The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and rediscovery of musical gems from the past, presented the world premiere of Penelope, or How the Odyssey Was Really Written, a new musical comedy with book & lyrics by Peter Kellogg (York’s Desperate Measures), music by two-time Richard Rodgers Award winner Stephen Weiner (The Rivals), directed and choreographed by Emily Maltby (York’s Lolita, My Love), music direction and orchestrations by David Hancock Turner (York’s Cheek to Cheek, Desperate Measures) and vocal arrangements by David Hancock Turner, Steve Delehanty, and Stephen Weiner.

Penelope is married to Odysseus, the rightful King of Ithaca. For the last twenty years, she’s been waiting for him to return from the Trojan War. Meanwhile, a bevy of suitors have gathered, each wanting to marry her and take over the kingdom. Since they have little else to do but eat and drink, they decide to form an a capella group. (The acoustics in the great hall are terrific.)

To stall them, Penelope writes letters to herself and pretends they’re from Odysseus saying he’s on his way. Little does she know, her letters gathered together are creating the story of The Odyssey. (Since no one knows who really wrote The Odyssey, this theory is as good as any other.) It's funny, it’s fierce and, above all, it's epic!