The Lightning Thief - The Percy Jackson Musical

The Lightning Thief – The Percy Jackson Musical, at the Belgrade Theatre from 14 – 18 October. Book by Joe Tracz, music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, adapted from the book, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.

Preview

When 16-year-old Percy Jackson discovers that he is the half-blood son of the Greek God, Poseidon, his life takes a dramatic turn as he is plunged into a world much bigger than he could possibly have imagined. With newly-discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want and a whole mythology textbook’s worth of mythical monsters on his tail, Percy must learn what it means to be a hero.

The future of the world hangs in the balance as Percy and his friends embark on an epic adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat. Starring Vasco Emauz as Percy Jackson, Kayna Montecillo as Annabeth and Cahir O'Neill as Grover.

Over the past 20 years, Percy Jackson has become a worldwide phenomenon. First there was the best-selling series of books, then two incredible films and a Disney TV series. Now the adventures of Percy Jackson will burst onto the stage at the Belgrade. It’s the perfect adventure for gods and mortals of all ages with a gripping story that shows that ‘normal’ really is a myth!

Growing up in Portugal, Vasco Emauz has Percy Jackson to thank for teaching him English. He saw the 2005 Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief movie first but then his brother told him that he should read the Rick Riordan book on which it was based, since the film was only a very loose interpretation of it. So I read it and I just got obsessed," Vasco recalls. "I went on to read the Portuguese versions of all the books in the series, then when I fell behind on the translations I sat with a dictionary next to me and started reading the English versions. I loved them so much that I couldn't wait for the next Portuguese translation to be released. That's basically how I learned English."

Kayna Montecillo, who plays Annabeth in the stage version grew up in Burgess Hill, and admits she wasn't much of a reader, so she first encountered the Percy Jackson universe through the films. "They got me into Greek mythology, which I found fascinating, and I loved the stories but most of all I really loved the friendships."

Ireland-born co-star Cahir O'Neill plays Grover, who is Percy's satyr sidekick and protector. “He's a bit different from the other satyrs, who are usually very cocky in the way they present themselves," Cahir points out. "Grover is the complete opposite. He's such a shy, loving, heartwarming character and you can't help but fall in love with him."

He says of the musical, "It's going to be pure magic, especially for young audiences. These kind of stories are the core foundation of them getting into musical theatre, and they're going to be blown away by it."

For tickets go to: https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/lightning-thief/