# Odysseus Dies at the End

## Metadata

- Slug: odysseus-dies-at-the-end
- Type: Full-length Play
- Genre: Comedy
- Acts: 2 acts
- Duration: 90–120 minutes
- Cast:
  - Medium (7-14)
  - Large (15+)
- Cast Summary: 3m, 3f, 4 any, optional flexible ensemble
- Technical Requirements: Minimal
- Performing Groups:
  - Professional Theatre
  - Community Theatre
  - College/University
  - High School/Secondary
- Primary Image: https://content.uproartheatrics.com/l0uigmh0pnszj1hylo25mm19yqvj

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## Authors

- By Weston Scott (author slug: weston-scott)

## Overview

**Odysseus has traveled over the waters, flirted with disaster, and bested every foe. And his friends and family hate him for it.**
As Odysseus tries to escape a fateful prophecy, he faces a murderous son, a semi-devoted wife, a scorned sea-witch, a boy with a cow, the cow itself, and a Greek chorus all trying to make sense of their lives when everything has always revolved around Odysseus. Surprisingly adapted from the fragments of a lost Sophocles play, *Odysseus Dies at the End* examines the life a legend from the perspective of the people clinging to his coattails. Spoiler alert: he dies at the end.
*Weston Scott has given his permission for licensees to cut lines and/or scenes as necessary to meet festival or competition's time requirements without seeking prior approval from Uproar. Lines must still be performed sequentially as written, and words may not be changed or substituted without prior written approval.*

## Plot

When you’re a member of a Greek Chorus, your job is to essential watch the wildest days in the life of royalty. And this day is itching to be a big one: Odysseus is finally returning home for the last time, and his son Telemachus wants to kill him, and the sea witch Circe wants to kill him, and his secret son Telegonus wants to meet him but also has been tasked with killing him, and his wife Penelope is searching all over the isle of Ithaca to find him first. All typical stuff for a member of a Greek Chorus to watch and observe, until one of them gets pulled into the story herself.
Dragged into the story to play a minor role, she gets a taste of what it’s like to be around someone as powerful, as observed, as narratively relevant as Odysseus. Instead of returning to the Chorus, she decides to do whatever she can to remain a character—and a person—for the rest of her life. When helping out Odysseus doesn’t work, she resigns herself to betraying him instead, hoping to gain immortality through her infamy rather than her loyalty. When she realizes that her friendship with Odysseus matters more than her personal success, she tries to save him once and for all. But, when the play is called “Odysseus Dies at the End”, you can only do so much, you know? At the end of the play, she drifts back into the Chorus. As do we all, in our time.

## Cast

| Name | Description |
| ---- | ---- |
| A NOTE ON CASTING: | This is a show where the characters may have set genders, but the actor playing the role can be any gender. |
| FOOTNOTE | Keeping us in the loop. Any age, any gender. |
| CHORUS 1 | Will never matter. Any age, any gender. |
| CHORUS 2 | Will also never matter. Any age, any gender. |
| CHORUS 3 | They will matter. Any age, female.  |
| TELEMACHUS | Out for blood. 20s/30s, male. |
| PENELOPE | Kills with kindness.	40s/50s, female. |
| TELEGONUS | Just a guy with a cow. 20s/30s, male. |
| CIRCE | Could and might stab everyone. Timeless age, female. |
| ODYSSEUS | You get it. 50+, male. |
| CRISPIN (OPTIONAL) | A literal cow. Any age, any gender. |
| ENSEMBLE (OPTIONAL) | Ithacans of all kinds--soldiers, attendants, peasants. 
Possibly even some additional members of the Chorus, if it suits your production. 
If you do this, Chorus 1, Chorus 2, and Chorus 3 should still feel like the leaders of the Chorus. |

## Materials

### Available for additional fee:

| Name | Description |
| ---- | ----------- |
| Video Recording License | License to create an archival recording of the show that may be distributed to the cast and crew. This does not allow publicly posting the performance. |
| 60-Minute Talkback with the Creator | A 60-minute Zoom/Google Meet with the show's creator. Licensees and guests can ask questions, share experiences, and hear about the artistic journey of the show and creative team. This can be scheduled before or after the performances. If we are unable to make scheduling work, the cost will be refunded. |

## Production Images

| URL | Caption | Credit |
| --- | ------- | ------ |
| https://content.uproartheatrics.com/0ofvzrjx8uze7bisuv9ko92f52j6 | Central Coast Shakespeare Festival | Juneau Wong Photography |
| https://content.uproartheatrics.com/2or108mquymyr1psr8ms79e16miw | Central Coast Shakespeare Festival | Juneau Wong Photography |
| https://content.uproartheatrics.com/m4j8geu6t000p1vrlvpx7eabhzy1 | Central Coast Shakespeare Festival | Juneau Wong Photography |
| https://content.uproartheatrics.com/gdj6ecdpq0g2bjziv9my8jk2e8a9 | Central Coast Shakespeare Festival  | Juneau Wong Photography |
| https://content.uproartheatrics.com/m1kvp4zzpd319h19qij5b6na2tpc | Central Coast Shakespeare Festival | Juneau Wong Photography |
| https://content.uproartheatrics.com/qbuahshj9sqv5cljkaovko2uk70h | Central Coast Shakespeare Festival | Juneau Wong Photography |

## Press

| Title | URL | Image |
| ----- | --- | ----- |
| See the original play Odysseus Dies at the End at Filipponi Ranch  | https://www.newtimesslo.com/see-the-original-play-odysseus-dies-at-the-end-at-filipponi-ranch/ | https://i0.wp.com/www.newtimesslo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Arts-Lead-Weston-Scott-courtesy-of-the-artist-10-2.jpeg?fit=1454%2C963&ssl=1 |