NEXTstage Rep’s The Lightning Thief  Showcases Musical Theater, Acting, and…REACTING (Viewer Review)

NEXTStage Repertory’s 90-minute production of The Lightning Thief was impressive, verging on exceptional. 

Opening night in the Sitnik Theater housed the largest audience I’ve ever witnessed at a Centenary show, and for good reason.

Plot

Adapted from Rick Riordan’s best-selling book, the musical of The Lightning Thief, as described by the Centenary Stage Company, features a thrilling original rock score. 

And, I agree, it’s absolutely a “rock concert-like production” as Stephen Davis, associate professor of theatre arts, puts it. 

Despite the heftiness of the plot, Chris Young, the director, strategically breaks Percy’s journey up into digestible moments, featuring short scenes that keep the audience engaged. 

It allows even those like myself, who haven’t delved into Riordan’s work since middle school, to easily follow along. Amazing.

The Show Maintains the Heart of the Percy Jackson Series 

The script itself feels like it was originally tailored for teenagers, but has been adapted for adult live audiences, evident in the show’s dialogue and undertones. 

Despite this slightly heightened maturity level, the show still maintains the heart of the Percy Jackson series: childlike humor, strong friendships, and witty one-liners, all skillfully delivered by the cast.

Matthew Steen, in the role of Percy, for one, effortlessly channels Percy’s childlike demeanor, humor, and immaturity. 

He is consistent and reflects a seasoned performer, comfortable on stage and seamlessly synchronizing with his fellow actors, particularly Katie O’Shea as Annabeth and Christopher Rice as Grover.

I especially enjoyed when Percy swooshes around his sword “Star Wars style.” He had the entire audience cracking up. The cherry on top was O’Shea’s disdained and unamused delivery of  “It’s not a lightsaber,” capturing Annabeth’s essence perfectly.

O’Shea’s execution, both in dialogue and facial expressions, expertly mocks Percy’s immaturity, with eye rolls and subtle gestures adding depth to her portrayal. 

Katie O’Shea: The Perfect Annabeth

Her embodiment of Annabeth, as a whole, is impeccable and noteworthy, a truly inspired casting choice. 

Her delivery, complete with a nasally yet confident vocal cadence, perfectly matches the character of Annabeth I envisioned as a child, reminiscent of Linda Cardellini playing Velma in the 2002 live action Scooby-Doo movie (in the best possible way). 

O’Shea’s singing voice resonates beautifully in the theater, a true asset to the production. However, her rendition of “My Grand Plan” left me feeling somewhat unsettled. 

O’Shea’s vocal range seemed like it didn’t quite mesh with the song, disappointing me given her prominent role and beautiful vocals throughout the rest of the production. 

But, perhaps her strength lies more in harmonizing than solo singing. 

Her harmony with Luis Rodriguez, playing Luke, for example, during “The Campfire Song” was simply a breathtaking moment.

Their voices intertwined flawlessly, showcasing not only their vocal talents but also their chemistry together (expressed through both lyrics and facial expressions). 

Honestly, the entire cast excelled in their ability to respond to one another!

The Cast: Working Together Through Music

I must admit, Steen’s vocal projection and singing abilities had its shortcomings, in my opinion. But, his scene partners (proving to be a theme in this show) compensated admirably. 

While his voice sometimes lacked projection, it improved noticeably by the second performance. 

And although his singing voice wasn’t quite meant for those high notes, the ensemble’s harmonizing during group vocals, particularly during “The Campfire Song,” was fricking amazing.

When the whole cast sang, “We don’t care where our parents may be, as long as you are here with me,” their harmony sent literal chills down my spine. Teamwork really can bring a production to life, and (thankfully) in this production teamwork did not allow audience members to just focus on Steen’s vocal performance on its own.

Set Design 

Additionally, the set design was simply captivating, a perfect balance between simplicity and intrigue. 

I personally prefer simpler sets. So, the prominent orange “Camp Half-Blood” banner at the forefront of the elevated platform stood out to me. It’s charming, homemade quality, is reminiscent of artwork created by actual young campers! Yet, it remained visually interesting and easy to read.

The tapestry-like sheets hanging beneath the platform added an enchanting touch, depicting forest scenery that complemented the various scenes without overpowering them.  

Lighting Design 

I actually did community service and helped with lighting for this show myself. This allowed me to gain some behind-the-scenes glimpses, deepening my understanding of this show and theater production as a whole.

I observed Kelly Fitzgerald, Assistant Technical Director, and Damian Vince, a theater student, fine-tune the lighting. Fitzgerald and Vince meticulously paid attention to detail. Everything from the colors to the shadows to the placement of each light was scrutinized to perfection. 

Through this hands-on involvement, I gained a newfound appreciation for the demanding work of lighting design, particularly for a production as light-heavy as NEXTStage Reps’s The Lightning Thief.  It was a blatant realization of the immense effort that goes into being a “theater kid” and creating a theatrical world. 

I commend Fitzgerald, Vince, and all those involved in the lighting design. Their efforts, both behind the scenes and during each performance, truly paid off, as evidenced by the STUNNING visual presentation of every scene. 

The lighting not only set the mood and atmosphere but also facilitated seamless scene transitions and conveyed important motifs of identity, destiny, and familial bonds, delivering an action-packed theatrical experience “worthy of the gods.”

I particularly enjoyed when the entire stage is bathed in a mesmerizing sea-blue hue as Percy reflects on his father’s gift of a seashell from his “dream.” It was a breathtaking, symbolic moment, perfectly executed and visually striking. 

Plus, the incorporation of special effects throughout the production from haze, fog, strobe lights, to toilet paper being blown into the crowd (you just had to be there), added another layer of beauty and depth.

Sound. Needs. Help.  

On a less positive note, our technical team, particularly the sound engineers, encountered some challenges during this production that impacted our actors’ performances. 

I went to see this show twice. Both nights, I noticed that the background music often drowned out our star actors, hindering our ability to hear everyone. 

While the Sitnik may naturally project sound, the overpowering background music can not be excused. It was loud, distracting, and unnecessary. 

These issues, such as echoing and inconsistent mic feedback, especially impacted standout talents like Luis Rodriguez, for example, which really upset me.

Rodriguez has a fantastic voice! He’s a former Disney Cruise cast member for God’s sake! I wanted to hear him!

Hmm…I Don’t Hate Doubling…I Hate Bad Acting and Bad Casting! 

Four actors challenged my perspective on the concept of doubling roles (meaning an actor playing multiple parts). 

Their ability to seamlessly transition between characters, maintain vocal projection, and deliver nuanced performances left me floored. 

I used to deeply dislike doubling. But, now, it seems doubling roles can work effectively with the right actors and casting choices. Who knew? Not me!

Luis Rodriguez 

Rodriguez’s portrayal of both Luke and Aunty Em was nothing short of remarkable. 

With Luke, he exuded a big-brother energy, leadership qualities, and a sense of calm stoicism (that seemed to resonate effortlessly with his own persona off-stage). 

I especially loved when Percy says, “We are going to march straight down to the gates of Hell” and Luke assertively corrects him saying, “Underworld!” It was a moment of pure brilliance that showcased Rodriguez’s comedic timing and ability to PROJECT.

We can’t forget his portrayal of Aunty Em, which was equally impressive, infusing the character with humor and personality. 

His vocal projection and comedic timing, particularly when emphasizing certain words to match the background sound effects, were SPOT-ON. Amazing work overall.

Kai Vialva

Moving on to Kai Vialva, who played Mr. D and Hades with exceptional skill and precision. He captured the egotistical and snarky demeanor of both characters flawlessly. 

But, while his projection, cadence, movements, and facial expressions were on point, he could improve by slowing down and enunciating his words better. In other words, I couldn’t understand a word he was saying, but I was having a good time watching!

Mark Squindo

As for Mark Squindo, who took on the roles of Mr. Brunner, Chiron, Poseidon, Train Conductor, and Kurt Cobain, his versatility was truly astounding. What can’t this guy do! 

Whether it was his commanding vocal projection as the Train Conductor or his hilarious portrayal of Mr. Brunner’s reveal as a centaur, Squindo’s performance was so much fun to watch.

Then, his portrayal of Poseidon, complete with hair flipping and a “surfer-guy” demeanor, added another layer of humor to the production. 

His ability to effortlessly switch between characters left me eager to see the play again (although, yes, I know, I have already gone twice, and been called weird for doing so). 

But, I now want to go purely to see his hair flipping moments one more time!

Erin Clark

Erin Clark’s portrayal of both Silena and Bianca was nothing short of exceptional. She effortlessly embodied her characters, perfectly capturing their essence and bringing them to life on stage. 

When Clark as Bianca, dressed in 1930s fashion, came out on stage to reveal the year, “1939,” I laughed out loud. Her comedic timing was great, and her dance off the stage in true 1930s style was nothing short of incredible. 

Not to mention, she’s a freshman! Like, whaaat! Mark my words, she is going to be the face of Centenary theater sometime soon!

One MAJOR Critique

However, (don’t hate me) my one major critique concerns specific actors who might be better served focusing on their true talents: acting rather than singing. 

While Christopher Rice (as Grover) and Kylie Smith (as Sally Jackson) are undeniably talented actors with natural comedic flair and well-suited to their roles, their songs (“Strong” by Smith and “The Tree on the Hill” by Rice) left much to be desired. 

It was unfortunate that there was a discrepancy between the powerful story of “The Tree on the Hill” and the execution of the song. I actually really like the story behind “The Tree on the Hill.” Oh, well!

This critique was a notable flaw in an otherwise stellar production (highlighting how important it is to have strong vocal performances in MUSICAL theater).

One MAJOR Praise

One final aspect that truly enhanced the production was the ingenious use of puppet theater (Bunraku), particularly in the HILARIOUS squirrel cameo and the depiction of singing children stuck in hell…sorry Luke…“Underworld.” 

Rice, in his portrayal of the squirrel scenes, utilized great comedic timing, adding a delightful touch to an already hilarious show. 

In particular, his line, “You hurt his feelings. Tell the squirrel you’re sorry,” was the perfect blend of humor and whimsy that characterized both the production, and the fantastic casting choice of Rice as Grover.

Final Thoughts

The success of The Lightning Thief can be attributed to the cohesive unity embodied by our talented cast of 14 individuals. 

Throughout the play, it was evident that they were not simply going through the motions; they were all truly working together as a team. Every moment was infused with genuine human interaction, with actors reacting and harmonizing with one another. 

Their performances transcended mere acting, as they skillfully bounced off scene partners, not only through dialogue and vocal delivery, but also through nuanced body language and facial expressions.

In essence, this production beautifully encapsulated the collaborative spirit of NEXTStage Rep in creating memorable theater experiences. Well done! 

*****

Looking to go see NEXTStage Rep’s rendition of The Lightning Thief (because Eve wrote such a beautiful review that has you absolutely convinced and craving Percy Jackson action)? 

Click here. Tickets are still on sale! Get one while you still can.