Events
CTORA Theatres: The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical ⚡️
This weekend I had the opportunity to check out the opening night show for CTORA Theatre's The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, at the JCC Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre in Vancouver.
The Lightning Thief is based on the novel by Rick Riordan that follows high school-er Percy Jackson, who gets whisked a way to camp half-blood where he must learn to navigate his new found powers passed down to him by the father he never knew - who just so happens to be a Greek God.
The two-act full-stage musical with intermission features adult performers, a 5-piece live orchestra, Ancient Greek and modern-day scene changes, lightning & sound effects along with giant puppets, bringing the world of Percy Jackson to life on stage.
I’ve watched a handful of stage shows including WICKED, Phantom of the Opera, and Beauty and the Beast, so walking into a community centre I wasn’t sure what to expect - especially since everything I had seen before this was from Broadway.
Let’s just say, don’t judge a book by its cover.
From the incredible performances by the cast, to the tremendous use and subtle transformation of the set pieces, and the music adding layers of fun to a captivating coming of age story - I was blown away.
The shows ability to do so much creatively with so little, is what made it such a pleasant surprise.
For example, what they were able to accomplish by bringing the scale and intimidation of The Minotaur to life using perfect light placement and smoke could’ve come across as hokey, but through the audible gasps by the crowd - it ended up delivering one of the strongest reactions of the night.
As someone who read the Percy Jackson series I was curious how faithful the show would be to its source material, and I’m happy to note that no stone was left unturned.
The cast as a whole did a phenomenal job but the standouts for me were Teddy Ngkaion (Grover) and Boris Bilic (Mr. Brunner). They were able to masterfully perform a diverse array of characters, showcasing an amazing amount of range, that as soon as they stepped on stage - was demanding of the crowds attention.
This was my first time attending a show at the JCC Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre, and I can't wait to plan my next trip back.
If you’re a fan of the Percy Jackson series, live performance, or just want to try a new medium of storytelling - I highly recommend checking this out.
Enjoy the Show! 🍿 🎥
Runtime: 2 hours (Including Intermission)
Dates: May 18-28, 2023
Times: Nightly Thurs -Sun @ 7pm
Sat - Mon Matinees @ 2pm
Venue: JCC Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre
Where to buy: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5637145
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical Review Vancouver (2023) The Richmond Reviewer
Note: CTORA Theatre is a not-for-profit organization providing opportunities for emerging artists to perform in professionally staged productions. This allows job opportunities for local theatre artists.
#Theatre #Performance #Art #PercyJackson #Vancouver #YVR #Movie #MovieReview