It's a very special bonus episode of Myths & Muses! We're interviewing Rob Rokicki, who you listeners might know from The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. He's also behind Monstersongs, a synthesis of art, music, and performance that is right in line with our summer theme of Misunderstood Monsters. Listen as he discusses the stories that inspire him, the heart that goes into his work, and his own memories of summer camp.

About Our Guest: Rob Rokicki is a New York based writer and composer/lyricist whose songs “live at that perfect intersection of musical theatre and radio rock” (Adam Gwon). Rob wrote the music, lyrics and co-orchestrated the Broadway show The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (book by Joe Tracz). The show was nominated for Lortel, Off-Broadway Alliance, and three Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, before touring across North America. The original cast recording had the highest pre-sale in Broadway Records history and the show is licensed globally.

Our feature monster for this episode is that hairy hide-and-seek champion of the cryptids: Bigfoot. We'll also look at some of his possible origins in the tales of Indigenous North Americans, as well as the tradition of the "wild man" in China, Roman mythology, medieval Europe, and Scottish folklore. And we'll learn a little more about Enkidu, the companion of Gilgamesh in Mesopotamian mythology.

Visit the World of Mythik website to learn more and to contribute your theories to our board!

All stories told on Myths & Muses are original family-friendly adaptations of ancient myths and legends. Stories from ancient mythology can also sometimes deal with complicated topics for young listeners — to the mortal parents and caretakers reading this, we encourage listening along with your young demigods to help them navigate those topics as they explore these epic tales.

Transcript for Episode 9

If you'd like to submit something creative you've done inspired by the stories in Myths & Muses, use this form (with a Mortal Guardian's permission!).

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Stuff to Read:

• Bigfoot
  • How the Bigfoot Legend Began
  • Bigfoot Was Investigated by the FBI. Here’s What They Found
  • BFRO Geographical Database of Bigfoot Sightings & Reports
• Before Bigfoot:
  • BBC: The true origins of Sasquatch
  • American Museum of Natural History: Beyond Bigfoot
  • World History Encyclopedia: Tsul'kălû', The Slant-Eyed Giant
• Enkidu and Gilgamesh: World History Encyclopedia: Gilgamesh
• The Chinese Yeren
• Wild Men of the Ancient World: Legends Across the Globe Tell of a Humanoid Beast – Are They Real?
• Am Fear Liath Mor

Stuff to Watch: Our curated YouTube playlist for this episode!

Our feature monster this week is one whose stories are spun out of urban legends, making him a more recent addition to the monster roster. It’s time to talk about the mysterious Mothman. And while we're at it, we'll meet some other mythological figures of fate, destiny, and bad luck from Greek, Celtic, and Germanic mythologies.

Visit the World of Mythik website to learn more and to contribute your theories to our board!

All stories told on Myths & Muses are original family-friendly adaptations of ancient myths and legends. Stories from ancient mythology can also sometimes deal with complicated topics for young listeners — to the mortal parents and caretakers reading this, we encourage listening along with your young demigods to help them navigate those topics as they explore these epic tales.

Transcript for Episode 8

If you'd like to submit something creative you've done inspired by the stories in Myths & Muses, use this form (with a Mortal Guardian's permission!).

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Stuff to Read:

• • Mothman:
    • Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage: An Ode to a Hometown Creature: Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia
    • Paranormal West Virginia: The Legend of Mothman
    • The Mothman Festival
  • Banshee:
    • Irish Myths: What Is a Banshee? The Mythic Origins of Ireland’s Most Infamous Shrieking Spirit
    • The Irish Post: Exploring Irish Mythology: The Banshee
    • History Cooperative: The Banshee
  • Spectral Dogs:
    • 6 Folktales about Black Dogs
    • Britain’s Black Dog Legends – 7 Spooky Canines & Hellhounds
    • ‘They called them the demon dogs’- the Cwn Annwn, Welsh Hounds of Hell
  • Wild Hunt:
    • Norse Mythology: The Wild Hunt
    • History Today: The Wild Hunt of Odin
    • Monster of the Week: The Wild Hunt
  • Moros:
    • At THEOI and Olympoi

Stuff to Watch: Our curated YouTube Playlist for this episode!