Imagine discovering that one of your parents is a god—you’re sixteen years old, by the way. And your dad, as it turns out, is Poseidon, god of sea and storm, bearer of the great trident forged by the Cyclopes. So that makes you half god, with powers you never knew you had. Sounds pretty amazing—but remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Not to mention one heck of an adventure.
Set that adventure to music and you’ve got The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. Adapted from the beloved bestselling novel by Rick Riordan, written by Joe Tracz with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, The Lightning Thief blends mythology with a modern-day hero’s quest.
The cast features Terry Barnes as Grover, Aliyah Harris as Percy, Ella Mae McCarthy as Annabeth, and Ethan Soltero as Luke.
“The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical has become an audience favorite, captivating those who love the book series while creating a new generation of fans along the way,” says Professor David Legore, chair of the Department of Dramatic Media at TLU. “The piece has a great pop-rock score, featuring memorable melodies, all while supporting a story that resonates with young and adult audiences alike.”
Legore says the musical does a good job of staying faithful to Riordan’s clever blending of Greek mythology and modern characters and contexts. “In addition, it includes some surprisingly powerful themes about the relationships between young people and their parents,” he adds. “Most of all, however, it’s a lot of fun! To maximize that fun, we are producing the show in the round, bringing the audience up close to the action. It will be a unique and exciting approach to this high-energy hit!”
Performance dates and times are February 21, 22 and 28, and March 1 at 7:30 p.m., and February 23 and 28 at 2:30 p.m. Performances will be in the Studio Theatre in the Weston Center for the Performing Arts on the TLU campus. Tickets, which are $12 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free to TLU students with a valid ID card, can be purchased at the door or reserved in advance: TLU Dramatic Media - Texas Lutheran University event tickets from TicketSource. Special thanks to production sponsors Ann (Glenewinkel) Hartmann and Byrone.