Live Arts Theater to present ‘The Lightning Thief’ in July based on first ‘Percy Jackson’ book

Live Arts Theater presents “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” as its summer teen musical for 2024.

With a book by Joe Tracz, and music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, the production is adapted from the book “The Lightning Thief” by Rick
Riordan.

The musical is directed by Daniel Kunkel, with music direction by Abby Smith.

Performances will be Friday, July 12 through July 28, 2024, at Live Arts Theater, 123 East Water Street, in downtown Charlottesville. Tickets are $20 per adult and $16 per student and senior citizen. Tickets are available through the Box Office at [email protected], by phone at 434-977-4177 x123 or online.

Live Arts will host two special events for the musical: an opening night reception following the performance on July 12, 2024; and a post-show audience talk-back on Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. curtain call. Audiences are welcome to enjoy concessions at intermission.

Riordan’s best-selling young adult fantasy/adventure novel of the same name is the opening installment in the series “Percy Jackson & the Olympians.” The musical was nominated for three 2017 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical. The musical boasts a fast-paced story, an infectious pop-rock score and an innovative, endearing cast of characters.

Expelled from school (again) and sent off to the summer camp for half-bloods, troubled teen Percy, also known as Perseus, Jackson discovers he’s a demigod, with a very powerful father. Before he can catch his breath and explore this newfound identity, he’s packed off to the attic, where a riddling oracle delivers a prophecy. And off Percy must go, on a quest with a few of his new half-blood friends, to retrieve Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt, prevent an all-out war among their godly parents, and hope to rescue his mom from the Underworld.

“Worthy of the gods … a relatable coming-of-age tale about growing up and finding your place in the world — mythical or otherwise.” TimeOut New York said.

Live Arts’ production showcases 13 multi-talented young performers: Korinne Brier, IIa Cooper, Morgan Geissman, Maddie Krause, Ben Lohr, Connor Michael, Julie Minor, Sylvia Moses, Veronica Schoenster, Audrey Scialla, Gian Serrano, Lucy Strandquist and Jacob Walton.

The production also features a dynamic creative team: Mandy Shuker (producer); Alyssa Samuelson (production stage manager); Isabel Tusing (assistant stage manager); Alan Box Levine (scenic design); Rachel Pfundstein (lighting design); Daniel Angell (sound design/engineer); Kaylei Kipper (costume design); Maggie Rogers (properties design/set dressing); Eliza Banaszak (assistant director); and Ti Ames (intimacy choreographer).

“The Lightning Thief” premiered in 2014 off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre as a one-hour musical. The show went on to a national tour, with an expanded version returning to New York in 2017, again to the Lucille Lortel Theatre. After another tour, the show
opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre in October 2019.