the Gods to make his side, Greece lose the war! The battle grows really fierce, Hector, King Priam’s heir is killed and Paris is shown to be a coward. However, the Gods intervene again and eventually one of the cleverest Greek’s Odysseus suggests a Greek army build an enormous Wooden Horse, hiding some of the best soldiers inside while the rest pretend to give up the fight and hide.

The Trojans are completely fooled when they can see no Greek soldiers and so bring the Wooden Horse in through the city gates and start to celebrate! That night, when all the Trojans are fast asleep the Greek warriors climb out of the horse and destroy Troy, winning the War! With an instrumental piece, this section works particularly well as a dance routine.

Now that the War is over Odysseus and the other Greek soldiers set sail for home, the only trouble is Odysseus is angered Poseidon, the God of the Sea. Odysseus and his men are beset with problems that involve them being shipwrecked, trapped in the cave of the Cyclops, passing the deadly singing of the dangerous Sirens, spoilt by Calypso and aided by Aeolus, the God of the Wind.

When Odysseus, eventually returns home he discovers his house is overrun with suitors trying to win the affections of his wife Penelope. Odysseus challenges all the men to a competition and beats them all with his cunning and skill. Penelope and Odysseus’ son, Telemachus are delighted to have him home and so our show ends with the celebration finale song, Piece of History.