The Iliad, The Odyssey, and all of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less

by  Jay Hopkins, John Hunter, Homer

Full Length Play, Comedy  /  3m, 2f

On a simple stage, with the clock ticking in front of everyone's eyes, the cast speeds through all of Greek Mythology. Its funny, updated, and made easy to understand. All the silly decisions, the absurd destinies, and the goofy characters are presented lightning-bolt fast with hysterical results as the clock is stopped with only seconds to spare.

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The Iliad, The Odyssey, and all of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less

by  Jay Hopkins John Hunter Homer

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The Iliad, The Odyssey, and all of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less

  • Cast Size

    Cast Size

    3m, 2f
  • Duration

    Duration

    90 minutes
  • SubGenre

    Subgenre

    Farce, Adaptations (Literature), Period, Parody / Spoof
  • Accolades

    Accolades

    Not Applicable
  • Audience

    Target Audience

    • Appropriate for all audiences
    • Adult
    • Pre-Teen (Age 11 - 13)
    • Teen (Age 14 - 18)

Additional Info

On a simple stage, with the clock ticking in front of everyone's eyes, the cast speeds through all of Greek Mythology. Its funny, updated, and made easy to understand. The Gods walk the Red Carpet. The Creation of Mankind is a botched subcontractors job. Man and Pandora try settling down despite an ominous wedding gift. Love stories are a dating show and the Greek Tragedies are sports highlights! And don't forget the two greatest stories ever told, The Iliad and The Odyssey. Kidnap Helen of Troy and you've got a 10 year slap-fight of epic proportions with pouty Achilles, war-hungry Agamemnon, and clever Odysseus, destined to wander the seas for 10 more years fighting giants, seductresses, and the Gods themselves. All the silly decisions, the absurd destinies, and the goofy characters are presented lightning-bolt fast with hysterical results as the clock is stopped with only seconds to spare.
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Reviews

"This riotous distillation of classic Greek mythology and Homer's epic poems takes boldface names from myth and literature and turns them into a thing that would make Cliffs-Notes and Monty Python proud... Hopkins and Hunter use pop culture to spoof some of the more overly dramatic Greek moments and do a wonderful job of picking up on all the things that never made sense in these traditional stories-" - Orlando Sentinel

"Audiences need only laugh to pass this class. The celestial caricatures range from ridiculous (hip-hop Mercury messengers) to sublime (Vulcan is a Spock-eared geek), and there’s no required reading list to understand and enjoy them." - Orlando Weekly

"zippy, silly, and secretly educational... You might have seem other brands of “…in 99 Minutes or Less” plays out there, but after you’ve seen this romp, you’ll never go back." - INK19

“It’s a very funny play that moves at a mile a minute." - Green Bay Press Gazette

Considerations

Performing Groups

  • High School/Secondary
  • College Theatre / Student
  • Community Theatre
  • Dinner Theatre
  • Professional Theatre
  • Large Stage
  • Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups

Cautions

  • No Special Cautions

License details

  • Minimum Fee: $125 per performance

Production

Details

  • Time Period: Greek; Roman & Biblical
  • Duration: 90 minutes
  • Setting: A unit set with areas represented as necessary. A couple of risers, Greek columns, benches, a chair, a few props (necessary for onstage character changes), and of course, a timer.
  • Additional Features: Audience Participation/Interactive, Physical Comedy, Puppetry, Stage Combat

Music

  • Musical Style: N/A (Not a musical)

Casting

3m, 2f
For a cast of five (detailed character assignments listed in chart in back of the script):
M1 – The more mature and masculine of the three men. A feeling of authority and dignity will help this actor. Key roles are Zeus and Achilles, Old Nestor, Perseus, and Old Dog.
M2 – The more impulsive and eager of the three men. His emotional rawness and passion play large parts in his characters. Key roles are Odysseus, Hector, and Hera.
M3 – The goofiest and more cartoon-like of the three men. Natural comedic skills are a major plus for this actor playing so many different character parts. Key roles are Hermes, Man, Paris, Agamemnon, Diomedes, and Hercules.
F1 – The more mature of the two women. A solid actress with the ability to show wounded emotions and dignity. Key roles are Athena, Demeter, Ms. Henderson, Patroklos, and Oracle.
F2 – The more ingénue of the two women. Youthfulness is a help but she still plays older as well. Key roles are Aphrodite, Pandora, Helen of Troy, and Old King Priam.
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Cast Attributes

  • Ensemble cast
  • Non-Traditional casting
  • Cross gender casting
  • Expandable casting
  • Flexible casting
  • Room for Extras

Casting Notes

The actors will play multiple roles, switching back and forth as necessary, but roles do NOT switch from actor to actor. This script is written for 5 actors (3M, 2F) for the most fun, but can be cast in any combination, and if more actors are cast, roles can be divided accordingly by the director. Actors in a cast of five will each play 18 to 32 characters.

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Authors

Jay Hopkins

Jay Hopkins

Jay Hopkins has been an actor, improviser, director, playwright, and producer in Orlando, Florida since 1989. In 1992, He joined the SAK Theatre Comedy Lab and worked as a performer, Head of Education and ultimately one of SAK's most prolific Artistic Producers. While at SAK, Mr. Hopkins created and/or directed se ...

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John Hunter

John Hunter

Homer

Homer

The play premiered at the Studio Theatre in Orlando, Florida on March 2, 2007. It was produced by the Jester Theater Company, a local professional theater company that specializes in only producing comedies. It was directed by Jay Hopkins.

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