MC MytholOG - Midas, Medea, Jonah*, ATOWT, Last Gasp, Homeric, Icarus, Murph*, Herc, Orpheus, Dayz*

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 prevails in these labors, the king Aeetes is not happy and, citing illegal help by his own cherished daughter no less, again refuses to give up his beloved talisman, the fleece. What will the two newlyweds do now? For the answers tune in to Medea -Act I.

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?

Prologues to TR Part I and TR Part III. 

Bits from Midas: Alternative intro to MIdas.  Re-mix courtesy William B Childs. Opening of Epilogue to Midas. Fool's coda to Midas, Act I.

Bootleg excerpt from OWD.

*new additions 

Bits from Midas:

Alternative intro to MIdas.  Re-mix courtesy William B Childs. 

Opening of Epilogue to Midas.

Fool's coda to Act I. 

Prologues, monologues, curses and taunts from various MC plays. One cameo performance.  

Alternative intro to Midas.  

Medusa's prologue to Perseus. 

Two versions of Atalanta taunting suitors in a footrace in Atalanta/Meleager. 

Medusa's combustible prologue to Perseus, son of Danae, a work in progress. 

The opening of Midas meets Pee Wee Herman.  Comments from the peenut gallery on this alternative?