News release
Greek gods on surfboards and motorcycles, talking squirrels, sword-fighting, rock/pop songs and a 10-foot minotaur: West Ranch Theatre is bringing a lot to the stage next week in “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical.”
Best-selling author Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series of mythology/fantasy novels has been made into movies, a television series and a Broadway musical. When 12-year-old Percy discovers he is a demigod, he and his friends embark on an epic journey to find Zeus’ missing lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods.
“Percy’s a young boy who finds himself stuck between two worlds – the world of mythology and magic, and regular everyday-life drama,” Cora Howard, who plays the character in the evening shows, said in a news release from West Ranch Theatre. “He finds out he’s the son of one of the gods of ancient Greece – shenanigans ensue. He’s facing monsters, gods, angry camp counselors: scary stuff that he has to either outwit or outmaneuver.”
Those familiar with the books will recognize plenty of characters and scenes, but those with no prior Percy or Greek myth knowledge will still be entertained, West Ranch Theatre teacher Jarod Spradling said in the release.
“There are different jokes that land for different ages, and the music keeps everyone engaged and energized,” said Spradling, calling the show an action/comedy.
With monsters and other fantasy characters to portray, West Ranch students are eager to display their new puppetry abilities, Spradling said. “We were fortunate enough to have received training via a puppetry master-class with two very prominent artists from The Jim Henson Company, so the students are very eager to show off their skills.”
Spradling called the musical a “new and fresh and fun” choice to close out the school year, after the department put on the poignant classic “Our Town” in the fall, and classic revival “Chicago: Teen Edition” a year ago. He believes “The Lightning Thief” is a fresh offering locally, adding he wasn’t aware of other area high schools performing this version.
“At its core, Percy Jackson is a story about finding yourself – it really is – and found family,” said Howard, a high school senior who has loved the novels since elementary school. “It’s about being stuck between two worlds and how to navigate challenges. We’re not all demigods, but we all have problems.”
Tickets are $11 general admission, $9 seniors/veterans, available at the door and online at www.westranchtheatre.com. Tickets are $1 more at the door. Showtimes are 7 p.m. May 8, 9 and 10, with a 2 p.m. understudy performance on Saturday, May 10, at the West Ranch High School Theater, 26255 Valencia Blvd.
