The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (Broadway)

See it if SOME GREAT YOUNG TALENT,. A WINNER FOR TEENAGERS WHO GREW UP WITH THE BOOK,

Don't see it if SET IS MINIMAL. APPEAL TO OLDER AUDIENCE NOT AS STRONG

See it if you'd like to see a fun (if not quite exciting) musical journey that draws on Greek myth & kid culture.

Don't see it if you want to be consistently excited or surprised.

Also Every once in a while it is good for someone like me who goes to lots of “serious” theater to attend a play that is pitched to a young audience: It is both humanly & theatrically instructive. For that alone I am glad to have seen “The Lightning Thief.” I liked the central premise: modern day adolescents who are half (Greek) god, half human, band together & go on a quest to save humankind. But I found the piece underwhelming, the action more-or-less consistently fun but never breakout exciting. Lots of the lyrics are clever, but the music is not so memorable. And the plot unravels at the wrong time: the road trip/quest of the 2nd half. The cast is winning, the male & female leads strong, the staging inventive except when it’s not. It doesn’t help that the ending has a blunted impact, even though it involves a best friend’s betrayal & the hero having to make a choice about his future, stuff that should be exciting.... Read more Read less

See it if you're looking for a cute family friendly show. Based on young-adult novel, but writing skews much younger than that.

Don't see it if you're looking for a Broadway calibre production or must-see theatrical experience. It is cute and fun for what it is, but nothing standout.

See it if If you liked the book. If you are into superheroes and young people’s stories.

Don't see it if If you want a professional and adult play. If you prefer material for grown-ups.

See it if if you're​ in the YA demographic or accompany someone who is. Occasionally amusing. Tries hard to please with limited success, if an adult.

Don't see it if expecting a lavish, creative production.

Also I brought my 15 year old nephew, who had read the books & had seen the movies. He liked it a lot & said they did a good job in being faithful to the book.... Read more Read less

See it if you need family fare that isn’t too scary, isn't sexual, and is simple in plot & design. Your kids will enjoy it; you’ll enjoy their joy.

Don't see it if you need highbrow, serious theatre; lack imagination; are over the “teen/tween-musical” scene (it’s the same book writer as Be More Chill).

Also Watching The Lightning Thief is like being a child pawing through an attic and using old odds and ends to put on a play. Set-design, props, costumes, and “monsters” are campy, cheap, and simple: they require the power of deep imagination. But this is promising for young people new to theatre who want to see themselves in this world of ordinary-cum-extraordinary. As a theatregoer closer to middle-age, I wasn’t “wowed” by the show—but I appreciate its creativity and its devoted, talented small cast. The Lightning Thief belongs not on Broadway but back off, or in school theaters, where young viewers can really gobble up the “magic.” There’s an audience for everything. I saw plenty of rapt young people and content parents leaving TLT—little ones clutching fistfuls of confetti and armloads of toilet paper “streamers.” If this show stokes flames of theatre interest in young people, I’m all for it! If you want intelligent rethinking of Greek mythology, head to Hadestown across the street.... Read more Read less

See it if you have a 'tween who loves the Percy Jackson novels or 'tween who you want to get a "safe" intro to Broadway musical theater.

Don't see it if you want your 'tween to be introduced to quality musical theater.

Also most of the blame for this mess seems to go to the producers. They seem to have used the same technical staff that they used at the Lortel, and that show did not generate great reviews. The Choreography, Sound design, and Lighting design all fell terribly short. Loyalty in theater should be tied to quality and not relationships.

The poor Sound Design makes it impossible to critique the quality of the actors' voices, but that pales in comparison to the incredibly bad lighting design. Even the most under financed off-off Broadway usually has a Lighting Designer who knows how LED lighting has changed the colors needed to reflect mood from those used with incandescent lighting. Here those lessons seem to have been studiously avoided.

I can't help but wonder how much better this show would be if the technical staff of "Giant Hoax" was asked to do their magic here. In fact, if you have a 'tween you want to introduce to musical theater for young people while enjoying yourself, go there... Read more Read less

See it if you're interested in what would happen if Hadestown and Be More Chill had a baby.

Don't see it if you aren't a huge fan of the books.

See it if Enjoyable family musical based on Greek mythology. The kids will have fun.

Don't see it if There were no memorable songs.

See it if You are, are are the parent of, a fan of the novels. You want to hear a score from a new-to-broadway composer.

Don't see it if You have no patience for shows that are very explicitly for kids, and simply add jokes that are meant for adults every once in a while.

Also "Before (My son) was diagnosed he didn’t know why he hated school, but he did.... So I used Percy Jackson in the ways that myths have always been used, to explain things that are difficult to explain. To say: you see the world in a slightly different way." -Rick Riordan

The sentiment above is what's missing in this adaptation of Percy Jackson. It is briefly mentioned that Percy has ADHD/Dyslexia, but it is hardly the crux of the piece. And it should be, because that's what would set Percy Jackson apart from the endless cosmos of YA adaptations.

While the cast is clearly talented, the only direction that any of them seem to have received was, "More!" Many of the performances are so frantic that they're anxiety inducing.

The music is enjoyable and well-crafted, with just enough rock edge to set it apart from other more "contemporary theatre" fare. The band is absolutely rockin'.

Unfortunately the sound design is less than rockin. The mix needs work and there we mic issues.... Read more Read less

See it if You like the Percy Jackson books, or Greek Mythology, and want to have a fun time with a show that is creative with its simple props/sets.

Don't see it if You want a highly polished production with elaborate staging, a serious story, or don't like silly humor.

See it if You are very young and like loud, raucous musicals and don’t are too much about the story.

Don't see it if If you like to understand the lyrics and relate to the characters in a musical with a beginning, middle and end. Band drowns out singers.

See it if You enjoy light hearted musicals with little depth.

Don't see it if You want great thought a provoking story or memorable music

See it if You have read the books & saw the movie. Play about modern Greek mythology & half-bloods having quests to beat the Gods Great costumes👍🏼

Don't see it if You don't like Joe Iconis & Joe Tracz books. Didn't like Be More Chill

Also Show is delightful & kids in talk-back said play better than movie. Show has a big following.... Read more Read less

See it if you're looking for a fun, quirky musical that targets tweens but has moments any age group can appreciate. Not a "wow," but worth the time.

Don't see it if you're looking for a show that will really blow you away. The cast is solid, but it's deliberately cheesy at times, and never fully shines.

See it if The most impressive visual effect is the flying toilet paper (as ocean water); Kid-fan of Percy book series may enjoy, but do bring earplug

Don't see it if Ensemble of 6, most actors are playing so many roles which look ridiculous (Percy’s mom=a classmate=the underworld elevator girl);

Also It’s WICKED without impressive music numbers or scenic design; Shares some creative members of Be More Chill, probably it’s just not my cup of tea; There was a constant draining of audience... Read more Read less

See it if you are open to youthful energy confronting the gods of mythology and the young adults themselves in this fast-paced musical.

Don't see it if you are looking for a traditional musical with soaring songs and lilting lyrics. Definitely for the teenager in everyone or not!

See it if You have a child who loves Percy Jackson and you can sleep through bad music

Don't see it if you have standards

See it if you have a pre-teen who's into it, or just like musicals even if they're not terribly complex.

Don't see it if you're looking for something deep or subtle - this is neither.

Also I can't think of a better way to describe the show than to say it's very 12-year-old. The lyrics generally remind me of something you write when you're that age and want to be in a band and are mad at your parents. Once you get used to that vibe though, it's an endearing enough show, and the actors can really sing.

It has some fun low-budget vibes which I rather appreciated as well.... Read more Read less

See it if You have kids, especially fans of the book. Show is short and fast-paced. Fun and quirky.

Don't see it if Not a kid. Want more focused show. Not really Broadway caliber. More suited for off-Broadway. Music not memorable.

Also The kids around us LOVED the show-- lots of laughs and they were enthralled for the whole show. It's a good one if you've got kids, especially those who are familiar with the book series.
Show felt amateurish for me-- not up to Broadway standards. Had an off-Broadway feel to it. Almost entire cast is making Broadway debut with this show, and you can feel that.
Puppetry was cool and fun and the actors had a lot of fun with the various characters they were playing, my favorite being the actor playing Chiron. He fully embraced every character and was hilarious to watch.
All in all, if you liked the book and can get a cheap ticket, it's a fun show, just don't go in with high expectations.... Read more Read less

See it if You've young adults with you that are fans of the fantasy novel, or if you feel compelled to see every Broadway musical that made the cut.

Don't see it if 'not with a young adult, & are unfamiliar with the book. Unless you're a fan, you'll find the plot lacking substance. Better picks exist!

See it if You have middle school aged kids who have a connection to the story or if you want a perfectly ‘fine’ show

Don't see it if You want groundbreaking or polished theatre, or if kid friendly shows aren’t your thing

Also The kids around me loved it, even if it was a permissible show with some low budget moments - it feels unpolished but it works just about. Nice staging/lighting, terrible audio mix though.

I’m sure those who have a connection to the stories will love it even more... Read more Read less

See it if If you want to see a fun show

Don't see it if If you want something more serious

Also What a fun show. I laughed and smiled the whole time. Also great staging. Very cool how they did all the monsters... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy Greek mythology and teenage stories.

Don't see it if You want a thought provoking, polished show.

See it if You are determined to see every musical that makes it to Broadway.

Don't see it if You are not already a HUGE fan of the source material.