THE HANGOVER REPORT – On Broadway, Rob Rokicki and Joe Tracz’s THE LIGHTNING THIEF remains the scrappy cartoon it’s always been

Kristin Stokes, Chris McCarrell, and Jorrel Javier in Rob Rokicki and Joe Tracz's "The Lightning Thief" at the Longacre Theatre. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

Kristin Stokes, Chris McCarrell, and Jorrel Javier in Rob Rokicki and Joe Tracz’s “The Lightning Thief” at the Longacre Theatre. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

Last night, I caught Rob Rokicki and Joe Tracz’s The Lightning Thief, which finds itself on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre after having played Off-Broadway five years ago and subsequently toured the country. If you haven’t already gathered, the show is the musical adaptation of one of Rick Riordan’s popular fantasy novels for young adults (The Lightning Thief is the first in the series). It tells the story of Percy Jackson, a middle schooler who discovers that he’s a demigod and is sent to a camp for like kids. At camp, he befriends Annabeth and Grover, who accompany him on a quest that involves retrieving Zeus’s lightning bolt from Hades.

I have fond memories of when I saw the musical Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, where I was entertained by its scrappy charms. These include Mr. Tracz’s book, which enthusiastically condenses the eventful plot for the stage, as well as Mr. Rokicki’s’s earnest, driving, and surprisingly accomplished rock score. However, no one will ever claim that The Lightning Thief is a masterpiece. Far from it – on the flip side, the musical’s book more than occasionally veers headlong into screeching cartoonland (which is okay if you’re 9 years old) and the score possesses that somewhat generic “new Broadway” sound. But if you give yourself over to the energetic storytelling, you just may be able to get in touch with your inner kid again.

As mentioned, director Stephen Brackett’s production – for better or worse – has retained its scrappy, low-tech Off-Broadway persona on the Great White Way. What was charming in a grungy, more intimate house at times feels indefensible and a little sloppy in a larger, fancier house (and the Longacre is not that big) at Broadway prices. Like the recently-shuttered Be More Chill, The Lightning Thief utilizes a young, smallish cast of just seven big-voiced and totally committed musical theater performers to bring the story to life (which is not surprising, given that both shows share the same director and bookwriter). Indeed, with the exception of Chris McCarrell’s quirky yet accessible Percy, they tirelessly and ingeniously play multiple roles.

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THE LIGHTNING THIEF
Broadway, Musical
Longacre Theatre
2 hours, 10 minutes (with one intermission)
Through January 5

Categories: Broadway, Theater

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