SWIMP26: Maro Lesioto - The Odyssey: Epic Poetry as a Transformative Medium

The Odyssey: Epic Poetry as a Transformative Medium is a workshop about delving into one of the most enduring and fantastical journeys in literary history. Homer's Odyssey is a tale of mythical creatures, divine interventions, and surreal landscapes - an epic that shaped the way we imagine adventure and transformation. In this workshop, participants explore how the structure, themes, and poetic devices of "The Odyssey" can serve as tools for improvisers to build expansive, immersive worlds. By examining how the poem balances reality with myth, performers will learn to craft compelling narratives that stretch beyond conventional storytelling, embody heightened characters, and transport audiences into uncharted, imaginative realms. Through physicality, voice, and group dynamics, improvisers will gain not only a deeper understanding of the power of myth but also a transformative shift in their creative perspective - learning to create stories that resonate on a mythic scale. Learning Goals Explore epic storytelling as a tool for improvisation.Learn to embody archetypes and heightened characters.Use mythic scale, poetic language, and larger-than-life emotions in performance.Develop ensemble dynamics to build immersive, tangible worlds.Shift perspective from “constructed narrative” to lived, visceral storytelling.Maro Lesioti is an actress, improviser, director, musician, and dedicated educator. She studied at the Hellenic Conservatory, Modern Times Drama School, and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. As an educator, she has been teaching improvisation and theater workshops since 2020 in Greece, the U.S.A., the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy, fostering creativity in performers of all levels and abilities, focusing on each individual’s needs. She a member of the organising team of I.TH.A.C.A. Improv Festival in Athens, Greece and was the co-artistic director of 2025’s edition. She is the producer of Improv Nights and one of the artistic directors of the Worlds Apart Residency. She is also a board member and instructor of ImproSynthesis School of Improv (Athens, Greece).