After a summer of acting, singing, movement, character exploration—and the occasional wandering duck—Riversong Players’ young performers are bringing The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical to the Almonte Old Town Hall this September.
The production is the culmination of Riversong Players’ Summer Youth Theatre Intensive, which brought young performers together throughout July and August at a local farm to develop their skills while building an imaginative production inspired by Rick Riordan’s bestselling novel.
Over the course of the program, participants explored acting techniques for character development, relationships and line intention, while working on vocals, movement, stage combat and ensemble storytelling. Rehearsing both indoors and throughout the farm’s fields, trails and natural spaces gave the cast an opportunity to approach the world of Greek mythology through play, exploration and the environment around them.
The Lightning Thief follows Percy Jackson, a young demigod who discovers that the Greek myths are real—and that he belongs among them. When Zeus’s master lightning bolt disappears, Percy and his friends embark on a quest filled with monsters, gods and unexpected discoveries.
Beneath the adventure and humour is a story particularly relevant to young people: one about identity, friendship, belonging and discovering that the things that make you different can also be sources of strength.
“Our summer intensive is designed to give young performers more than the experience of putting on a show,” says Riversong Players Artistic Director Beth Robertson. “We want them to understand why their characters make the choices they do, what they are communicating beneath the words, and how they can bring themselves and their own creativity into the storytelling.”
The result is a fresh, youth-driven interpretation of Percy Jackson’s world, shaped by the cast’s summer together and the natural environment in which much of the production was created.
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical will be presented at the Almonte Old Town Hall September 18-20. Tickets available at Tickets Please.
