Okay, okay, I caved. I read, like, the last three lines. The part with Annabeth and the arrows. Yes, the movie's going to be butchered, but.FANGIRL SCREAM. DUDE THAT'S TOTAL PWNAGE RIGHT THERE THAT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME. Take the excitement of live theater to the digital world with TheaterWorksUSA, one of the country’s leading not-for-profit producers of theater for young audiences and the company behind shows such as Junie B. Jones, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, and Pete the Cat.
- Percy Jackson Musical Script Pdf
- Percy Jackson Musical Script Download
- Percy Jackson Lightning Thief Musical Script
When I discovered that Theatreworks USA will be putting on a Percy Jackson musical in NYC on April 21st, it was like MANDY'S FAVES COLLIDING. (Also: I WANT TO GO TO THERE.) So obvs, I had to find out as much as I could about it. Book writer Joe Tracz was kind enough to answer my questions -- and provide some morning LOLs.
The Lucile Lortel Theatre presents an action-packed musical based on Rick Riordan best-selling young-adult fantasy novel of the same name. Greek gods are real, and they’re ruining the life of modern-day teen Percy Jackson. In addition to his human woes, he recently found out he's a son of Poseidon.
Where did the idea of adapting The Lightning Thief as a musical come from? Because when you think 'middle grade action-adventure Greek demigod series', a musical usually isn't the first thing that comes to mind.
Right, especially since Percy himself says in The Last Olympian that if he tried to sing, he’d probably cause an avalanche.
The idea to adapt the book originated with the folks at Theatreworks USA, which is an amazing company in New York that brings theatre to kids and families who wouldn’t normally get to see it. I understand Rick is cautious about adaptations, especially since the movies were, shall we say… less than faithful. But I think he recognized the value of Theatreworks’ mission, and also that they have a long history of adapting books respectfully. So the door was open to put Percy on stage.
And when I heard they were looking for a writer, as a huge fan of the books my first thought was: I will sword fight anyone else who is up for that job.
Fortunately it didn’t come to that.
Originally I planned to adapt it as a play, but there’s so much story and I realized music would be a huge help in conveying passage of time, and in putting us inside Percy’s head the way the book’s first-person narration does. So I brought in this rock star of a composer-lyricist, Rob Rokicki, and he convinced me that Percy Jackson: The Musical isn’t the stretch it might seem. He pointed out how, if you strip away the jazz hands and the dream ballets, the reason characters sing in a musical is because they’re feeling stuff too big and crazy for words alone. And the characters in the world of Percy Jackson go through some seriously big and crazy stuff…
You got the OK from Rick Riordan himself for this job. What was that meeting like? Did you have to complete any quests for him?
Early on, I got to sit down for dinner with Rick and his son, who’s also a writer and has written stories set in the world of Percy too. So I was doubly nervous. But Rick is as funny in person as you’d guess from his books (and from his Twitter account). Listening to him and his son swap jokes, I was like… ohh, I get it, this is where Percy comes from. It reminded me that what makes the series so memorable isn’t just the story but the way it’s told – everything’s filtered through this self-aware, self-deprecating, extremely funny voice.
No quests. But I did journey to a restaurant on the upper east side of Manhattan – does that count?
Well, that's Blair Waldorf's home turf, so I say YES.
Since you're such a huge fan of the Percy Jackson books, how did you decide on which parts of the story to keep and which to cut out? Is the fan side of you an adaptation purist?
Because the show is designed to tour, we have six actors play all the roles, and an hour running time. So the challenge was how to take this nearly-400 page novel – itself just the first part of a larger story – and make it work within those constraints.I’ll be honest and say my first draft left a lot of stuff out. It felt painful as a fan, but necessary as a dramatist. But with each new draft, we just kept slipping more and more scenes and characters back in. Last week, I went through the book and made a list of which characters we’ve left out, and I came up with only three: Argus, Procrustes, and Cerberus. Then the very next day we put Cerberus in. This show hits the ground running and packs in so much – which I find exciting as a fan and a dramatist. Hopefully audiences will too.
Also, my fanboy side couldn’t resist throwing in some Easter eggs, including a cameo for a character who doesn’t show up until a later book but who would have been hanging around a particular location visited in The Lightning Thief…
Ooooh, intrigue! Who could it be? And OMG A TOUR?! Wanna stop by a certain Canadian city that a certain interviewer happens to live in?
Which scene was the most difficult to adapt? And which one had you been most excited to see performed?
Going in, I figured the hard stuff would be the moments of magic. When Percy gets to camp and Chiron steps out of his wheelchair to reveal he’s a centaur, I just wrote in the script: “Have fun, Director!”
But those moments ended up being easy because they’re so theatrical. The hardest stuff turned out to be the exposition – there’s so much world-building to get across. On the page, Chiron can tell Percy about the gods, and it’s riveting, but on stage it’s just a talking horse giving a monologue. So the trick was making the exposition as theatrical as the magic. I mean, if you’re Game of Thrones, you just set those scenes in a brothel, but we’re a family show! So we had to find more creative solutions.
Most exited to see performed? Capture the Flag. Rob wrote this awesome rocker chick number for Clarisse that devolves into a crazy Stomp-esque battle sequence, with weapons doubling as percussion. Our rehearsals are in a very small room and rehearsing it always feels legitimately dangerous in an awesome way.
This isn't the only YA adaptation you're working on; you're also adapting Ned Vizzini's sci-fi novel, Be More Chill. Could you talk about how the two processes compare and the different challenges that each present?
Clearly, turning sci-fi/fantasy YA novels into musicals is the weird niche I’m carving. I’m really proud of Be More Chill. I worked in the YA section of a bookstore before I ever got a job as a writer, so I saw first-hand how writers like Rick and Ned reached readers who might otherwise never pick up a book. Losing Ned this past year has made that project feel even more special, as a way to honor his totally original, singular voice. Both shows feel like they live in the same world (and not just because Joe Iconis, my Chill composer/lyricist, and Rob, my Percy collaborator, play in the same band). Ned talked to us about trying to adapt Chill as a movie – he said it was challenging because so much of the book is just Jeremy talking to a voice in his head. But theatre is less literal than film, and music can put you inside a character’s head. So it felt like the right pairing of medium and material. And we have some cool news to announce with that project very soon…
MORE intrigue! SO MUCH SUSPENSE.
Do you have plans to continue adapting the Percy Jackson series or other YA novels? And if you could adapt any YA book you wanted, which one would it be?
No plans yet, though I’d love to keep playing in Percy’s world, should fate (and the Fates) allow. As for other YA books, I’m obsessed with the Lemony Snicket series, and was always bummed we never got movies of the later, even better books. They’re so stylized and theatrical, they’d be perfect for the stage. Maybe all twelve books done as one Wagnerian epic? Can’t you just hear the accordion-and-prepared-piano opening number?
TOTES. Someone please make this happen!
Thanks for stopping by, Joe! And here's the official word on the Lightning Thief musical:
On Monday, April 21, 2014 at 7 p.m., stage and screen luminaries Chuck Cooper, Charlotte d'Amboise, Kate Flannery, Judy Kuhn, Terrence Mann, John Tartaglia and many more will join together at Off-Broadway's Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) for a one-night-only benefit concert production of the new musical THE LIGHTNING THIEF.
Presented by Theatreworks USA, the benefit performance will support the company's annual Free Summer Theatre Program, which provides FREE live theatre to more than 15,000 kids in New York City each summer.
The evening will feature an all-star ensemble of Broadway, television and film notables, including Bryan Batt (Mad Men, 12 Years a Slave), Tony Award winner Chuck Cooper (The Life, Caroline or Change), Tony nominee Terrence Mann (Pippin, The Addams Family), Kate Flannery (The Office), two-time Tony nominee Charlotte d'Amboise (Pippin, A Chorus Line), Tony nominee Richard Kind (The Big Knife), Tony nominee John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Shrek the Musical), three-time Tony nominee Judy Kuhn (Les Miserables, Chess, She Loves Me) and Tony nominee Constantine Maroulis (Jekyll and Hyde, Rock of Ages).
The concert will also include performances by Parker Drown, Abe Goldfarb, Eric Meyers, Sarah Beth Pfeifer, Kristin Stokes and Jordan Stanley (performers are subject to change).
Based on the first book in the best-selling Percy Jackson and The Olympians series by Rick Riordan, THE LIGHTNING THIEF is the story of Percy, a 12-year-old boy who journeys into a world of mythological monsters and Greek Gods as he struggles with dyslexia and ADHD, and coming to terms with a father he has never known, while solving the mystery of Zeus' stolen lightning bolt.
Directed by Stephen Brackett (Buyer and Cellar) and choreographed by Sam Pinkleton (Machinal; Natasha, Pierre and the Comet of 1812), THE LIGHTNING THIEF features a book by Joe Tracz with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki.
For more info on the event, check out Theatreworks USA's website. You can also find Theatreworks USA on Twitter (@theatreworksusa) and Facebook.
It’s baaaaack. And it’s bigger and more demigodly than ever. The Lightning Thief Musical arrives Off-Broadway beginning March 23.
I’m very pleased to share the full press release below.
Now you’re thinking: What? Who? How? Huh? Seriously, Percy Jackson dancing and singing on stage?
Yep, it’s true! Previous stagings of this play have gotten rave reviews from even hard-core Percy Jackson book fans, and now the play is getting the full Off-Broadway treatment! Chris McCarrell is a great casting choice for Percy, don’t you think?
Full disclosure: I haven’t seen the play myself, but that is just my own personal quirk. I get weirded-out seeing or hearing adaptations of my written work. I can’t listen to my audiobooks. And the movies . . . well, as you may know, I never saw them, thank the gods. I haven’t seen the play either, but I can heartily endorse it based on feedback from the people I care about most — my readers. They have found it to be a fun, faithful, hilarious adaptation of Percy’s story. So if you can make an off-Broadway production this spring, check it out! Just beware of gorgons and random bolts of lightning, and be on the lookout for incognito gods in the audience. They love seeing plays about themselves.
For Immediate Release:
CHRIS McCARRELL
will star in
THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL
Based on the best-selling Disney-Hyperion novel
“The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan
Written by JOE TRACZ and ROB ROKICKI
Directed by STEPHEN BRACKETT
Choreographed by PATRICK McCOLLUM
Musical Direction by WILEY DEWEESE
Fight Direction by ROD KINTER
Orchestrations by WILEY DEWEESE & ROB ROKICKI
THE BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION BEGINS PERFORMANCES
MARCH 23, 2017
OPENING NIGHT IS SET FOR TUESDAY APRIL 4, 2017
AT OFF-BROADWAY’S LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE
EXCLUSIVE AMERICAN EXPRESS PRE-SALE
January 17 – 24, 2017
New York: Chris McCarrell, will star in a brand-new production of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical this March at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street). Written by Joe Tracz (Netflix “Series of Unfortunate Events”) and Rob Rokicki (Strange Tails), and directed by Stephen Brackett (Buyer and Cellar), the strictly limited engagement will begin performances on March 23, opening on Tuesday, April 4 and will run through May 6, 2017. This new production will feature musical direction by Wiley DeWeese (The Wildness), orchestrations by Wiley DeWeese &Rob Rokicki, choreography by Patrick McCollum (The Bands Visit) and fight direction by Rod Kinter (More Than All the World).The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson is being presented by Theatreworks NYC in arrangement with Rick Riordan and the Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. Tickets are $85-$65 and can be purchased by visiting www.LightningThiefMusical.com and 866-811-4111.
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical was introduced to NYC by Theatreworks USA in 2014 as part of its FREE theatre series, a one hour version with a smaller cast that has successfully toured the country. This is a brand-new production with a new score, an updated, expanded script including a second act, a larger cast and will feature a live band.
Percy Jackson has newly discovered powers he can’t control, monsters on his trail, and he is on a quest to find Zeus’s lightning bolt and prevent a war between the Greek gods. Normal is a myth when you’re a demigod. Based on the best- selling Disney-Hyperion novel by Rick Riordan, featuring live music, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action- packed theatrical adventure that will rock your world.
Chris McCarrell (Percy Jackson) was most recently seen as Marius in the Tony Nominated revival of Les Misérables. Television credits include Nibs in “Peter Pan Live” and The OA. Regionally, Chris starred in Summer of ’42 at Bucks County Playhouse as well as originating the role of Jimmy Livingston in Bubble Boy the musical. Other regional credits include Gabe in Next to Normal, Anthony in Sweeney Todd and Lewis in Pippin. He has sold out concerts at 54 Below with his solo debut and Christmas Carols with Chris McCarrell. Workshops include World Will Not Contain Us,Tesla Drops the Beat and Manhattan Kids. A 2013 graduate of Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music.
“I’ve always had an Off-Broadway heart, so this is such a homecoming for me. And to start it off at the Lortel is an actual dream. Can’t wait to pour all I got into Percy Jackson. He’s going to be quick, bold, and sharp. Young messy demigod finding his way? I’m in. Excited to work with the team to make this innovative, magical and heartfelt show our own.”Chris McCarrell
“Our initial production of The Lightning Thief, was a huge critical and audience success, and continues to gather fans around the country. But, honestly condensing the novel into an hour was challenging; the dream was always to make this production bigger and better, to flesh out characters, deepen relationships and include more of the quest –and that’s just what we’ve done. We could not be more thrilled by this updated version, with some great new songs, a second act and a larger cast. And to top it all off, we could not be more excited to have Chris McCarrell as our Percy, he has that perfect combination of charm and talent to make this show exciting and entertaining for all ages.”Theatreworks NYC, Barbara Pasternack
Creative Team Includes: David Lander (Lighting Design), Lee Savage (Set Design), Sydney Maresca (Costume Design), and Ryan Rumery (Sound Design).
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical
Written by Joe Tracz and Rob Rokicki, Directed by Stephen Brackett
Choreographed by Patrick McCollum, Musical Direction by Wiley DeWeese, Fight Direction by Rod Kinter
Orchestrations by Wiley Deweese & Rob Rokicki
Begins performances on March 23 – May 6, 2017. Opening night is Tuesday. April 4.
Performance Schedule
Monday – Tuesday at 7:30pm; Thursday 2pm & 7:30pm; Friday 7:30pm;
Saturday 2pm & 7:30pm and Sunday 3pm
Percy Jackson Musical Script Pdf
NO PERFORMANCES:
Thursday 3/23 at 2pm, Saturday 3/25 at 2pm & Thursday 3/30 at 2pm; Monday 5/1 at 7:30pm
Lucille Lortel Theatre is located at 121 Christopher Street
Tickets are $85-$65 and can be purchased by visiting
www.LightningThiefMusical.com and 866-811-4111.
Social Media:
Facebook.com/LightningThiefMusical
Twitter.com/LTMusical / @LTMusical
Instagram.com/LTMusical
Press Performances are: Saturday, April 1 at 2 & 7:30pm; Sunday, April 2 at 3pm;
Monday April 3 at 7:30pm; Tuesday, April 4 at 7:30pm (Opening)
Mr. McCarrell, Mr. Tracz, Mr. Rockicki and Mr. Brackett are available for interviews. To arrange interviews or press seats please contact JT Public Relations / joe@jt-pt.net / (646) 481-6583.
Who’s Who:
JOE TRACZ (Book) is a playwright with an MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Williamstown Theatre Festival: the original musical Poster Boy with composer-lyricist Craig Wright (2016), Song for a Future Generation (2015). Joe’s adaptation of the first book in the Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief (with composer Rob Rokicki) received a Lortel nomination for Outstanding Musical and is now touring nationally with Theatreworks USA. His musical adaptation of Ned Vizzini’s novel Be More Chill with composer Joe Iconis premiered last summer at Two River Theater. Other plays have been developed with Manhattan Theatre Club, Second Stage, Roundabout, Ars Nova, and The Flea, and published in Best American Short Plays. Film/TV includes the forthcoming Netflix series “A Series of Unfortunate Events” starring Neil Patrick Harris and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, Epic (20th Century Fox) and Lights Out (FX). Joe is a former Playwrights Realm writing fellow, an alumnus of Theater Masters and the Ars Nova Play Group, and, with Two River Theater and Joe Iconis, a recipient of a 2015 Doris Duke Foundation Commissioning Grant. He has a BA from Kalamazoo College.
ROB ROKICKI (Music, Lyrics, Orchestrations) is an award-winning songwriter, performer, music director & educator. He is member of the Dramatists Guild & alum of the Tony Award-winning BMI writing workshop. Rob wrote the music & lyrics to the Lortel nominated, THE LIGHTNING THIEF (book Joe Tracz). He co-authored (with Michael Ruby) LOVE, NY, STRANGE TAILS & RELATIVITY. He’s currently collaborating on a project with Rebekah Allen. His studio album, is available on iTunes & his album/graphic novel, MONSTERSONGS, will be out soon. Thank you to TW, Iconis, Flynnie & all the artists who’ve contributed to the development of the show. www.robertrokicki.com
Percy Jackson Musical Script Download
STEPHEN BRACKETT (Director) Off Broadway credits include: Ultimate Beauty Bible (Page 73), Wringer (NYCCT), Sommerfugl (InViolet), Buyer & Cellar (Rattlestick and Barrow Street Theaters/Westport Playhouse/National Tour/London’s Menier Chocolate Factory), City Of (Playwrights Realm), Carnival Kids (Lesser America), The Lightning Thief (Theatreworks USA), The Correspondent (Rattlestick), After (Partial Comfort), The Material World (Dixon Place), Be A Good Little Widow (Ars Nova), and The Tenant (Woodshed Collective). Regional credits include: I Now Pronounce (Humana Festival), Le Switch (About Face), Be More Chill (Two River), The Great Pretender (TheatreWorks).
PATRICK MCCOLLUM (Choreographer) Credits include Oh, Hello! (Broadway and Cherry Lane Theatre); The Band’s Visit (Atlantic Theater Company); Rain (Old Globe), Unknown Soldier (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Wilderness (Abrons Arts Center). As associate choreographer on Broadway: The Last Ship, Peter and the Starcatcher, and Rocky; Wicked (North American dance supervisor); Off-Broadway: Murder Ballad (Manhattan Theatre Club, associate choreographer); Permission (MCC, movement consultant).
WILEY DEWEESE (Music Direction/Orchestrations) is a New York based music director, arranger, and pianist. Recent: Amélie: A New Musical (Center Theatre Group, Berkeley Rep), The Wildness (Ars Nova), First Daughter Suite (Public Theater), Preludes (Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3), The Fortress of Solitude (Public Theater). B.M. from NYU Steinhardt
Percy Jackson Lightning Thief Musical Script
ROD KINTER(Fight Direction) Most Recent: More Than All the World at Theatre for the New City. Off Broadway: 15+ productions for Pearl Theatre Company (resident Fight Director since 2009); Fatal Attraction: A Greek Tragedy, The Anthem, and Abe Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party. New York City Opera: 50+ productions (resident Fight Director 1995 – 2011). Regional: American Repertory Theatre; Utah Shakespeare Festival; Barter Theatre, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare on the Sound, Princeton Festival, Glimmerglass Opera, and New Jersey State Opera. Faculty at AMDA. www.rodkinter.com
RICK RIORDAN is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over twenty YA novels, including the Percy Jackson series, the Kane Chronicles, the Magnus Chase series and the Trials of Apollo, with the second book in that series, The Dark Prophecy due out in May 2017. Today over fifty million copies of his books are in print in the United States, and rights have been sold into more than 37 countries, and translated into 41 languages.
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