Who is a critic to pour ice water on a show that stirs the ardor of young theater fans, especially if they get lessons in Greek mythology along the way?
On the other hand, "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical" is so vapid and soulless, one despairs at the thought that the tweens cheering it so fervently at Ordway Center might think this is what passes for a good musical.
The touring off-Broadway show, whose brief run ends Saturday, is based on the initial volume in Rick Riordan's blockbuster book series (which also launched two movies) about children born from the mating of humans and Greek gods.
These demigods have a lot of problems that we mortals would recognize, including dyslexia, anxiety and ADHD. Fortunately, they get to attend Camp Half-Blood, a place where they can find companionship and a sense of belonging. They also get to have a quest — that essential feature of Greek myths — to give purpose to their lives.
Percy Jackson's father, Poseidon, would not get any ties or cuff links on Father's Day — the boy (Chris McCarrell) grows up with a single mother (Jalynn Steele) who dies suddenly.
Percy has just one friend, Grover (Jorrel Javier), until he meets Annabeth (Kristin Stokes), the smart and fearless daughter of Athena, at Camp-Half-Blood. The trio's quest? A journey to Hell to retrieve Zeus' lightning bolt from Hades and, perhaps, give life back to Percy's mom.
"Lightning Thief" is built on special effects. In fact, well before the action starts in director Stephen Brackett's screechy, fast-paced production, the sound of distant thunder rumbles through the house — a signal that this show will rely on overwhelming the audience with blunt force rather than subtlety and heart.
The clunky, emo-laden songs, by Rob Rokicki, sound like they were composed on a 1980s-vintage computer. They seem to be aiming for the sweet spot of "Dear Evan Hansen" even as the show's effects suggest "Harry Potter."
