What would you do if a parent who ignored you for your entire life suddenly showed up and needed you to do them a big favor? Oh, and that parent happened to be a god, making you a half-blood, and yeah, monsters are real, and they’re really out to get you.
That’s the premise of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki and a book by Joe Tracz, based on the Rick Riordan’s 2005 novel. Originally, this musical debuted off-Broadway in 2014 as a short, one hour play, and it was updated and expanded in 2017, and it then later went to Broadway and on a national tour.
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The version at First Stage clocks in at 85 minutes, including a short intermission and talk-back with actors afterwards. During the talk-back on opening day, a young girl blurted out “I love Percy Jackson in the movies and on television.”
She was right in her enthusiasm, as the high-energy musical transforms the young adult adventure novel into a rocking musical. This production is suggested for ages 7 and up, and that recommendation is spot-on, as the musical isn’t as scary as either the movie or the television show. That said, some older kids and teens might think some of the fighting and action isn’t quite as dramatic.
This is one production that is carried on the shoulders of its young and talented cast, as all the main characters are half-bloods. Given their young ages, there are two distinct young casts, and this reviewer enjoyed the production by the Minotaur cast. (There’s also a Chimera cast.)
The prototypical hero’s journey is undertaken by the titular Percy Jackson (Ben Nowacek), who after getting kicked out of his sixth school because he killed his evil math teacher turned fury, gets sent to Camp Half Blood, where he tangles with the fierce daughter of Ares, Clarisse (Annie Sturtz). Percy, who is appropriately irreverent, learns that he’s the son of Poseidon, and he gets sent on a quest to recover Zeus’s lost lightning bolt. He’s accompanied by a daughter of Athena, the strong Annabeth (Sanaiah Hibbler) and a satyr, the goofy Grover (Thatcher Jacobs).
Their journey, to Hades and back, is undertaken against a sparse yet creative set, designed by Madelyn Yee. Because Percy is the son of Poseidon, there are pivotal scenes involving water, which is portrayed artfully by billowing fabric and flags. There’s a lot of humor, and expect plenty of giggling when Percy learns that his teacher is really a centaur named Chiron (Matt Daniels), who demonstrates his half-horse nature by whipping his tail in a rather amusing manner.
Hard-core Percy fans will note that the musical alters some of the plot points and action. In the book, a large part consists of their cross-country journey from New York to the entrance to Hades in Los Angeles, but that entire section is condensed into a single song called Drive.
No matter, the themes of friendship and self-discovery will resonate and ring true.
