The Lightning Thief @ Pennsauken High School

Wake up! Pennsauken's The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical will keep you from drooling in your sleep!

The Lightning Thief is a musical written by Rob Rokicki and inspired by Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief. The initial one hour musical was signed to Broadway in 2017 and expanded to the two hour musical that all know and love today. It follows the troubled teen Percy Jackson who struggles with behavior issues. After having been kicked out of six schools, his mother confesses the truth to him: Percy is a demi-god. He is sent to a summer camp for "half-bloods" and once there, is sets off on a quest with his friends to recover Zeus's stolen lightning bolt to prevent a "war among the gods."

The stage lit up with the aura of each glowing cast member! In big numbers like "Campfire" and "DOA" the energy of the show was palpable and permeated throughout the auditorium leaving the audience excited and waiting for more. Each number of the show was fun, colorful, and energetic as not a drop of sweat could be seen on the cast's smiling faces!

Aiden Scott's performance as Percy Jackson carried the weight of the show on his shoulders! Leaving the stage only 2-3 times, Scott kept a high spirit that lifted and inspired his castmates! He had great character connection, speaking in the character as if he himself were a demigod with unnatural powers while still attending high school and going through friendship troubles. While the stories of songs were sometimes lost, his powerful voice and emotional vocals struck the audience in songs like "Son of Poseidon." Sydney McCurry's Annabeth was similarly very powerful! She embodied the fierce character with quick smart jibs at Percy and uptight body languages. Her impressive belts and emotional tones shone through in numbers like "My Grand Plan" stabilizing high harmonies. The two characters had great onstage chemistry as the audience could truly believe the two were best friends!

The ensemble of a show makes or breaks the production and Pennsauken's cast surely made the show even better! Paired with Clarisse's(Zipporah Jones) powerful voice and growls, the stage energy during "Put You In Your Place" was something to remember! The number had synchronized dancing, a dance battle, a slow-mo fight scene, and great energy! Ensemble numbers were directed and choreographed by the students and stood out in a very positive way! Each member of the ensemble contributed greatly to the success of the show as they perfectly blended into the setting of the musical throughout.

The show's creative aspects also stood out. From paper mache heads and foam horns to a 3D printed, mechanical, motor-operated Medusa helmet, the props and costumes of the show were outstanding. While the sound tech and mic quality had a few challenges, the actors' emotions stood out in powerful scenes as their lines echoed through the halls of the auditorium, leaving the audience stricken with awe. Similarly, the recorded tracks helped highlight Visunthara Han's live guitar feature in "Campfire."

Overall, the cast of Pennsauken's The Lightning Thief was truly supportive and uplifting of each other. The success of the show came from each individual's efforts in having fun and producing a dynamic performance!