Trojan Theatre presents ‘Percy Jackson’
Hot Springs School District’s Trojan Theatre students performed the opening night of “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” on Thursday, but there are still two more chances to see the production.
Today and Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Joyce L. Littleton Craft Auditorium, students in grades 7-12 will again present the musical, featuring over 40 cast members, a live student band, choreographed dances and special effects.
“It’s a big show, big is the best way we can describe it,” said Whitnei Long, a senior at Hot Springs World Class High School who plays Annabeth Chase in the musical. “It’s over two hours long. We’ve got some special things planned.”
“I think that this show is a testament to our arts department,” Kian McMahan, another senior who plays Percy Jackson, said. “It has taken a lot of work and a lot of hours and a lot of blood, sweat and tears to put together. And I think people want to see this because it’s just fantastic.”
Bryce Cunningham-Nunn, a senior who plays Mr. Brunner/ Chiron as well as Ares, the god of war, said this is the Trojan Theatre’s first full-length show, running at about two and a half hours, and the first time there has been a live band during a musical production.
“It’s so much better for us when we have that live band because if we mess up, they can help us,” he said. “If we had music that’s already there, if you mess up, there’s really no going back.”
Also a senior, David Coleman, who plays Grover Underwood, described his character as “a funny little thing,” who has been tasked with protecting Percy, but his fearful personality tends to get in the way.
McMahan described his character, Percy, as shy and anxious.
“All of a sudden, he goes from this kid who has ADHD and dyslexia and nobody really likes him to he’s the chosen one, he’s in this world full of Greek gods and goddesses and has to fight (a) Minotaur, Medusa and all these monsters,” he said.
Long said her character, Annabeth, the daughter of the Greek goddess Athena, is known as the brave one and as the one to take the lead.
“She wants to be in charge of everything,” she said. “It’s because she’s trying to prove to her mom and pretty much everybody else that she’s the best.”
Danielle Rivera, a sophomore who plays Clarisse La Rue, said the play starts with Percy having no idea who his father is in the beginning of the musical, and part of the plot deals with his mission to find out. “He goes on, basically, just
trying to not only find out who his father is for a bit of it, but then he realizes he’s a part of something bigger,” said Mya Sanders, a junior who plays both the Oracle and Charon, who ferries dead spirits into the Underworld.
“I feel like everyone knows the story of Percy Jackson already, and you’ve seen it as a movie, you’ve read the books, but have you seen it as a musical yet?” Sanders said. “I feel like it’s a cool turn of events and it’ll be really fun to come and watch.”
“In a movie, everything has to be spelled out,” Rivera said. “They have to say ‘I’m sad’ or ‘I’m angry,’ but in a musical, they can sing it. It doesn’t feel out of place.”
Sanders said the students who come together to put on productions like this feel connected like they are a part of “something bigger.”
“We’re all super close,” she said. “We have this chant and everything. We love being around each other and I think it’s just being a part of a big community of people who love to do the same thing you love to do.”