Eastern Michigan University’s theater department is no stranger to tackling big — and fun — projects, including the upcoming performance of "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical."
“The scope of this project is huge," said show director Pam Cardell. "We have a cast of 18, nine understudies, 40 plus crew members, and a creative design team bringing this to life.”
Adapted from the bestselling novel "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief" by author Rick Riordan, the musical follows a boy who discovers that his father is a Greek god. Consequently, the son, Percy, must embark on a quest unlike any other to bring peace to Mount Olympus.
After learning that he is the son of a legendary god, Percy Jackson finds himself at a camp meant to teach and foster the talent these children of the gods possess. Camp Half-Blood becomes home for Percy and many others who are part of a community tucked within the mortal realm to keep them safe from otherworldly dangers.
Cardell, assistant managing director in the university's School of Communication, Media and Theatre Arts, said taking on a feat such as Percy Jackson is no small task. Due to the amount of training the cast had to do, auditions and casting were completed in the spring of this year rather than in fall, which is the usual show scheduling.
Much of the story involves fight scenes, which Cardell said require complicated choreography. The actors have gone to great lengths to learn those moves, spending hours practicing on and off the stage.
“The cast had a ‘Camp Half-Blood’ day in July to do some bonding and learn some fight choreography basics," Cardell said. "The cast spent four days learning all the music, and then eight days learning all of the blocking, dance choreography and fight choreography."
Fans of the book series will recognize the characters and plot of the original story, but this show will offer a few new unexpected twists and turns. Rest assured, the cast and crew have worked to incorporate as many easter eggs as possible for fans of the original series, show organizers said.
"The Lightning Thief" cast will present five shows at the Legacy Theatre on campus beginning Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. That includes 7 p.m. performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2-4; and 2 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5. Tickets are available through the university's online box office, on the show’s web page or on the EMU Theatre Facebook page.
The Eastern Michigan University theater department's poster for their production of "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical" promotes the show that will have five performances scheduled for the first weekend of Oct. 2025. The show's story follows a boy who discovers he is the son of a Greek god and must fight a new world of gods and monsters to discover who stole Zeus’s lightning bolt. (Courtesy of EMU Theatre)
The show was designed for all audiences and includes surprises for everyone, organizers said. The theater department team that selected the show said the musical was a great choice.
“We were looking for a musical that both college students and our general audience members would enjoy," the team said in an announcement on the choice of the musical. "The themes of this show seemed particularly fitting, young people discovering the power within themselves, celebrating what makes us unique, friendship, and young people working together to take on the 'monsters' in our world.”
