Odyssey Theatre launches podcast
By Eve Beauchamp
Odyssey Theatre has launched a new podcast series, The Other Path, a folk-tale-inspired audio drama for adults, the first created by a theatre company in Canada.
You might know Odyssey Theatre for its under-the-stars performances in Strathcona Park and Central Park in the Glebe. The company has a history of adapting folk tales for adult audiences to tackle modern issues.
Said Odyssey Theatre’s artistic director Laurie Steven, “When the pandemic prevented live performances, we began work to develop this online series so Ottawa area residents could enjoy the magic of the theatre in the comfort of their own home.”
Season one of The Other Path transports listeners to contemporary worlds where magic lurks in the shadows. The audio plays come to life with state-of-the-art sound and music, high-impact performances and thought-provoking storylines.
“These haunting and sometimes darkly comic tales, where witches, shapeshifters and trickster spirits are found among us in parks, garage sales and dive bars, casts a new light on themes such as poverty, cultural division, land conflict and body image,” said Stevens.
To create the series, five Canadian writers were invited to reinvent a classic folktale and set it in today’s modern world. Among the writers are Jo Walton, winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards in 2012, and Marty Chan, creator of The Dim Sum Diaries that aired on CBC Radio from 1994 to 2000.
“Storytelling is one of the greatest tools we have to ask hard questions and discover truths about ourselves,” said Stevens. “Our goal at Odyssey Theatre is to delight and provoke audiences with the best Canadian artists and talent, and we will continue creating both live and digital performances to reach new and diverse audiences across the country.”
Each audio play is 30 to 40 minutes with new episodes released every two weeks from October 5 to November 30. You can listen on your favourite podcast platform or at theotherpath.ca, where you can also find out more about this unique local initiative.
Eve Beauchamp is the marketing director for Odyssey Theatre.
