The Lightning Thief at West Valley Arts

I haven't read the book by Rick Riordan but, as a big fan of Greek mythology, I was really excited to see the musical adaptation of The Lightning Thief at the West Valley Performing Arts Center last night. I had so much fun with high energy show! Perseus "Percy" Jackson (Ren Cottam) is expelled from his fifth school in as many years after he kills a Fury masquerading as a substitute math teacher named Mrs. Dodds (Matthew Tripp) on a field trip. His mother Sally (MacKenzie Skye Pedersen) takes him to the beach to explain why he has powers that he can't control but, before she can reveal anything, they are attacked by a Minotaur (Grayson Kamel) who kills her before Percy is able to kill it. Soon after, his Latin teacher Mr. Brunner (David Weekes) reveals that he is really Chiron, a centaur, and that his best friend Grover Underwood (Kile Allen) is really a satyr, a goat-like creature, before taking Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a refuge for the children of humans and gods. The camp counselor Dionysus (Kelly Griffiths) introduces him to Luke Castellan (Zack Grob), the son of Hermes, Annabeth Chase (Hanna Schneck), the daughter of Athena, Silena Beauregard (Olivia Simmons), the daughter of Aphrodite, Katie Gardner (Sibley Snowden), the daughter of Demeter, and Clarisse La Rue (Natalie Wren), the daughter of Ares. He also discovers that he is the son of Poseidon.  However, he is accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt and must go on a quest to retrieve it from the real thief, Hades, to prevent a war between the gods. The Underworld is in Los Angeles so Percy, Grover, and Annabeth set out on this quest but complications ensue when they encounter three Furies, Medusa, and the Chimera. They eventually reach the Underworld but Hades informs them that they have been manipulated by Ares (Kelly Griffiths) which culminates in an epic battle in which Percy is helped by Poseidon (Wesley Valdez). They return to Camp Half-Blood as heroes but learn that they must face an even bigger threat. This is an incredibly funny and clever take on Greek mythology (I, along with the entire audience, laughed out loud multiple times) but, at its heart, it is a poignant story about the struggle to fit in and feel good enough. The three leads perfectly embody this struggle and I especially loved Cottam's performance of "Good Kid," Schneck's performance of "My Grand Plan," and Allen's performance of "The Tree on the Hill." All three gave me goosebumps! The rest of the cast, most of whom play multiple roles, is also outstanding because each character is distinct. The staging is incredibly imaginative because the set is very minimal, with just a few movable platforms and stairs, so everything is portrayed through costumes, props, and the physical performance of the actors. I particularly loved how Percy uses the ocean in the battle with Ares. The choreography is dynamic and energetic (I would expect nothing less from Izzy Arrieta) and I was blown away many times by the athleticism of the actors, especially Allen. The costumes for the Furies, the Oracle, and Chiron (who becomes a centaur with the use of an elaborate prosthetic) are so much fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this show and I highly recommend it to families. It runs at the West Valley Performing Arts Center  on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through June 29 (go here for tickets).