The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical
Lightning Thief photo credit: Jeremy Daniel
Well, what can I say? I really don’t like being a sour puss, but I just didn’t get it. This is definitely a show for young adults who grew up with the well known book (in their circles), “The Lightning Thief,” by Rick Riordan.
Interesting that this musical plays at a theatre across the street from the intricate and beautiful Hadestown, since Lighting Thief takes you on a journey to Hades too, and is bathed in Greek mythology as well.
Think of this show as an amalgam between Be More Chill, Dear Evan Hansen and Hadestown, only not as interesting or engaging as any of those three.
Rose Tattoo photo credit: Joan Marcus
The problem is I just couldn’t get into the plot, the characters or the show in general. It’s an over the top story that gets super complicated, which simply started to make me loose interest in staying involved.
What I also found annoying is that some of the actors just shout their lines and songs. Except for a couple of numbers that stood out, most of the score is bland and not terribly clever.
The plot is convoluted, the direction messy, but the show got a standing ovation at the end.
Go figure.
Given the ovation, clearly this show resonates for some. The Lightning Thief, in limited run through…just left me bewildered. Through January 5.
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Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market on 106.7 Life-FM, an iHeart station. She has hosted, produced, and created several award-winning nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with stars like Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Mariah Carey among others. Her radio talk show "Bagels and Broadway" highlighted theatre and food personalities. She is an accomplished interviewer and voice artist heard on commercials, narrations, promos and audiobooks, as well as a sought after live announcer.
Most recently, Valerie produced and directed a film, The Thursday Night Club, featuring pop diva Gloria Gaynor in her movie acting debut. She is one of the creators and producers of a docu-series, Divine Renovation, starring Erik Estrada, on streaming networks soon.
