The Lightning Thief: This Show Was Very Complex, but I Loved Every Second of It (Cast Member POV)

I can attribute some of my proudest moments at Centenary to being a cast member in NEXTstage Rep’s The Lightning Thief. This show gave me insight into my growth as an actor since freshman year. 

The script consists of so much energy, emotion, and heightened fantasy while maintaining a historical element. The direction worked well bringing the script alive, while also bringing the cast together. It was a very long process, but the product truly made it all worth it.

When I first heard we were going to do The Lightning Thief show, I didn’t have a strong connection to the story. Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series never connected to me as a kid. I was also scared that the story was too “high school”. 

However, never judge a book by its cover… 

Discovering My Character, Luke

After investing in Riordan’s masterpiece of the Percy Jackson series for my roles, I realized how much I truly connect to one of my characters in our show: Luke. His story is heartbreaking, yet the way he presents himself to others is so fun. 

Discovering Luke was a bit of a challenge, of course. I’ve played the “bad guy” archetype before, and very complex ones, at that. 

But, there was something about Luke. His “coolness” yet youthful energy made him even more different to tap into. He has more maturity than other characters due to him being older. Still, at the end of the day, he’s a kid, just like the other main characters. 

Also, his reveal as “the thief” was hard to discover. I had to make sure it wasn’t obvious that it was him before the big reveal. That was a challenge! But, I am proud of the outcome.

The music in the show is what really connected me to the story even more, and brought me to truly understanding Luke. The way the music is written and how it works with each character’s inner thoughts is just a chef’s kiss.

He was a fun character to discover, and I understood him through his sad songs. The music helped me realize that Luke’s just a broken kid living in a broken world…much like all of us.

The Art of Doubling 

Another learning aspect with this show was playing multiple characters at once which is called “doubling.” Creating vastly different characters is hard, but so much fun. 

I’m sorry, but the choice to cast me as Medusa (Aunty Em)? I was more excited for that than Luke! 

It was just so much fun to act like an idiot on stage utilizing puppet-work and stage-combat. 

To quote Carl Wallnau, Artistic Director of the Centenary Stage Company, “I don’t care if the audience is laughing. I do it to make myself laugh.”

Where Would We Be without Our Directors? No, REALLY!

This directing approach in this show is one of my favorites to date. Our goal was to really dive into the characters, making them realistic and ourselves. 

To me, a realistic acting approach makes me feel comfortable, because it feels natural and reads more “real.” We were also asked to learn how to perform with ease to benefit our acting and physicalities. 

Those notes I received while discovering Luke was very helpful, especially since he’s a very laid back character. Now, the challenge with Luke is to keep him active along with it. 

However, Chris Young, our director for The Lightning Thief, did a great job on working with each actor. He helped each of us tremendously to truly understand our characters and make them come alive. 

A show this chaotic and action-packed can easily fall into cliches or dive too deep into the unrealistic aspects. But, Lea Antolini-Lid, our co-director and dance choreographer, was also incredible, helping us find truth in the unrealistic themes. 

Thanks to Lea, we found specificity and how to create abstract movement for a direct story being told. There was a lot of complexity throughout the process, which was exhausting, but still so much fun.

The Cast: We All Were on the Same Page

It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a cast this much. The majority of us are very supportive and have a great time together on stage. 

Even when moments get stressful, we help each other out. Matthew Steen, playing Percy, is a great example with the amount of pressure he was under being one of the leads. I would actively try my best to support him throughout the process.

Our directors were especially helpful towards the end, helping us believe in ourselves, as well. The majority of the cast is very supportive and get along very well. This meant a lot to me. It has been a while since I’ve experienced a work environment where just about everyone is on the same page.

Musical Elements: With Challenge Comes Learning

As I’ve explained, this musical is very complex. The music-aspect of this show is no exception. In fact, there are so many challenges vocally, story-telling wise, and fighting wise. 

Since the songs typically call for everyone involved, if you aren’t a tenor or soprano, I’m so sorry for your mental health. This would be a struggle of a show. 

But, with challenge comes learning. The music is so amazing, but requires a lot of skill and agility. 

As a performer, the show taught me a lot about maintaining my voice and how to sing effortlessly. Although I worked hard in this aspect and saw a lot of success, I am still growing and still learning.

Finding Appreciation for the Complexities of a Show

Throughout the whole process of The Lightning Thief, I was stressed, excited, nervous, and grateful. It’s funny, I think I’ve just now discovered my title for this review…This show was very complex, but I loved every second of it.

As I wrap up, I want to draw attention to something Chris said that made my heart shatter: “For a lot of you, this might be the last time you will be doing shows consecutively. I hope you guys continue to become successful, but we all know how the industry works.” He then went on to say encouraging words and I cried…duh. 

But, Chris really made me realize that senior year is right around the corner, and before I know it, I’ll be graduating.

That’s why “The Lightning Thief” has hit home for me in terms of appreciating the journey of working on a show. Thanks to this experience, I’ll approach every opportunity with even greater gratitude.