Theseus, Ariadne and a minotaur join the Mount Olympus podcast party
If you’ve ever wished your Greek myths came with a touch of Tony-winning sparkle, you’re in luck. The Onassis Foundation’s smash-hit podcast Live from Mount Olympus is back for its sixth season on 22 April 2025 — and this time, it’s diving into the epic tale of Theseus and Ariadne.
The award-winning audio drama, which just bagged a Gold Signal Award for Best Road Trip Podcast, continues to spin ancient stories into binge-worthy gold. With narrator André De Shields – yes, that André De Shields from Hadestown – back as the slick, silver-tongued Hermes, this new season promises all the drama, heartbreak, monsters and mystery of Greek myth.
“Theseus and Ariadne is a powerful myth reflecting the challenges teenagers face as they transition into adulthood. It explores how life’s journey, filled with encounters of good and evil, shapes one’s identity,” says executive producer Karen Brooks Hopkins. “It’s a story full of drama, mystery, and intrigue — a highly theatrical tale.”
Live from Mount Olympus has also made the leap into classrooms. Through a partnership with education platform inquirED, the show now has its own curriculum, reaching more than 1,600 schools across the US since last autumn.
“We view [Greek myths] as evergreen – living, relevant, urgent stories that ask more questions than they answer and are new every time they are told,” says Onassis Foundation artistic director Afroditi Panagiotakou. “Our Live from Mount Olympus podcast tells them for today, in a contemporary idiom, exploring issues that matter to audiences of all ages.”
The production is a who’s who of theatre royalty. Alongside De Shields, the series boasts a dream team that includes Rachel Chavkin (also of Hadestown fame) and director-producers Zhailon Levingston and Keenan Tyler Oliphant. Julie Burstein (creator of the Peabody Award-winning Studio 360) is the showrunner, with playwright Nathan Yungerberg bringing the scripts to life.
The podcast is also known for its top-tier cameos: we’re talking Anna Kendrick, John Turturro, Isabella Rossellini in previous series.
With over 1.6 million downloads, fans across 170 countries, Live from Mount Olympus is proving that myths never go out of style — absolutely epic, you could say.
Season Six of Live From Mount Olympus launches 22 April 2025.
