Camp Half-Blood wannabes rejoice!
Your favorite demigod is returning in a medium outside of books. It was announced on January 10 that Percy Jackson will be starring in his very own musical that’s going to premiere Off-Broadway in New York.
Ever since the two film adaptations were released, fans have been yearning to see a faithful representation of Percy and his half-blood friends. A TV series was a common request, but it seems like Percy’s life is going in a different direction… and honestly, it looks exciting.
Rick Riordan, the author of the best-selling series, was one of the first to comment on the pending premiere of the musical. While he hasn’t seen it personally, he’s heard many good things from fans who saw previous stagings of the show, so he’s very excited. This is a big contrast to what he says about the movies, which he also hasn’t seen, “thank the gods.” Yikes.
In any case, the fact that the musical has already generated praise among fans is good news.
Fans (including myself) were sad (or upset, or downright angry) at the movie adaptation released in 2010. The characters were the same, but hardly fleshed out, and the plot line differed vastly from the first book in the series. Perhaps the best part of the movie was Logan Lerman's portrayal of the titular hero, but even that wasn't enough.
A sequel was released in 2013 and tried to mend the damage the first one had caused. But, as shown by its mediocre box office returns and its so-so performance with critics, it was clear that it was too late.
But now it’s not too late!
As was stated before, the musical got good reviews from fans of the series when it was a smaller, shorter production. Now, gearing up to premiere, it has a lot to prove to those who feel burned by the movies. But Chris McCarrell, who’s playing Percy (previous credits include Marius in Les Mis on Broadway and a Lost Boy in Peter Pan Live!) isn’t too worried. As he told the Washington Post, “This story has so much gunpowder in it. If we hit it right, I think it could make some explosions happen.”
In addition to announcing its Off-Broadway run, the team also released a song from the musical, entitled “Good Kid." It has amazing characterization from the get-go, filled with heartbreaking lyrics as Percy promises to people that he’s a good kid and a good son, even when the world seemingly has turned its back on him. The music and the vocals from Chris MacCarrell are terrific as well. If this is a glimpse into what the rest of the musical is like, fans should be all ears.
Watch the clip below, and decide for yourself: does Percy have what it takes to work some demigod magic on the Great White Way?
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical premieres at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York City on March 23. General sale tickets will be available for purchase starting on January 31. You can reach the main website for the musical here.
