Listen to Lost Books of the Odyssey, Make-Believe's acclaimed audio drama in which Odysseus goes on five new adventures. "Heartbreaking, resonant, darkly hilarious" – The A.V. Club. First released in 2019.

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Lost Books of the Odyssey
By Jeremy McCarter
Adapted from the novel by Zachary Mason

Music composed and sound team led by Mikhail Fiksel
Directed by Jess McLeod
Executive produced by Jeremy McCarter

CAST (in order of playing Odysseus)
Kareem Bandealy
Kristina Valada-Viars
Lily Mojekwu
Ian Paul Custer
Henry Godinez

SOUND TEAM
Sound designer - Mikhail Fiksel
Associate sound designer and audio technician - Robert Hornbostel
Recording engineer - Joe Palermo

PRODUCTION STAFF
Production manager - Madeleine Borg
Stage manager - Brennan T. Jones
Community manager - Kaitlin Fine

POST-PRODUCTION
Editing, mixing, and additional recording by Mikhail Fiksel
Additional sound design, final mixing and mastering by Joe Palermo
Graphic design by Carly Pearlman
Equipment provided by TechMagic Designs

Make-Believe theme music by Mikhail Fiksel

SPECIAL THANKS
Catherine Allen and The Den Theater; Brian Bannon and the staff of Chicago Public Library; Carolyn Casselman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, and Garrison; Bill Clegg; Nancy García Loza; Nate Marshall; Kevin Reader, Max Temkin, and Cards Against Humanity; Chris Rooney; SAG-AFTRA.

PRODUCTION SPONSORS
The Chauncey and Marion Deering McCormick Family Foundation, for an essential launch grant
The Poetry Foundation, our lead season sponsor
Joyce Chelberg, whose generosity supports the work of Make-Believe's actors
All our donors and supporters

To support Make-Believe with a tax-deductible contribution, please visit: https://makebelieve.fm/support-us/

To contact Make-Believe, email us at talk@makebelieve.fm

Make-Believe is proud to present the follow-up to "Lake Song", a revelatory new take on the most famous play ever written.

Our "Hamlet" takes you inside the prince's head, letting you hear the story entirely through his ears.

Featuring an astonishing cast led by Daniel Kyri and binaural sound design by Mikhail Fiksel, "Hamlet" had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival in June 2025.

All six episodes are available at hamlet.fm and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Series finale. After the storm, the city and its people ask: What do we do with our freedom?

LAKE SONG is co-created by Laura Alcalá Baker, Sydney Charles, Mikhail Fiksel, Nate Marshall, Jeremy McCarter, Natalie Moore, and Kristina Valada-Viars.

Starring Sydney Charles as Dee and Marcus D. Moore as Wade

With Ayanna Bria Bakari, Billy Branch, Lorena Diaz, Delia Kropp, Daniel Kyri, Esme Perez, Deanna Reed-Foster, and A.C. Smith

Original score composed by Mikhail Fiksel, featuring Billy Branch

"Chicago Strut"
Written and performed by Giorgio Di Campo
Via Freesound

For full credits and to learn more, visit lakesong.fm.

Please rate/review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Siren poses a final, deadly challenge for Wade, Dee, and everyone they love.

LAKE SONG is co-created by Laura Alcalá Baker, Sydney Charles, Mikhail Fiksel, Nate Marshall, Jeremy McCarter, Natalie Moore, and Kristina Valada-Viars.

Starring Sydney Charles as Dee and Marcus D. Moore as Wade

With Ayanna Bria Bakari, Billy Branch, Lillian Charles, Eduardo Curley-Carrillo, Lorena Diaz, Delia Kropp, James Vincent Meredith, Esme Perez, Justin Reed, Deanna Reed-Foster, A.C. Smith, and Kristina Valada Viars

Original score composed by Mikhail Fiksel, featuring Billy Branch

"Lake Song Finale"
Written by Sydney Charles, Mikhail Fiksel, and Jeremy McCarter
Performed by Billy Branch, Sydney Charles, and the cast

For full credits and to learn more, visit lakesong.fm.

Please rate/review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Dee and Wade try to repair what's been broken for so long.

LAKE SONG is co-created by Laura Alcalá Baker, Sydney Charles, Mikhail Fiksel, Nate Marshall, Jeremy McCarter, Natalie Moore, and Kristina Valada-Viars.

Starring Sydney Charles as Dee and Marcus D. Moore as Wade

With Ayanna Bria Bakari, Delia Kropp, Daniel Kyri, Al'Jaleel McGhee, James Vincent Meredith, and Mia Park

Original score composed by Mikhail Fiksel, featuring Billy Branch

For full credits and more, visit lakesong.fm.

Please rate/review wherever you listen to podcasts!

As the Siren plan tears the city apart, Wade investigates what's really going on; Dee, alone and grieving, tries to make a fresh start--and tries, and tries. . . .

LAKE SONG is co-created by Laura Alcalá Baker, Sydney Charles, Mikhail Fiksel, Nate Marshall, Jeremy McCarter, Natalie Moore, and Kristina Valada-Viars.

Starring Sydney Charles as Dee and Marcus D. Moore as Wade

With Ayanna Bria Bakari, Brenda Barrie, Rammel Chan, Lillian Charles, Eduardo Curley-Carrillo, Ian Paul Custer, Lorena Diaz, Eddie Martinez, James Vincent Meredith, Al'Jaleel McGhee, Mia Park, Deanna Reed-Foster, A.C. Smith, and Kristina Valada Viars

Original score composed by Mikhail Fiksel, featuring Billy Branch

"Dee's Shanty (Reprise)"
Written and performed by Sydney Charles

For full credits and more, visit lakesong.fm.

Please rate/review wherever you listen to podcasts!

In spite of Wade's promises, the Siren plan begins to disrupt the city; Dee, bewildered by Mira, runs from her grief.

LAKE SONG is co-created by Laura Alcalá Baker, Sydney Charles, Mikhail Fiksel, Nate Marshall, Jeremy McCarter, Natalie Moore, and Kristina Valada-Viars.

Starring Sydney Charles as Dee and Marcus D. Moore as Wade

With Ayanna Bria Bakari, Billy Branch, Delia Kropp, Daniel Kyri, and James Vincent Meredith

Original score composed by Mikhail Fiksel, featuring Billy Branch

For full credits and more, visit lakesong.fm.

Please rate/review wherever you listen to podcasts!

It's 2099, and Siren is remaking Chicago. Wade revels in his newfound success, but Dee struggles to hold onto her place in the family.

LAKE SONG is co-created by Laura Alcalá Baker, Sydney Charles, Mikhail Fiksel, Nate Marshall, Jeremy McCarter, Natalie Moore, and Kristina Valada-Viars.

Starring Sydney Charles as Dee and Marcus D. Moore as Wade

With Ayanna Bria Bakari, Billy Branch, Eduardo Curley-Carrillo, Delia Kropp, Esme Perez, Deanna Reed-Foster, A.C. Smith, and AnJi White

Original score composed by Mikhail Fiksel, featuring Billy Branch

"Sweet Home Chicago"
Written by Robert Leroy Johnson
MPCA Kings of Spades / Standing Ovation and Encore Music
By arrangement with Concord

For full credits and more, visit lakesong.fm.

Please rate/review wherever you listen to podcasts!