Well the book opens with the line "look I didn't want to be a half-blood" so the prologue song makes sense, it's supposed to be the first couple paragraphs of the book where Percy is addressing the audience and warning them away
I'm pretty sure that the opening (the Day I got Expelled) is an homage to the opening of the lightning thief book, where Percy basically addresses the reader and says basically the same thing that the song does
"Look I didn't want to be a half-blood" is the very first line of the book and the composer said that he thought it was very important that Percy's first line is the first line of the book. In case you didn't know, the movie was absolute garbage and disastrously inaccurate to the book. "The Day I got Expelled" is an almost perfect summary of the first chapter of the book. The book is in first person point of view so it switches between what Percy is thinking and what is actually happening so the song really works to match that tone of the book. The whole musical captures the tone of the book perfectly. The book series is very beloved and had a large fanbase (called half-bloods or demigods btw)so the creators of the musical really wanted to please the fans as they knew the fans would be hyper-critical of the show especially after they were so disappointed by the movie. Also it's important to note that in the book the characters are 12. While for obvious reasons they couldn't get actual kid actors the producers, as well as the cast, worked on making the characters all seem young with out actually having to say the age. This is why the lyrics aren't super complex, so any one of any age could sing them. Tl;dr: A lot of little things in the show pay homage to the original book and the fans of that book so people who never read the book might miss it or not understand it as well. I think this musical was more for fans of the book series but I'm glad someone who didn't read the books still enjoyed the show :)
while your criticism is totally legit, it can also help to realize that a lot of the things you noted (especially the half blood song) are actually important aspects of the book being transferred over! in my opinion, the show perfectly captures the tone of the book (angsty pop-rock musical). anyways, thanks for covering this show! it's a whole lot of fun
Precisely!! I loved how the first song felt exactly like the beginning of the book, with some of the lines coming directly from the text! Made my little Percy Jackson fangirl heart happy. :')
same! the angsty pop-rock tone (especially percy's part in Their Sign huhuhu, that one hit me real hard) really captured the essence in Percy that was lost in the movie. I mean, Percy's narration in the books was definitely angsty and, with the musical, i'd like to think that we got closer to the Percy we deserved.
That's how it starts out in the books (which are way better than the movies) he starts out with I never wanted to be a half blood and it's sort of like a Hamilton thing where they tell you how it ends and then they take you on the journey of how they got to the end. But in musical form people have to be very clear with "OK now we are starting in the past and we'll work out way back from there".
Annie DaisyDot I haven't listened to the lightning thief cats album personally, but from the way Tommy was describing it I was also making the Hamilton opening connection
I think the reason the lightning thief works well as this kind of musical is that it didn't start in a corporate way, it was originally a fan production and I don't know how much it changed in between but the roots of it are sincere to the original.
Thanks for doing this!! I was one of the people who suggested this!! It's interesting to see a review of it from someone who hasn't read the book. For example, you were talking about the "look I didn't want to be a half-blood" section. As a book fan I loved that because the very first line of the book is "Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood" and then he goes on explaining how it's scary and dangerous and if you think you are one then to stop reading. And then he gets into the story about how he got expelled and such.
The "i didn't want to be a half-blood" is a framing device borrowed from the book, which is set up as percy telling a story about him finding out he's a half-blood and inviting you to see how it is affecting his life. i also (perhaps because I knew this from the book) realized this about the show. the percy singing the "i didn't want to be a half-blood" aside-y bits isn't the same percy who is singing the parts about how he got expelled. i think it's kind of implied at the end of the song when he singing "stick around and maybe you'll learn from me," meaning "here's my story, i (future narrator percy) is leaving now)
Saw the show earlier this year and loved it! It didn't take itself too seriously and had fun (like the first few books did) while also staying true to the book. It takes pride in its low-budget, small cast and is overall a lot of fun!
If I'm not mistaken, the guy who adapted the Lightning Thief book to its musical form is the same guy who adapted Be More Chill from its book. The music writers are different obviously but I find it pretty neat that the writer is the same. Be More Chill is probably my favorite musical and it was fun to see the way one of my childhood books (Percy Jackson) come to life with the help of the same man.
My favorite thing about this musical is that it accurately tells the story, and while it takes some things away, it makes sense and makes the story better. That is completely different the movie, which is why I think all the PJO-verse fans are so attracted to the musical. It is so much a part of the readers that to see the content treated with the respect it deserves is the best thing e v e r.
I saw this show before it was expanded, and, as both a lifetime musical theater fan and demigod. I loved it! My aunt is great friends with the writer, so maybe I'm biased, but thank you so much for covering such an obscure and fantastic musical!
Lol the Lightning Thief isn't the saga. It's just the first book. The entire series is just called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I felt the need to correct you
Very insightful! One comment I would like to make is the talk about how Percy says he doesn’t want to be a halfblood before he even realizes he is one, and the reason for that is Rob Rokicki who wrote the songs said it was very important for them to have the first words out of his mouth the same that are in the book, which is “I didn’t want to be a halfblood.” Very creative and detailed on the creative team’s part!
I was lucky enough to get rush tickets to this back in April, and it was for sure better than expected. Chris McCarrell is pretty much Percy personified - i remember not caring much for his performance in Les Miz last year, but this role fit him like a glove. That being said, i honestly cannot see this moving to Broadway. The productions has a very storefront theatre feel to it. The fact that the show was put on in a smaller scale theatre and had to find inventive ways of portraying monsters and mythical beings/powers was part of it's charm. Transferring that to a main stem theatre might prove difficult - would they feel the need to make all those effects bigger to play to bigger theatres? My hope is that the rights to this become available so that more storefront theatre companies can put this on and brig the show to more people. Thanks for listening to our suggestions for this one!
Iliana Herrera I feel exactly the same! This is the kind of show that belongs off Broadway (I've seen interviews with the creatives saying they feel that way as well). From what I've heard it seems like that are hoping to do another off Broadway/ regional production, but not move it to Broadway
So I just listened to the musical and HOLY SHIT IT'S NOT BAD. IT'S ACTUALLY GOOD. SWEET MOTHER OF GOD. IT'S STAYS ALMOST 100% TRUE TO THE BOOK. ARGHHH THIS IS FUCKING HEAVEN -I'm fine I swear-
me too bro...i'd even take avpm (but like...obviously it would be great to have a slightly less popular (and better) musical of theirs like hmb or starship)
Thank you so much! I didn't know there was a Percy Jackson musical (how did I miss that?). My daughter just finished all the books and is having a Percy Jackson birthday party next week. I'm going to start the party by telling her about this and making the kids listen to the music!
Percy directly addresses the reader at the beginning of the book. Witch was one of the reasons I actually continued to read the book because it told me not too. Another thing is every once and a while through out the book Percy character will describe something by directly stating it at the reader, as if it was a conversation.
The campiness low budget quality of the show is part of the reason I love it because it leans into the super cheese of the books. The very beginning of the opening of "those kids have issues" and "busy busy busy" felt a bit too easy. The original version of the opening was much better in my opinion (it can be found on RUclips) with the cast going "better listen up better heed our warning" before leading up to Percy's "I didn't want to be a halfblood" line. I think the show was trying to mimic the books structure which is that Percy is narrating the story from the future and is using it as a warning to other halfbloods. After saying he doesn't want to be a halfblood he also says that if you think you may be one to drop the book and walk away. This style of storytelling felt better set up with the off off Broadway opening number (in my opinion.) and in the book is maintained throughout. I agree though that as nice a nod as it was to book fans the show should either find a way to maintain Percy's fourth wall breaks/ story recounting moments throughout the rest of the show or just do away with it (as sad as it would make me since it's an incredible line from the book)
Someone has probably already talked about this, but the "Look, I didn't want to be a Half Blood." line is the first line from the first book in the series and its very iconic to fans. The fans, which have been sensitive to adaptations to the books because of just pure level of disrespect the movies showed for the source material. The musical goes out of its way to keep small references is in, or just small details from the books in. That line in the Day I Got Expelled is a good example, especially as it indicates to fans that the creators care about the source material and actually did their research when they wrote the show, (however that doesn't mean your criticism of it being a bit out of place wrong or not uncalled for tbh)
Okay so I haven't quite gotten around to listening to the cast album and I think I'm procrastinating a bit. So I read the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians series when I was in 2nd grade right when The Last Olympian came out. I completely fell in love with it that series was my entire life for a good year or two. I've even waited for all of the Heroes of Olympus and Kane Chronicles to come out. Now I still read the Magnus Chase and Trials of Apollo books whenever they hit the shelves. So anyway while many people grew up with Harry Potter I grew up with Percy Jackson (well am growing up I'm still in high school). It was my first obsession I even fell in love with it before I truly fell in love with theatre. So I'm terrified to listen to this because I have seen my love get destroyed once and I know this production has gotten many seals of approval and logically I should love it (I mean musical theatre and Percy Jackson that was the dream of little me) I'm just scared.
I did the exact same thing. Percy Jackson books were my entire world growing up and I was absolutely terrified of being let down again, but when I listened to it it made me so happy. There's a lot of subtle references to the other books and they really got the kinda fun and silly, but serious tone that the movie just didnt get right. I think they worked really hard to stay true to the books and I really love it!
Jenni Cate Rhodes hey! Don't be! There are still so minor changes but they really handle it with love ripping lines right from the book and they nail all the characters (especially Percy, Grover, and Luke. Annabeth is also fantastic just a bit different from how I envisioned her but that's inevitable). Additionally, even though it's a musical and, therefore, unlikely to get a sequel they still set up the bigger/later themes in the series I.e percabeth(a super subtle visual nod bc they're really not interested yet but you can see the beginnings), Kronos, the big three pact, the prophecy, Bianca and Nico (more of an Easter egg), Thalia, and all the parallels between Percy and Luke. I also grew up with pjo (I was 12 when Percy was lol) and was so incredibly happy with it. They changed Charon a bit to get a bigger moment out of the character but it totally fits the world of Rick Riordans books. I'm sorry this was super long but hope it helps soothe some fears lol
It's by no means a perfect adaptation (because that could never exist) but it gets pretty dam close (see what I did there). There are some minor changes and yeah the actors aren't 12 but the musical understood what the movie never did; the tone. The tone is PERFECT and the pop-rock songs really fit the characters and the atmosphere they create. It's really really good and so much fun so give it a listen :)
I read the pjo books for the first time in 3rd grade and they have been my favorite books since. You will NOT regret listening to this musical. I was so scared at first, worried that it would just be another awful adaption that ruined the books, but I soon fell in love with it and I'm literally one of their biggest fans to this day. It isn't just an adaption, but a companion to the books. By that I mean that the musical taught me new things about the characters I had never even realized in my six years of being a die hard fan. Every single second of each of the songs perfectly correlate with the book. This musical was a blessing to the percy jackson fandom
I'm surprised and extremly excited this actually sounds good!! Also, it's cool that he was so specific about his criticisms that people who have read the book could tell when he just didn't understand something coming over from the book.
I had no idea this musical existed until I watched this video, so you have my eternal gratitude for that because after listening to and then immediately purchasing the original cast album I'm pretty sure it is the best possible adaptation of the source material. I never would have thought of musical theater as a medium for this story, but the show (or at least the music) *gets* these characters, as well as the tone of the source material. Possibly it's a product of the fact that a musical can't spend 20 minutes on an action sequence that does nothing for either character or story. Regardless, this adaptation so accurately represents the characters' personalities and motivations, and it really smartly and succinctly weaves the conflict of parental abandonment/neglect through Percy, Annabeth, and Luke's arcs, which really is the non-fantastical central conflict of the series. We see very clearly that both Percy and Annabeth (and the other demigods, to a lesser extent) really feel neglected by their godly parents (and in Annabeth's case by her un-godly parents too), and Luke as the head of the Hermes cabin is defaulted into this position where he (also a teenager) is expected to guide these neglected kids through this dangerous and frightening world of gods and monsters. No one can blame him for holding a grudge. That's the main conflict of the Percy Jackson series--these kids have already had rough lives and they are angry at their neglectful godly parents, but also want their approval--and that's what this show managed to capture so well. In all of his mythology-inspired series, Rick Riordan writes with such empathy about very serious issues that some children have to face--parental neglect, disability, homelessness, race, gender identity, sexuality--and then integrates those serious problems with fantastical ones like falling off a pegasus or having your boyfriend turned into a walking planter box by a jealous nymph. The tone of his books over multiple series has remained pretty consistent, and this show (or at least this cast album) captured it perfectly. That said, I agree that some of the lyrics to some of the songs leave a bit to be desired. I told my friend to skip the first 1:17 of the opening number because it feels like a rush job that was only added on because the test audience got confused when they started the number with Percy's "Look, I didn't ask to be a half-blood." Some of the lyrics (and instrumentation) are really good though, and have changed for the better on the cast album compared with the handful of filmed performances from several months ago. Just a tiiiiny bit more fine-tuning and this would be even more of a gem than it already is from a fan perspective.
As for what you said about the first song: that is how the book starts. The first words literally are: Look, I didn't want to be a halfblood. I don't blame you for not knowing, of course! I just wanted to point it out, since I really like it because it follows the book. Furthermore I thought this video was really good. I like it.
I've actually been avoiding the show until I heard more abt it, so thanks for the review and rec! It's one of those things were people seem to either REALLY love it or REALLY hate it, and while I've seen more people who love it, I was still apprehensive because the PJ series is notorious for bad adaptations. Fans have been clamoring for a quality one for years, and while a lot of people say this is it, others have written it off as a poorly composed and executed disappointment. Which sucks cause I loved the books growing up. So I'm happy to get a review from someone I know and like!
I've never seen the show (aside from a few bootleged videos online) but I know the music perfectly captures the tone and characters from the book. It even has lines of dialogue from the book! The creators actually cared about the fans and the original source material. It totally makes up for the garbage movies in my opinion.
i saw the musical back in april, and i'm a huge fan of the books and i've read TLT at least 382882 times. it is absolutely amazing! it fits it so perfectly with the book's tone and mood.
Godzillasaur Buttersworth idk who gave you those bad reviews, but in my scrounging of the internet for EVERYTHING ltmusical related I haven't even come across one. I fell in love with the show from the get-go and percy jackson have been my favorite books since 3rd grade. It is an INCREDIBLE adaption. Everytime you listen, you realize new things about it and appreciate it even more. Its exactly what this fandom needed
"The movies fell a bit short" is the understatement of the century in my opinion. Gods I HATED the movies. But at least I have the musical to make up for them.
Idk if you know this but the first song is a "letter" in the book. It Percy warning if you relate to any of this GTFO and stop reading. So it's kind of retelling of the events. I haven't read the series fangirls/boys don't kill me.
if you're interested and you have time, i DEFINITELY recommend reading the books, imo they are honestly well-deserving of the hype and far outshine any current adaptation! (it's general consensus that the movies were Really Bad™) people have pointed this out but yeah the original song was a homage to the book and took some lines directly out of it, it was definitely a sort of easter egg for the fans, though yeah it was difficult to adapt directly with the musical, since this 'talking to the audience' perspective didn't actually continue through (unlike the book) anyway i just stumbled upon one of your videos and really enjoying them so far, you have great analysis!!
Here's the thing, I agree with what you're saying on most levels but specifically on the point of "The Day I Got Expelled" you A) would COMPLETELY understand if you read the book much of those lyrics are taken word for word from the first chapter and B) it makes much more sense on stage due to lighting and staging and stuff. I'm not a kid, I went to see this musical for my 19th birthday and I loved every second, so in a way this musical isn't aimed at my age group but it was so fantastic anyway because I did grow up with the books and they have been very special to me since I was like 7. It's a musical that's made for kids to enjoy but at the same time it was also definitely made for those of us that fell in love with these books and characters, not the movies those were a massive disappointment and I hope they're mysteriously erased from the universe
the prologue is a nod to the book's opening, where the very first line is percy talking about how he never wanted to be a half blood. you have to read the book to understand everything in the musical and how amazing it all fits.
The direct address thing is how the book starts because it’s framed as Percy telling us his story the first line of the book is “Look, I never wanted to be a halfblood”
Yes, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is a VERY faithful adaptation. The movies were horrible and I didn't know what to think about a musical. But the musical is very good. I love the touches of toilet paper and other nick-knacks since it fits Percy and his world very well. The music also fits great with the world. Sally's song 'Strong' fits her character perfectly. The rock feel of most of the music is awesome. The song 'I'll Put You In Your Place' has a very fast, almost offending (in a way, I guess) feel to it which is exactly what Clarisse is like and it fits the Capture The Flag games very well. It's a great a musical and I'm very happy to say that from rumors that I've heard, it's going on tour!
Percy saying I didn't want to be a half-blood is a direct line from the book, it's a line that gets PJO fans really hyped up and they most certainly should not change it.
Thank you for this video, I've been iffy about listening to this musical because I grew up with Percy Jackson and also I have a lot of feelings about musical adaptations like this. I think I might just give it a shot now! Also, I want to hear your thoughts on Tarzan the Musical even more now, what with mentions of gimmicks and flying rigs and trying to sell something to kids.
The reason they pop in and out of breaking the forth wall like saying I didn't want to be a half blood before he even finds out he's a half blood is straight out of the books and just adds to Ho loyal an adaptation it is.
Did you know this musical is playbook by Joe Tracz (who also did with Be More Chill) And there's George Salazar, (Grover/Mr.D) who played Michael in Be More Chill
Saw this musical in May and I really liked it, not for the music so much (which is pretty good, but not fabulous), but the fact that it captured the tone of the book very well. Also, the small budget plays in its favor, because it just makes me imagine it as Percy telling his story.
I think the first song being so direct is a result of the first chapter of the book and how much it breaks the fourth wall. My guess is that maybe the whole thing's supposed to be told in flashback but maybe not.
This year's Broadway musicals are Spongebob Squarepants, Mean Girls, Escape to Margaritaville, The Band's Visit, Frozen and Prince of Broadway. The Lightning Thief shows more promise than all of those (except Prince of Broadway, but that's a limited run).
One thing I think needs to be recognized is, the style of music of all these newer musicals is perfect to get newer generations into musicals. I know that style is the only reason I can enjoy musicals. I personally do not enjoy classic style musicals very much, they're difficult for me to enjoy or sit and watch or listen to. And as many people have said the "I didn't want to be a half blood" is how the books start, the story follows the structure and style of the book itself and does it extremely well
So I don't have a twitter but I thought I would try my luck with this anyways. Have you listened to Wind in the Willows yet. It's a new West End show. Kind of odd, not sure how I feel about it yet. Wondering if you want to check it out and give your thoughts.
You should do Rock of Ages and Ghost the musical! My high school did both and I was the lead in both and I would LOVE seeing your views of those musicals
I get your point about the first number, but I think it was more an intentional callback to the first sentence of the Lightning Theif which is : "I didn't want to be a half-blood."
About the only thing I know about Percy Jackson is that one scene in the movie was filmed in about 10 minutes away from my condo. But this sounds intriguing.
i totally recommend reading the books! i know plenty of adults who have picked up copies and enjoyed them, but you'll definitely understand the majority of the references made in the musical after reading all of the first five books (and if you want, the heroes of olympus series and a lot of the other mythology based books rick riordan has written which are all set in the same universe, although it's not necessary but the entire riordanverse - ie. percy jackson, heroes of olympus, magnus chase, trials of apollo etc. - is iconic and would 10/10 reccomend.)
Strangely enough, I wouldn't exactly categorize Percy's "I want" song as The day I got expelled, I would call his I want song as "Good Kid". But really the character in TLT that has a clear I want song Is Annabeth with My grand plan. I say this because the inciting incident isn't when Percy discovers he's a demi-god, it's when he goes on the quest to get his mom back.
I didn't anticipate this musical being good but it is fabulous! As for your complaint about the first song being "I didn't want to be a half blood" in the book those words are actually the first line in the book so I appreciate the songs writers attention to detail.
I kinda agree with your I didn't want to be a halfblood. It's the first line the book and I think the Musical should've had two separate percys. One would be the "narrorator" while the other is the in the moment Percy. Like an older Percy saying what's happening and then just saying something like it's better if I show you
I'm really hoping this musical is something that gets performed at schools, low production values, minimal censorship, I think it could transition very well
Lol I know everyone’s said this already but the day I got expelled is very accurate to the first chapter. In fact “look, I didn’t want to be a half blood” was the first words in the book, I’ve found a very weird connection with this musical, growing up with adhd and dyslexia like Percy I felt, like someone was there, in fact, I only found out about this show in fact I found out about this show last month, we (my schools play cast) saw a dress rehearsal to another school. But because it was a dress rehearsal and we were only there for 2 hours we only got to the song lost, and I was so mad, so I managed to read the book in that time, and by read I mean play video games while listening to the audio. And I really liked the story, it’s really accurate to the book and I mean yeah I’m kinda bias but it’s honestly a great show
the opening to this show was basically just coppy pasted streight out of the book. it opens with him knowing he's a half blood and he's recounting how he found out he was one.
I don't know if he's on the cast recording but the guy who played Michael in Be More Chill played someone in this. Not 100% sure who because I didn't read the article.
I'm so excited to see this. Hopefully lol. It's such a new thing for broadway. As a fan of the books (the Percy Jackson fandom is what we call it btw) I really hope that it doesn't stop at this one musical.
....... being a half-blood? For the whole Riordian fanbase? Oh well, I'm just glad you're reviewing it. It's amazing and the books are amazing and the movies are crap "Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood" is how the book started out and it was a nice book accurate quirk the the musical carried over because it's starts out with Percy explaining things to us *STOP BASHING THE BEGINNING IT'S VERY ENDEARING TO US*
As a Percy Jackson super fan (because of my age and how young I read things like Harry Potter, this series was part of a lot of milestones for me and will thus be forever in my heart), I will readily admit the weaknesses of many things in the musical, and that they were weaknesses in the books. The beginning of Prologue is essentially the book jacket, and the Percy solo is the beginning soliloquy of the novel, both of which are not particularly nuanced. This is because it is, at heart, a children's book. It has a lot of more adult themes in it and the characters have gone through some stuff, so it has more depth than your average children's series, but it is still written for that audience, and so in being a faithful adaptation, it's a campy and awkward show. As a fan, I loved it, but from the standpoint of a musical theatre critic, it's not a super strong show. Overall, I think it's real excellent for being unapologetically what it is: an adaptation of a book written for late elementary schoolers.
You should check out 'Parade" as one of your show(s) of the week...I'd be very interested to hear your opinion, also about the different productions (1998 OBC and 2007 OLC) It's a very...controversial show from what I know. Most musical fans either love it immensely or hate it intensely, depending on their view and opinion of the subject matter and themes...
Tommy, I don't have a Twitter! But I'm still curious, what are your thoughts on Kinky Boots and Brendon Urie joining the cast???? I'd love to see a show of the week about it. I adore the musical and the message it tells the audience and I'm curious what your thoughts are. Also, congrats on reaching 25,000 subscribers!!! I can't believe how much you channel has grown in the past year and I have followed your channel since you had about 3,000 subscribers and I have loved your channel since the beginning. I'm so glad more and more people are finding and appreciating the musical theatre community online.
Well the book opens with the line "look I didn't want to be a half-blood" so the prologue song makes sense, it's supposed to be the first couple paragraphs of the book where Percy is addressing the audience and warning them away
Exactly, I'm surprised he didn't pick up on that...
8-Bit Ramen well he didn't read the book, so he wouldn't know that it's in there.
Jack Bellows yeah but I'd think that he would be able to tell that it's narration.
8-Bit Ramen maybe.
that's exactly what i was thinking!!!
Shh we don't take about the movies even the author has branded them as trash.
I used to like the movies till i read the books then... Yeah agreed
I'm pretty sure that the opening (the Day I got Expelled) is an homage to the opening of the lightning thief book, where Percy basically addresses the reader and says basically the same thing that the song does
Yes
charlotte Dorey yep! It has the opening line of the book!
Hamsterdance 12 yeah, Percy’s first line
"Look I didn't want to be a half-blood" is the very first line of the book and the composer said that he thought it was very important that Percy's first line is the first line of the book. In case you didn't know, the movie was absolute garbage and disastrously inaccurate to the book. "The Day I got Expelled" is an almost perfect summary of the first chapter of the book. The book is in first person point of view so it switches between what Percy is thinking and what is actually happening so the song really works to match that tone of the book. The whole musical captures the tone of the book perfectly. The book series is very beloved and had a large fanbase (called half-bloods or demigods btw)so the creators of the musical really wanted to please the fans as they knew the fans would be hyper-critical of the show especially after they were so disappointed by the movie. Also it's important to note that in the book the characters are 12. While for obvious reasons they couldn't get actual kid actors the producers, as well as the cast, worked on making the characters all seem young with out actually having to say the age. This is why the lyrics aren't super complex, so any one of any age could sing them.
Tl;dr: A lot of little things in the show pay homage to the original book and the fans of that book so people who never read the book might miss it or not understand it as well. I think this musical was more for fans of the book series but I'm glad someone who didn't read the books still enjoyed the show :)
Patrice Linman couldn't have said it better myself 🙌🏼
while your criticism is totally legit, it can also help to realize that a lot of the things you noted (especially the half blood song) are actually important aspects of the book being transferred over! in my opinion, the show perfectly captures the tone of the book (angsty pop-rock musical). anyways, thanks for covering this show! it's a whole lot of fun
Precisely!! I loved how the first song felt exactly like the beginning of the book, with some of the lines coming directly from the text! Made my little Percy Jackson fangirl heart happy. :')
same! the angsty pop-rock tone (especially percy's part in Their Sign huhuhu, that one hit me real hard) really captured the essence in Percy that was lost in the movie. I mean, Percy's narration in the books was definitely angsty and, with the musical, i'd like to think that we got closer to the Percy we deserved.
That's how it starts out in the books (which are way better than the movies) he starts out with I never wanted to be a half blood and it's sort of like a Hamilton thing where they tell you how it ends and then they take you on the journey of how they got to the end. But in musical form people have to be very clear with "OK now we are starting in the past and we'll work out way back from there".
Annie DaisyDot I haven't listened to the lightning thief cats album personally, but from the way Tommy was describing it I was also making the Hamilton opening connection
I think the reason the lightning thief works well as this kind of musical is that it didn't start in a corporate way, it was originally a fan production and I don't know how much it changed in between but the roots of it are sincere to the original.
Thanks for doing this!! I was one of the people who suggested this!! It's interesting to see a review of it from someone who hasn't read the book. For example, you were talking about the "look I didn't want to be a half-blood" section. As a book fan I loved that because the very first line of the book is "Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood" and then he goes on explaining how it's scary and dangerous and if you think you are one then to stop reading. And then he gets into the story about how he got expelled and such.
The "i didn't want to be a half-blood" is a framing device borrowed from the book, which is set up as percy telling a story about him finding out he's a half-blood and inviting you to see how it is affecting his life. i also (perhaps because I knew this from the book) realized this about the show. the percy singing the "i didn't want to be a half-blood" aside-y bits isn't the same percy who is singing the parts about how he got expelled. i think it's kind of implied at the end of the song when he singing "stick around and maybe you'll learn from me," meaning "here's my story, i (future narrator percy) is leaving now)
Saw the show earlier this year and loved it! It didn't take itself too seriously and had fun (like the first few books did) while also staying true to the book. It takes pride in its low-budget, small cast and is overall a lot of fun!
If I'm not mistaken, the guy who adapted the Lightning Thief book to its musical form is the same guy who adapted Be More Chill from its book. The music writers are different obviously but I find it pretty neat that the writer is the same. Be More Chill is probably my favorite musical and it was fun to see the way one of my childhood books (Percy Jackson) come to life with the help of the same man.
My favorite thing about this musical is that it accurately tells the story, and while it takes some things away, it makes sense and makes the story better. That is completely different the movie, which is why I think all the PJO-verse fans are so attracted to the musical. It is so much a part of the readers that to see the content treated with the respect it deserves is the best thing e v e r.
I saw this show before it was expanded, and, as both a lifetime musical theater fan and demigod. I loved it! My aunt is great friends with the writer, so maybe I'm biased, but thank you so much for covering such an obscure and fantastic musical!
in the words of Martha Dunstock, I'M SO HAPPY (that you talked abt this musical!)
Lol the Lightning Thief isn't the saga. It's just the first book. The entire series is just called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I felt the need to correct you
I've been a Percy Jackson fan for 7 years, and this show makes me really, really happy.
Very insightful! One comment I would like to make is the talk about how Percy says he doesn’t want to be a halfblood before he even realizes he is one, and the reason for that is Rob Rokicki who wrote the songs said it was very important for them to have the first words out of his mouth the same that are in the book, which is “I didn’t want to be a halfblood.” Very creative and detailed on the creative team’s part!
I was lucky enough to get rush tickets to this back in April, and it was for sure better than expected. Chris McCarrell is pretty much Percy personified - i remember not caring much for his performance in Les Miz last year, but this role fit him like a glove.
That being said, i honestly cannot see this moving to Broadway. The productions has a very storefront theatre feel to it. The fact that the show was put on in a smaller scale theatre and had to find inventive ways of portraying monsters and mythical beings/powers was part of it's charm. Transferring that to a main stem theatre might prove difficult - would they feel the need to make all those effects bigger to play to bigger theatres?
My hope is that the rights to this become available so that more storefront theatre companies can put this on and brig the show to more people.
Thanks for listening to our suggestions for this one!
Iliana Herrera I feel exactly the same! This is the kind of show that belongs off Broadway (I've seen interviews with the creatives saying they feel that way as well). From what I've heard it seems like that are hoping to do another off Broadway/ regional production, but not move it to Broadway
I second this;
Keep it small scale.
Maybe off-broadway on broadway,
but not broadway-broadway?
So I just listened to the musical and HOLY SHIT IT'S NOT BAD. IT'S ACTUALLY GOOD. SWEET MOTHER OF GOD. IT'S STAYS ALMOST 100% TRUE TO THE BOOK. ARGHHH THIS IS FUCKING HEAVEN
-I'm fine I swear-
I would REALLY love a video where he reviews all of starkid's musicals
all I want is some Starkid
Gerben Ferwerda Oh my God. You and me both friend.
me too bro...i'd even take avpm (but like...obviously it would be great to have a slightly less popular (and better) musical of theirs like hmb or starship)
Lisette Gold yeesss Holy Musical B@tman is my favorite!
Lisette Gold Um. AVPM is fricking beautiful, what're you on about?!!
Leila Hansen yeah yeah it is amazing but i think they have some better ones
Thank you so much! I didn't know there was a Percy Jackson musical (how did I miss that?). My daughter just finished all the books and is having a Percy Jackson birthday party next week. I'm going to start the party by telling her about this and making the kids listen to the music!
Percy directly addresses the reader at the beginning of the book. Witch was one of the reasons I actually continued to read the book because it told me not too. Another thing is every once and a while through out the book Percy character will describe something by directly stating it at the reader, as if it was a conversation.
The campiness low budget quality of the show is part of the reason I love it because it leans into the super cheese of the books. The very beginning of the opening of "those kids have issues" and "busy busy busy" felt a bit too easy. The original version of the opening was much better in my opinion (it can be found on RUclips) with the cast going "better listen up better heed our warning" before leading up to Percy's "I didn't want to be a halfblood" line. I think the show was trying to mimic the books structure which is that Percy is narrating the story from the future and is using it as a warning to other halfbloods. After saying he doesn't want to be a halfblood he also says that if you think you may be one to drop the book and walk away. This style of storytelling felt better set up with the off off Broadway opening number (in my opinion.) and in the book is maintained throughout. I agree though that as nice a nod as it was to book fans the show should either find a way to maintain Percy's fourth wall breaks/ story recounting moments throughout the rest of the show or just do away with it (as sad as it would make me since it's an incredible line from the book)
"I watched the movies when they came out."
Me: We do not speak of those sins.
Someone has probably already talked about this, but the "Look, I didn't want to be a Half Blood." line is the first line from the first book in the series and its very iconic to fans. The fans, which have been sensitive to adaptations to the books because of just pure level of disrespect the movies showed for the source material. The musical goes out of its way to keep small references is in, or just small details from the books in. That line in the Day I Got Expelled is a good example, especially as it indicates to fans that the creators care about the source material and actually did their research when they wrote the show, (however that doesn't mean your criticism of it being a bit out of place wrong or not uncalled for tbh)
Okay so I haven't quite gotten around to listening to the cast album and I think I'm procrastinating a bit. So I read the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians series when I was in 2nd grade right when The Last Olympian came out. I completely fell in love with it that series was my entire life for a good year or two. I've even waited for all of the Heroes of Olympus and Kane Chronicles to come out. Now I still read the Magnus Chase and Trials of Apollo books whenever they hit the shelves. So anyway while many people grew up with Harry Potter I grew up with Percy Jackson (well am growing up I'm still in high school). It was my first obsession I even fell in love with it before I truly fell in love with theatre. So I'm terrified to listen to this because I have seen my love get destroyed once and I know this production has gotten many seals of approval and logically I should love it (I mean musical theatre and Percy Jackson that was the dream of little me) I'm just scared.
I did the exact same thing. Percy Jackson books were my entire world growing up and I was absolutely terrified of being let down again, but when I listened to it it made me so happy. There's a lot of subtle references to the other books and they really got the kinda fun and silly, but serious tone that the movie just didnt get right. I think they worked really hard to stay true to the books and I really love it!
Jenni Cate Rhodes hey! Don't be! There are still so minor changes but they really handle it with love ripping lines right from the book and they nail all the characters (especially Percy, Grover, and Luke. Annabeth is also fantastic just a bit different from how I envisioned her but that's inevitable). Additionally, even though it's a musical and, therefore, unlikely to get a sequel they still set up the bigger/later themes in the series I.e percabeth(a super subtle visual nod bc they're really not interested yet but you can see the beginnings), Kronos, the big three pact, the prophecy, Bianca and Nico (more of an Easter egg), Thalia, and all the parallels between Percy and Luke. I also grew up with pjo (I was 12 when Percy was lol) and was so incredibly happy with it. They changed Charon a bit to get a bigger moment out of the character but it totally fits the world of Rick Riordans books. I'm sorry this was super long but hope it helps soothe some fears lol
It's by no means a perfect adaptation (because that could never exist) but it gets pretty dam close (see what I did there). There are some minor changes and yeah the actors aren't 12 but the musical understood what the movie never did; the tone. The tone is PERFECT and the pop-rock songs really fit the characters and the atmosphere they create. It's really really good and so much fun so give it a listen :)
I read the pjo books for the first time in 3rd grade and they have been my favorite books since. You will NOT regret listening to this musical. I was so scared at first, worried that it would just be another awful adaption that ruined the books, but I soon fell in love with it and I'm literally one of their biggest fans to this day. It isn't just an adaption, but a companion to the books. By that I mean that the musical taught me new things about the characters I had never even realized in my six years of being a die hard fan. Every single second of each of the songs perfectly correlate with the book. This musical was a blessing to the percy jackson fandom
I'm surprised and extremly excited this actually sounds good!!
Also, it's cool that he was so specific about his criticisms that people who have read the book could tell when he just didn't understand something coming over from the book.
I had no idea this musical existed until I watched this video, so you have my eternal gratitude for that because after listening to and then immediately purchasing the original cast album I'm pretty sure it is the best possible adaptation of the source material. I never would have thought of musical theater as a medium for this story, but the show (or at least the music) *gets* these characters, as well as the tone of the source material. Possibly it's a product of the fact that a musical can't spend 20 minutes on an action sequence that does nothing for either character or story. Regardless, this adaptation so accurately represents the characters' personalities and motivations, and it really smartly and succinctly weaves the conflict of parental abandonment/neglect through Percy, Annabeth, and Luke's arcs, which really is the non-fantastical central conflict of the series. We see very clearly that both Percy and Annabeth (and the other demigods, to a lesser extent) really feel neglected by their godly parents (and in Annabeth's case by her un-godly parents too), and Luke as the head of the Hermes cabin is defaulted into this position where he (also a teenager) is expected to guide these neglected kids through this dangerous and frightening world of gods and monsters. No one can blame him for holding a grudge.
That's the main conflict of the Percy Jackson series--these kids have already had rough lives and they are angry at their neglectful godly parents, but also want their approval--and that's what this show managed to capture so well. In all of his mythology-inspired series, Rick Riordan writes with such empathy about very serious issues that some children have to face--parental neglect, disability, homelessness, race, gender identity, sexuality--and then integrates those serious problems with fantastical ones like falling off a pegasus or having your boyfriend turned into a walking planter box by a jealous nymph. The tone of his books over multiple series has remained pretty consistent, and this show (or at least this cast album) captured it perfectly.
That said, I agree that some of the lyrics to some of the songs leave a bit to be desired. I told my friend to skip the first 1:17 of the opening number because it feels like a rush job that was only added on because the test audience got confused when they started the number with Percy's "Look, I didn't ask to be a half-blood." Some of the lyrics (and instrumentation) are really good though, and have changed for the better on the cast album compared with the handful of filmed performances from several months ago. Just a tiiiiny bit more fine-tuning and this would be even more of a gem than it already is from a fan perspective.
As for what you said about the first song: that is how the book starts. The first words literally are: Look, I didn't want to be a halfblood. I don't blame you for not knowing, of course! I just wanted to point it out, since I really like it because it follows the book. Furthermore I thought this video was really good. I like it.
I really liked the novels. I was disappointed with the changes in the film version. Now I want to see the musical. Thanks for posting.
John Richey the musical is sooo much better than the movie
I've actually been avoiding the show until I heard more abt it, so thanks for the review and rec!
It's one of those things were people seem to either REALLY love it or REALLY hate it, and while I've seen more people who love it, I was still apprehensive because the PJ series is notorious for bad adaptations.
Fans have been clamoring for a quality one for years, and while a lot of people say this is it, others have written it off as a poorly composed and executed disappointment.
Which sucks cause I loved the books growing up.
So I'm happy to get a review from someone I know and like!
I've never seen the show (aside from a few bootleged videos online) but I know the music perfectly captures the tone and characters from the book. It even has lines of dialogue from the book! The creators actually cared about the fans and the original source material. It totally makes up for the garbage movies in my opinion.
i saw the musical back in april, and i'm a huge fan of the books and i've read TLT at least 382882 times. it is absolutely amazing! it fits it so perfectly with the book's tone and mood.
Godzillasaur Buttersworth idk who gave you those bad reviews, but in my scrounging of the internet for EVERYTHING ltmusical related I haven't even come across one. I fell in love with the show from the get-go and percy jackson have been my favorite books since 3rd grade. It is an INCREDIBLE adaption. Everytime you listen, you realize new things about it and appreciate it even more. Its exactly what this fandom needed
I love the books, but the movies fell a bit short. I've heard the musical is pretty good, though.
Leeann He it really is
"The movies fell a bit short" is the understatement of the century in my opinion. Gods I HATED the movies. But at least I have the musical to make up for them.
THE MOVIES DON'T EXIST
the genre for D.O.A is disco because disco is dead.
I never realized this
I saw this before it closed and it was a really great show by means of music, lightening, sound, props, and anything else
Idk if you know this but the first song is a "letter" in the book. It Percy warning if you relate to any of this GTFO and stop reading. So it's kind of retelling of the events. I haven't read the series fangirls/boys don't kill me.
if you're interested and you have time, i DEFINITELY recommend reading the books, imo they are honestly well-deserving of the hype and far outshine any current adaptation! (it's general consensus that the movies were Really Bad™)
people have pointed this out but yeah the original song was a homage to the book and took some lines directly out of it, it was definitely a sort of easter egg for the fans, though yeah it was difficult to adapt directly with the musical, since this 'talking to the audience' perspective didn't actually continue through (unlike the book)
anyway i just stumbled upon one of your videos and really enjoying them so far, you have great analysis!!
Here's the thing, I agree with what you're saying on most levels but specifically on the point of "The Day I Got Expelled" you A) would COMPLETELY understand if you read the book much of those lyrics are taken word for word from the first chapter and B) it makes much more sense on stage due to lighting and staging and stuff. I'm not a kid, I went to see this musical for my 19th birthday and I loved every second, so in a way this musical isn't aimed at my age group but it was so fantastic anyway because I did grow up with the books and they have been very special to me since I was like 7. It's a musical that's made for kids to enjoy but at the same time it was also definitely made for those of us that fell in love with these books and characters, not the movies those were a massive disappointment and I hope they're mysteriously erased from the universe
the prologue is a nod to the book's opening, where the very first line is percy talking about how he never wanted to be a half blood. you have to read the book to understand everything in the musical and how amazing it all fits.
The direct address thing is how the book starts because it’s framed as Percy telling us his story the first line of the book is “Look, I never wanted to be a halfblood”
Would it be wrong if i listened to the soundtrack and get into the fandom without reading the books?
+PipPop I mean, that's what I did. 😬
You should do it! I heard about the musical and gave it a listen, which got me interested in the books!
PipPop as a long term fan i don't think it is wrong as long as you end up reading the books sooner or later
Yes, it still would.
pip it’s cool but the musical is way better than the musical
I love Percy Jackson and I had forgotten that the musical was a thing. I think I'll go listen to it now. Here's hoping it's better than the movies!
Yes, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is a VERY faithful adaptation. The movies were horrible and I didn't know what to think about a musical. But the musical is very good. I love the touches of toilet paper and other nick-knacks since it fits Percy and his world very well. The music also fits great with the world. Sally's song 'Strong' fits her character perfectly. The rock feel of most of the music is awesome. The song 'I'll Put You In Your Place' has a very fast, almost offending (in a way, I guess) feel to it which is exactly what Clarisse is like and it fits the Capture The Flag games very well. It's a great a musical and I'm very happy to say that from rumors that I've heard, it's going on tour!
Percy saying I didn't want to be a half-blood is a direct line from the book, it's a line that gets PJO fans really hyped up and they most certainly should not change it.
Thank you for this video, I've been iffy about listening to this musical because I grew up with Percy Jackson and also I have a lot of feelings about musical adaptations like this. I think I might just give it a shot now!
Also, I want to hear your thoughts on Tarzan the Musical even more now, what with mentions of gimmicks and flying rigs and trying to sell something to kids.
The reason they pop in and out of breaking the forth wall like saying I didn't want to be a half blood before he even finds out he's a half blood is straight out of the books and just adds to Ho loyal an adaptation it is.
Did you know this musical is playbook by Joe Tracz (who also did with Be More Chill)
And there's George Salazar, (Grover/Mr.D) who played Michael in Be More Chill
I literally did a double take when I saw the title of this video. Am a fan of the book, and of musicals, yet had no idea this was a thing :D
Georgie R it's called the lightening theif and it's on RUclips (all the music is)
neon castillo Thief*
Saw this musical in May and I really liked it, not for the music so much (which is pretty good, but not fabulous), but the fact that it captured the tone of the book very well. Also, the small budget plays in its favor, because it just makes me imagine it as Percy telling his story.
I think the first song being so direct is a result of the first chapter of the book and how much it breaks the fourth wall. My guess is that maybe the whole thing's supposed to be told in flashback but maybe not.
The line “look i didnt wanna be halfblood” was a direct quote from the book so i can see why it doesnt really make sense if you havent read it :D
This year's Broadway musicals are Spongebob Squarepants, Mean Girls, Escape to Margaritaville, The Band's Visit, Frozen and Prince of Broadway. The Lightning Thief shows more promise than all of those (except Prince of Broadway, but that's a limited run).
So glad to see another show of the week!
The reason the I want song is in the beginning is because that't how the book begins so they were making an effort to stay true to the book
I'm so glad you made a video about this musical
One thing I think needs to be recognized is, the style of music of all these newer musicals is perfect to get newer generations into musicals. I know that style is the only reason I can enjoy musicals. I personally do not enjoy classic style musicals very much, they're difficult for me to enjoy or sit and watch or listen to. And as many people have said the "I didn't want to be a half blood" is how the books start, the story follows the structure and style of the book itself and does it extremely well
LOVED the fancy arm-wipe, Mr Mash x
Mark Siddall When haha
So I don't have a twitter but I thought I would try my luck with this anyways. Have you listened to Wind in the Willows yet. It's a new West End show. Kind of odd, not sure how I feel about it yet. Wondering if you want to check it out and give your thoughts.
You should do Rock of Ages and Ghost the musical! My high school did both and I was the lead in both and I would LOVE seeing your views of those musicals
I get your point about the first number, but I think it was more an intentional callback to the first sentence of the Lightning Theif which is : "I didn't want to be a half-blood."
the book starts with him saying "i don't wanna be a halfblood" so I the song fits
We "Lightning Thief" fans are called Half-bloods! Where are my fellow Half-bloods!?!
About the only thing I know about Percy Jackson is that one scene in the movie was filmed in about 10 minutes away from my condo. But this sounds intriguing.
FINALLY SOMEONE HAS NOTICED WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MUSICAL THIS IS
i totally recommend reading the books! i know plenty of adults who have picked up copies and enjoyed them, but you'll definitely understand the majority of the references made in the musical after reading all of the first five books (and if you want, the heroes of olympus series and a lot of the other mythology based books rick riordan has written which are all set in the same universe, although it's not necessary but the entire riordanverse - ie. percy jackson, heroes of olympus, magnus chase, trials of apollo etc. - is iconic and would 10/10 reccomend.)
Brilliant thoughts!
Strangely enough, I wouldn't exactly categorize Percy's "I want" song as The day I got expelled, I would call his I want song as "Good Kid". But really the character in TLT that has a clear I want song Is Annabeth with My grand plan. I say this because the inciting incident isn't when Percy discovers he's a demi-god, it's when he goes on the quest to get his mom back.
I didn't anticipate this musical being good but it is fabulous! As for your complaint about the first song being "I didn't want to be a half blood" in the book those words are actually the first line in the book so I appreciate the songs writers attention to detail.
PJO fandom: We got a musical!!!
Me, a Carry On fan: *waiting for my musical*
The guy who plays Micheal from Be More Chill is in it and I'm so excited
I kinda agree with your I didn't want to be a halfblood. It's the first line the book and I think the Musical should've had two separate percys. One would be the "narrorator" while the other is the in the moment Percy. Like an older Percy saying what's happening and then just saying something like it's better if I show you
They made the beginning direct to the audience because that's how the book is. Just so you know. Great video btw!
I'm really hoping this musical is something that gets performed at schools, low production values, minimal censorship, I think it could transition very well
I've been procrastinating on the cast recording, but now I think I might give it a chance :)
The musical starts with the same line as the book "I didn't want to be a half blood!" It's quoting the book.
Lol I know everyone’s said this already but the day I got expelled is very accurate to the first chapter. In fact “look, I didn’t want to be a half blood” was the first words in the book, I’ve found a very weird connection with this musical, growing up with adhd and dyslexia like Percy I felt, like someone was there, in fact, I only found out about this show in fact I found out about this show last month, we (my schools play cast) saw a dress rehearsal to another school. But because it was a dress rehearsal and we were only there for 2 hours we only got to the song lost, and I was so mad, so I managed to read the book in that time, and by read I mean play video games while listening to the audio. And I really liked the story, it’s really accurate to the book and I mean yeah I’m kinda bias but it’s honestly a great show
the opening to this show was basically just coppy pasted streight out of the book. it opens with him knowing he's a half blood and he's recounting how he found out he was one.
I don't know if he's on the cast recording but the guy who played Michael in Be More Chill played someone in this. Not 100% sure who because I didn't read the article.
The actors name is George Salazar, and he played Grover in The Lighting Thief ☺️
randomgirl L In addition to Grover, George Salazar plays Mr. D, the story's version of Dionysus
I'm so excited to see this. Hopefully lol. It's such a new thing for broadway. As a fan of the books (the Percy Jackson fandom is what we call it btw) I really hope that it doesn't stop at this one musical.
5:38 I think they were trying to do something similar to the opening of the book
....... being a half-blood? For the whole Riordian fanbase? Oh well, I'm just glad you're reviewing it. It's amazing and the books are amazing and the movies are crap
"Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood" is how the book started out and it was a nice book accurate quirk the the musical carried over because it's starts out with Percy explaining things to us
*STOP BASHING THE BEGINNING IT'S VERY ENDEARING TO US*
"I saw the movie when it came out" NO NO NOOOOO THATS NOT GOOD
Can you do an analysis video on Villain Songs? Like you did with "I Want" Songs?
I'm so pleasantly amused by the framed Sondheim photo
As a Percy Jackson super fan (because of my age and how young I read things like Harry Potter, this series was part of a lot of milestones for me and will thus be forever in my heart), I will readily admit the weaknesses of many things in the musical, and that they were weaknesses in the books. The beginning of Prologue is essentially the book jacket, and the Percy solo is the beginning soliloquy of the novel, both of which are not particularly nuanced. This is because it is, at heart, a children's book. It has a lot of more adult themes in it and the characters have gone through some stuff, so it has more depth than your average children's series, but it is still written for that audience, and so in being a faithful adaptation, it's a campy and awkward show. As a fan, I loved it, but from the standpoint of a musical theatre critic, it's not a super strong show. Overall, I think it's real excellent for being unapologetically what it is: an adaptation of a book written for late elementary schoolers.
Come From Away would be a great musical for you to listen to!! I'd love to see a 'Show of the week' about it
You should really do The Grand Hotel. My voice coach is having me learn 'I want to go to hollywood' and it's so damn catchy
one of my friends worked on the musical!
This is too perfect. It's my friends favorite book and the movie ruined the books btw. This is really cool
I was just going to ask you to do this musical!
You don't say you are a lightning thief fan you say you are a Percy Jackson fan.
Have you listened to "A New Brain"? Fantastic solo songs and quite funny while still saying a lot about people being people and reacting to illness
fUCKKKKK YESSS IVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO DO THIS
You should check out 'Parade" as one of your show(s) of the week...I'd be very interested to hear your opinion, also about the different productions (1998 OBC and 2007 OLC)
It's a very...controversial show from what I know. Most musical fans either love it immensely or hate it intensely, depending on their view and opinion of the subject matter and themes...
Love this channel.
Didn't even know this show existed!
Tommy, I don't have a Twitter! But I'm still curious, what are your thoughts on Kinky Boots and Brendon Urie joining the cast???? I'd love to see a show of the week about it. I adore the musical and the message it tells the audience and I'm curious what your thoughts are. Also, congrats on reaching 25,000 subscribers!!! I can't believe how much you channel has grown in the past year and I have followed your channel since you had about 3,000 subscribers and I have loved your channel since the beginning. I'm so glad more and more people are finding and appreciating the musical theatre community online.
*I never read the novels*
Me: *Drops cereal* You traitor
I gasped so loudly when I saw this :)
Show of the week is great!