"Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical" coming to the Stevens Center—CANCELED
The previously announced June 19 performance of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is canceled due to a scheduling conflict on behalf of the production company. Refunds for ticket purchases will be automatically processed. For questions, please contact the Box Office at 336-721-1945.
“The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” is the latest offering from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ presenting series, UNCSA Presents, at the historic Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem. One local performance of the fantasy adventure is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 19.
Based on the best-selling Disney-Hyperion novel by Rick Riordan, “The Lightning Thief” musical had a sold-out run in New York City, where it garnered three Drama Desk Award nominations, including Best Musical. Featuring a book by Joe Tracz and music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, it tells the story of Percy, a dyslexic teenager with AD/HD who discovers he is a demigod. As a son of Poseidon, Percy is on an epic quest to find Zeus' lightning bolt to prevent a war between the gods. But he has newly discovered powers he can’t control, and monsters on his trail. The show is recommended for those ages 8 and up.
UNCSA Presents is an initiative to revitalize and expand programming at the Stevens Center, UNCSA’s downtown performance venue. The program launched in summer of 2017 with the American Music Series, an eclectic concert series featuring Steve Earle, Mavis Staples and Josh Ritter, among others. The first theatrical offering by UNCSA Presents, the national tour of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Kinky Boots,” on May 23, is already sold out.
"'Kinky Boots' sold out so quickly that we knew local audiences have an appetite for popular entertainment like musical theater,” said Wiley Hausam, UNCSA’s managing director of performance facilities, who curates UNCSA Presents. “We’re excited to bring Broadway and off-Broadway shows back to Winston-Salem, to enliven our community and promote the city as a leading cultural capital of the South.”
This musicalization of Rick Riordan's best-selling YA mash-up of Greek myths and modern-day adolescence is worthy of the gods. But with its campy humor, clever no-tech effects, and agreeable pop-rock tunes, it offers pleasures for mere mortal grown-ups, too.
Time Out New York
“The Lightning Thief” launched a national tour after its sold-out run in New York City.
The Hollywood Reporter said “The Lightning Thief” is a “winning adaptation” that “thoroughly charms.”
Time Out New York said the “mash-up of Greek myths and modern-day adolescence is worthy of the gods. But with its campy humor, clever no-tech effects, and agreeable pop-rock tunes, it offers pleasures for mere mortal grown-ups, too.”
Published in 2005, “The Lightning Thief” appeared on The New York Times’ children's Best-Seller list and was named one of the Young Adult Library Services Association's Best Books for Young Adults. The book series sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. A film adaptation was released in 2010.
January 16, 2019