Avid lovers of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series have recently discovered the hidden gem, The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson Musical. Originally under an hour, The Lightning Thief musical began in New York City as a workshop for the group Theatreworks and depicts the story of 12-year-old Percy Jackson (Chris McCarrell) who discovers that he is the son of the Greek god Poseidon. The expanded script and set, written by Joe Tracz and directed by Stephan Brackett, is finishing up its 2019 United States tour to prepare for its 16-week Broadway debut in Longacre Theater. According to the musical’s official website, the previews start September 20 and the show opens October 16. Many passionate devotees of the original book series continue to rave about the musical’s accuracy despite some having not seen it; instead, the music from the album has been the key for Percy Jackson disciples wanting to determine the quality of the show. With only 19 songs on the original cast recording (written by Rob Rokicki), The Lightning Thief is still widely more favorable than the two movies that are also based on Rick Riordian’s novels; the vast difference in commendation from fans can be contributed to the movies’ inaccurate portrayal of the books’ plots. The star himself, Chris McCarrell, agrees that the novels deserve a faithful representation, saying, “After I got cast in the show, I read the first book and it is so much fun to bring the book to the stage.” Aside from the seemingly impeccable accuracy, Frank Scheck from The Hollywood Reporter concurs that the musical could help kids become more interested in Ancient Greek culture, saying, “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical also provides an excellent if irreverent introduction to Greek mythology that just might persuade some kids to dig deeper.” With 12-year-olds as main characters, relating to the issues presented, such as absent parents, it is easy for young teenagers to develop an interrelation with the musical.