The Quest Begins: The Lightning Thief, The Percy Jackson Musical Begins National Tour



The winds may have been howling through Chicago’s downtown theater district, but mere weather wasn’t enough to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds that passed through the doors and lobby.  After all, they were joining the quest with one of the most popular heroes in young adult fiction.  The off-Broadway hit, The Lightning Thief, The Percy Jackson Musical, launched its national tour at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre.  The winner of several Drama Desk Awards, the show is a musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s popular YA series, featuring a book by Joe Tracz and music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki. Unusual for a national tour, this action-packed theatrical adventure has most of its original cast intact.
Kristin Stokes, Chris McCarroll, and Jorrell Javier in The Lightning Thief, The Percy Jackson Musical
Photo by Jeremy Daniel


Percy Jackson fans are sure to find this musical adaptation far more enjoyable than the 2010 film version or the 2013 sequel.  The show is delightfully entertaining while remaining true to the plot, character, and tone of the Riordan’s original story.  Both the book and score feature plenty of funny gags such as the entrance to the underworld being the LA headquarters of “DOA Records” and the strains of “Come Sail Away” that we hear as the characters come upon the River Styx. Cerberus as a three-headed DJ, leads the musical welcome.

The story centers around a teenager, the titular Percy (Chris McCarrell, repeating his off-Broadway role), who discovers, much to his astonishment, that he is a demi-god.  His loving mother (Jalynn Steele), conceived him with none other than Poseidon (Ryan Knowles), god of the sea.  Suffering from dyslexia and ADHD, Percy has difficulty fitting in, has newly found powers he can’t control, and mythical monsters on his trail.  After Percy and his mom are attacked by a Minotaur, he finds himself at Camp Half-Blood with other half human, half-God kids who rail against their absent parents.  There he meets the feisty Annabeth (Kristin Stokes), the beautiful yet tough daughter of Athena; Grover (Jorrel Javier), a good-natured satyr; and Mr. D (Javier again), the camp’s director, whose snarky attitude might have something to do with the fact he is Dionysus, the god of wine.
Photo by Jeremy Daniel


Percy is soon blamed for stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt and sets off on a quest with Grover and Annabeth to clear his name and prevent a war between the gods that threatens the entire world.  As they travel cross-country via Greyhound bus, train, and a Hades-driven motorcycle to find the stolen lightning bolt, Percy and his friends discover that things are not always what they seem.

McCarrell’s Percy is an awkward yet engaging teenager who can’t understand why things never seem to go his way. Stokes expertly balances Annabeth’s feelings of feistiness and a lack of confidence.  Her vocal talents connected with the scores of Percy Jackson fans in the audience as she sang “the most important choices are the ones you make for yourself” and “nice girls never win, if they’re polite”. The hilarious Javier displayed the comic timing of an old-time vaudevillian. 

Director Stephen Brackett keeps the story moving, packing a cross-country quest into the two-hour running time.  The pop-rock score works well, exploring what it is like to be a kid growing up in the modern world.  The low-tech set, imaginative staging, and some awesome puppets created by Achesonwalsh Studios team up to effectively draw the audience into Percy’s fictional world. Who needs the Le Miz turntable or Miss Saigon’s helicopter when you can defeat the bad guys with leaf blowers and toilet paper?
Photo by Jeremy Danial


The show delivers some positive messages such as “normal is a myth/everyone has issues they’re dealing with”.  However, the story never stoops to the sort of preachifying so common in theater aimed at younger audiences.  The book and the score offer plenty of amusement which proves just as funny for adults as children.  The Lightning Thief was sold out during its off-Broadway run, with good reason.  This is a show that entertains the gods.

The Lightning Thief, The Percy Jackson Musical runs through January 13, 2019, at the Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph Street in Chicago before continuing its national tour.  The official show site is www.lightningthiefmusical.com.  



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