The Gods of Ancient Greek Mythology are real, and they’re not very good parents.
This is what one learns in the opening number in the musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s “The Lightning Thief,” which came to the CHS theater on January 19th, 20th, and 21st. The show tells the story of Percy Jackson, a young boy who has struggled in school all his life due to a combination of ADHD, dyslexia, financial struggles, and an abusive step-dad. After narrowly escaping death during a school field trip gone horribly wrong, Percy ventures to a summer camp full of demigod teenagers, discovers the truth about his biological father, and embarks on a daring quest to prevent a war between the gods.
“The Lightning Thief” is unorthodox as far as CHS musicals go for a number of reasons. Whereas past CHS musicals have been more along the lines of Disney Princesses and fairy tales, “The Lightning Thief” is a contemporary rock musical. Furthermore, this is the first time CHS musical theater has ever put on a show this early in the school year. In the past, musical theater has only put on one full show per school year, typically in June, and would perform a few numbers from another musical at the Friends of our Theater auction in the fall. Mohammed Mangrio has been CHS’s theater director since last year, but the production calendar for that year had already been in place when he assumed the position. This year, Mangrio assumed full creative control of the theater department, including the schedule. Claire Myers, a senior who has been in musical theater all four years of high school, was a member of the cast of “The Lightning Thief” and played the role of Charon, the gatekeeper of the Underworld. Myers commented on the new production schedule.
“I feel like this entire two years, and Mr. Mangrio’s been doing a really good job, [it] has kind of been like one big happy social experiment, ” Myers said, “This is the first time we have ever done a show like this.”
Nathan Terrazas, who portrayed story’s deuteragonist, Grover, also spoke positively about his experience in the show.
“Playing Grover forces me to be a happy person, and after I play him I’m happy for the rest of the day that I’ve stepped into that character, Terrazas said.
In addition to being in the cast, Terrazas also manages the CHS theater department’s TikTok, @claremont2129. “The Lightning Thief” was the first CHS show to be publicized on Tiktok, but the account will continue to provide updates about the theater in the future.
“I like to go with videos that I like seeing on my for you page,” Terrazas said, “I like getting ideas from other people like cast mates or people who are in theater as well, just because I want everyone to be involved.”
Casting is another thing “The Lightning Thief” has done differently from previous CHS musicals. The show has a cast of only 20 actors, much fewer people than are in most musical theater productions at CHS.
“The cast that is in this show is just really hard working and really fun to be around,” Myers said, “Also, I love Percy Jackson. I read all the books when I was younger so I think that contributed to how fun it was.”
Myers is one of many Percy Jackson fans who loves the musical as much as the books, but “The Lightning Thief” is truly a show for everyone regardless of whether one dreamed of going to Camp Halfblood as a kid or not.
“I have never read the series,” Terrazas said, “I have also never seen the movies. I think it is very enjoyable to experience. It’s a lot of fun and magic,”
“The Lighting Thief” was put together faster than any show musical theater has ever performed before, but one would not have known that by watching it. The show is at times hilarious, captivating, and tear-jerking. The vocals and line- deliveries are on-point, as are the dances and fight scenes. If the show hadn’t already been incredibly alive, the moving columns which made up the backdrop added a whole extra level of vivaciousness. All in all, an extraordinarily talented cast and crew coupled with a powerful, heartwarming, and entertaining story ensured that “The Lightning Thief” was not a show to be missed.