THE LIGHTNING THIEF THE PERRY JACKSON MUSICAL

THE HELEN--PLAYHOUSE SQUARE

April 22-24, 2022 

Roy Berko

Though the BW/PhSquare staging needs more schticks and awe to make it into the fantasy the story required, it gave the student performers a chance to do a different kind of musical and the audience a chance to get outside of their normal space and wander into an epic quest.  Guess the kid behind me was right, however, when he said, “When is this going to be fun like the movie?” 

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Laura Kennelly

Imagine your surprise if you learned your father is a Greek god. That shocking discovery means, as Percy Jackson discovers, he is a demi-god.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical begins with that premise and romps merrily through the resulting action when Percy goes to a summer camp for teens. There, our hero discovers not only who he is, but also who his classmates and teachers are. On top of all that, he is assigned a quest (something all heroes must have). He must find Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt before all-out war descends upon the lesser gods and demi-gods.

The show is a real feast for fantasy lovers (hand raised here). The Helen’s stadium seating suggests classic Greek theatre structures — albeit on a much smaller scale.

To see a full review of this show go here or read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.