THE LIGHTNING THIEF
THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL
Book by
Joe Tracz
Music & Lyrics by
Rob Rokicki
Adapted from the book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director – Matthew Lewis Johnson
Assistant Director – Rem Knowles
Music & Orchestra Director – David Galant
Stage Manager – Paige Harrod
Assistant Stage Manager – Cammie Woten
Assistant Stage Manager – Sophie Cole
Props Design and Fabrication – Cassidy Stone
Production Manager & Puppet Design – Paige Lambert
Set Design – Matthew Johnson
Technical Director – Adam Smyth
Light Design – Ben Wagner
Costume Design – Jonathan Hibbard
CAST
Dawson Akers – Grover
Rayne Begley – Thalia/Echidna/Ensemble
Ava Cirksena – Clarisse/Charon/Aunty Em/Fury 1/Ensemble
Daniel Clark – Mr. D/Ensemble
Mackenzie Clere – Gabe/Hades/Minotaur/Bus Driver/Ensemble
Alaya Fuller – Squirrel/Ensemble
Milo Garrett – Selina/DJ Cerberus/Conductor/Ensemble
Trenton Gore – Mr. Brunner/Chiron
JC Hamilton – Percy Jackson
Reida Harrod – Mrs. Dodds/Ensemble
Addi Hollar – Annabeth
Riley Ledford – Luke/Ares
Megan Smith – Sally/Oracle
Nick Sudenga – Poseidon/Passenger/Newscaster/Ensemble
Allie Walton – Katie Gardner/Farmer/Ensemble
Ainsley White – Fury 2/Bianca/Ensemble
CREW
Savannah Rodgerson – Spotlight Operator
Makayla Bowden – Spotlight Operator
WP Hurt – Light Board Operator
Mariah Mendenhall – Puppets Run
Kristin Kirkland– Wardrobe Manager/Puppets Run
Adeli Linder – Puppets Run
Faith Conway – Puppet Fabrication
Olivia Puckett – Sound Engineer
Johnny Spenneburg – Sound Engineer
ORCHESTRA
Jaden Wright – Guitar 1
Jakob Weisenberger – Guitar 2
Trevor Davis – Bass
Caleb Ritchie – Accompanist/Piano
Tristen Woods – Percussion
SHOP WORK
Set
Milo Garrett, Trenton Gore, JC Hamilton, Reida Harrod, Nick Sudenga, Boone Chaney, Haley Campbell, Kyree Burch
Lights
Dawson Akers, Ainsley White
Props
Rayne Begley, Ava Cirksena, Daniel Clark, Mackenzie Clere, Faith Conway
Costumes
Adelai Linder, Allie Walton, Makayla Bowden, Kristin Kirkland, Mariah Mendenhall
Public Relations
Megan Harries, Addi Hollar, Riley Ledford
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical
Act I
Prologue/The Day I Got Expelled
Strong
The Minotaur!/The Weirdest Dream
Another Terrible Day
She Fought Bravely
Their Sign
Put You In Your Place
Clarisse Makes a Splash
The Campfire Song
The Trident Appears/Thunder
The Oracle
Good Kid
Killer Quest!
Intermission – 15 minutes
Act II
Prologue Act Two/ I Ruin a Perfectly Good Bus
Lost!
A Visit with Aunty Em
My Grand Plan
Drive
The Weirdest Dream (Reprise)
The Tree on the Hill
Hellavator
D.O.A
It’s the Pits
Hello Hades
Sally Appears
Son of Poseidon
Poseidon Finally Shows Up
Reunited
The Last Day of Summer
Bring on the Monsters
BIOGRAPHIES
CAST
Dawson Akers (Grover) is a freshman Music Theory and Composition major from Woodford County High School in Versailles, Kentucky. He is grateful for being given the opportunity to work on and perform in his EKU Musical Theatre debut. Some of his favorite shows and roles he has done include Little Shop of Horrors as Orin, Mamma Mia! as Bill, and Guys and Dolls as Nicely-Nicely Johnson. He would like to thank the cast, crew, and production team for making this a swift but efficient process and his family and friends for supporting his time and efforts.
Rayne Begley. (Cast memeber playing Thalia) is a freshmen at EKU and is wanting to Major in Performing Arts. From Standford ky and participated in plays/ musicals in her high-school like Pink Panther Strikes again (assassin and gardener), Joseph And The Technicolor Dreamcoat (Ishmalite), High-school Musical (Cindra). Rayne is so happy to be with all her lovely cast members.
Ava Cirksena (Clarisse/Aunty Em/Charon) is a sophomore at EKU and is majoring in Music Marketing. She is from Florence, KY where she did a variety of plays and musicals from elementary, middle, and high school. Her past roles include Valentine (Twelfth Night), Aunt Spiker (James and the Giant Peach), Mrs. Peacock (Clue), Ruthann (An Evening of Culture), and Mrs. Mayor (Seussical). He was also in the ensemble in shows such as My Fair Lady and Something Rotten. Ava is absolutely thrilled to be making her EKU theatre debut in The Lightning Thief and she would like to thank her parents, her girlfriend, and her vocal coach for supporting her.
Daniel Clark (Mr. D) is a junior at EKU and is majoring in Occupational Therapy. Daniel is from Lawrenceburg, KY and started his theater journey at Anderson County High School. Daniel played the role of Eugene in Grease and is very excited to be in another show at EKU. Daniel would like to thank is friends and family for always being his biggest supporters!
Mackenzie Clere (Gabe/Hades/Minotaur) is a senior Music Education major at EKU. They have been performing with EKU Musical Theatre for two years, and their favorite roles with EKU have been Roger (Grease) and Dori (SchoolHouse Rock: Live!). It is a bittersweet moment to be performing their last musical with EKU, but are excited to be going out with such a great cast and production.
Alaya Fuller (Squirrel/Ensemble) is from Findlay, Ohio but is happy to now be a resident of Richmond! She works at the Baptist health hospital and is very excited to have a chance to get back into theater. In high school she was a crew member for the Findlay First Edition show choir. She also played Sanchez (Peter and the Star Catchers) and the Mad Hatter (Shrek the Musical) and was the student director for CLUE. This is one of her favorite musicals and she’s so excited to be a part of it!
Milo Garrett (Silena Beauregard, Dj Cerberus, Train Conductor) is a Junior Music Industry Major and Musical Theater Minor here at EKU. Milo is from Lawrenceburg, KY and went to Anderson County High School. Some of their favorite roles have been Tom (SHR!L), Georg (Spring Awakening), Ismene (Antigone Now), and Swing Understudy for Snoopy/Schroder (YAGMCB). They would like to thank all of the cast and crew for everything they’ve done for the show!
Trenton Gore (Chiron) is a junior at EKU studying forensic psychology. He’s from Louisville, KY, graduated from Louisville Male High School, and has only recently begun exploring theatre again. Some of his favorite roles include Pierre (Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812), Kenickie (Grease), and Marius (Les Misérables). Trenton is sooooooooooooooooooo excited. He expects minimal horse puns to be made of him, but understands regardless.
JC Hamilton (Percy Jackson) is a sophomore at EKU and is currently majoring in Music Industry. JC grew up in Richmond and participated heavily in Madison Central High Schools drama departments with some of his notable roles being that of Gaston in Beauty and the Beast and The Munchkin Mayor in The Wizard of Oz. He’s extremely grateful to be playing Percy Jackson in his first musical at EKU and wants to thank friends and family that have supported him in his journey to get here.
Reida Harrod (Mrs. Dodds/Ensemble) is a sophomore majoring in Communication Disorders. She grew up in Versailles, Kentucky and attended Woodford County High School. As a long-time fan of Percy Jackson and even-longer-time fan of Greek mythology, she is absolutely thrilled to have this be her first major speaking role in an EKU production. She would like to thank all of her fellow cast members for their amazing performances and all of their crew for their hard work, for their help in bringing this amazing show to life. It has truly been a dream come true.
Addi Hollar (Annabeth) is a freshman at EKU and is majoring in Art Education with a Musical Theatre Minor. Addi is from Tollesboro, KY where she grew up doing theatre at Lewis County High School. Some of her favorite roles include Morticia (The Addams Family), Cinderella (Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella), Sharpay (High School Musical Jr.), and Snoopy (You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown). Addi is very excited to be working with the team and perform!
Riley Ledford (Luke/Ares) is from London, Kentucky and is a transfer student to EKU studying Musical Education.
Megan Smith (Sally/Oracle) is a life long performer and theatre lover, and is honored to be a part of EKU’s production of The Lightning Thief. She grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada where she attended Las Vegas Academy of the Arts and went on to study vocal performance, theatre and musical theatre in college. Megan teaches voice and acting, and can currently be seen in the touring production of Girl’s Night the Musical, which is coming to Cincinnati on June 9th! Her favorite past roles include Gertrude in Seussical the Musical, Diana in Princess Diana the Musical, Katherine in Newsies, Florence in Chess, Diana in Next to Normal, Wendla in Spring Awakening and Peter Pan in Peter Pan. She would like to say thank you to the cast and crew for being so welcoming and wonderful to work with!
Nicholas Sudenga (Poseidon) is a senior attending EKU and is majoring in Communications Studies. He is originally from Florence, Kentucky. Nicholas has done previous roles at EKU such as Linus (Charlie Brown), Vince Fontaine (Grease), Creon’s Shadow (Antigone Now), and The Father (Six Characters in Search of an Author). He would like to thank his family and his girlfriend, Gabriela, for their constant support.
Ainsley White (Bianca/Fury 2/Ensemble) a sophomore major in English with a double minor in ASL and Musical Theater. Ainsley is from Berea Ky and went to Berea Community Highschool. Some of her favorite roles include Cinderella- Into the Woods, Martha – Arsenic and Old Lace, and Peggy – The Father of the Bride, she’s worked as ASM and SM for EKU shows in the past. Thanks to everyone for being here.
CREW
Paige Harrod (Stage Manager) is happy to fulfill her middle school dreams with this show! At EKU she is a junior Management major with a minor in Musical Theatre and serves as President of the Performing Arts Student Association. This is Paige’s fifth show with EKU, previously stage managing for Spring Awakening, Schoolhouse Rock: Live!, and Grease as well as recently acting for You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Schroeder) and stage managing for the Appalachian Shakespeare Center at EKU (Julius Caesar). She also enjoys playing pit for her home company Jessamine Arts (violin) and, currently, working on props for PASA’s upcoming production of “I Am Frankenstein.” Paige would like to thank the production team at EKU for being amazing mentors and her C Slice (kissy), stuffed frog Peps, lizard Flibber Squamous, family, and friends for supporting her, as well as the entire audience for supporting, acknowledging, and understanding the enriching function of public-funded arts programs in our community and schools.
Cammie Woten (Assistant Stage Manager) is a sophomore at EKU and is working towards a degree in elementary education. Cammie is from a town in NKY called Hebron where she went to Conner High School. She spent most of this time working part-time and didn’t step into the theatre world until this semester with Percy Jackson. Cammie is also the assistant stage manager for “I AM Frankenstein” which shows April 11-13. She gives special thanks to the production team and the entire cast for helping put together this amazing show! Additionally, she thanks her family and partner for supporting her during this time!
Sophia Cole(Assistant Stage Manager) is a sophomore at EKU and is a pre nursing major. Sophia is from Lexington Ky where she did sports and theatre at Henry Clay high school. Her favorite roles have been ASM in Alice in wonderland and stage hand in the haunting of hill house.
Rem Knowles is a sophomore music industry major with a minor in musical theatre. Since being at EKU, they have had the honor to play Doody (Grease) and Lucy (You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown). They are active member of the American Choral Director Association on campus as well as a member of PASA. They have previously assistant directed the spring opera Down In The Valley and will continue their efforts moving forward. They are very grateful for the opportunity to work with this program and would like to thank their dad for his endless support
Savannah Rodgerson (Spotlight) is a freshman and an ASL interpreting major. Savannah is from Fairfax VA and went to Woodson High School working in the theatre program there for many years. Savannah is so excited to be working on their first show here at EKU!
Faith Conway (Puppet Fabrication) is a junior at EKU and is double majoring in Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology. Faith is from Murray, KY where she went to Calloway County High School. Faith is so excited to be working on The Lightning Thief as she is a HUGE Percy Jackson fan!
Kristin Kirkland (Wardrobe Manager/Puppets) is a sophomore at EKU and is majoring in Family Consumer Science with a minor in Nutrition. Kristin is from Scott County Kentucky and went to Bourbon County High School where she worked as their Lighting Director for 3 years. Some of Kristin’s favorite productions and characters are Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland), Christian (Cyrano De Bergerac), Dawn (Waitress), and The Urchins (Little Shop of Horrors). Now, she’s so excited to add Percy Jackson to her list!
Adeli Linder (Costumes/Puppets) is a freshman at EKU and is majoring in Education for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing with a coaching minor. Adeli is from Cincinnati, OH where she was on the costume crew at Mercy McAuley High School. She had enjoyed working on costumes for Your A Good Man Charlie Brown, Anastasia, Seussical, and a few other shows. Adeli is very excited to be working on this show, she has wanted to be part of a production of it for many years and is very thankful to get the chance to.
Olivia Puckett (Sound Engineer), is a senior Music Industry-Recording Arts major at Eastern Kentucky University. She is a trumpet player based in Richmond, Kentucky. Engaging in a variety of professional activities, Olivia’s expertise spans live performances, music production, and live sound management. Currently employed at Union Church in Berea, Olivia takes on the crucial role of primary operator for the mixing board every Sunday. She is also well versed in theater sound production, Olivia dedicated the past year to working on programs in Richmond and Lexington, collaborating with organizations like Appalachian Shakespeare, and EKU and Model Laboratory’s theater departments. As the Assistant Manager for the chamber orchestra ensemble, Amadeus Lex, Olivia’s responsibilities range from constructing and managing the ensemble’s website to creating season posters. In her free time, Olivia enjoys reading books and hanging out with her two cats, Apollo and Starbuck.
Johnny Spenneburg (Sound Engineer), a senior at EKU, studies Music Industry-Recording Arts and has a decade-long passion for trumpet. Based in Richmond, KY, she excels in trumpet performance and audio engineering, working at Union Church in Berea and with local theater programs such as Appalachian Shakespeare. In her free time, she cuddles with her two cats, Apollo and Starbuck, and tends her garden.
Cassidy Stone (Props Design) is a sophomore at EKU with a major in psychology and a minor in musical theater, This is her fourth show with EKU this time around she took a chance at being head of props. She can easily say the squirrel has been her favorite props she’s made! she’d like to thank her friend Percy for always being there to back her up!
Mariah Mendenhall (Puppets, she/her) is a freshman and is majoring in pre-occupational sciences. Mariah is from Florence, Kentucky, where she participated in choir and band at Boone County High School. She is very excited to be working on The Lightning Thief musical!
ORCHESTRA
Jakob Weisenberger (Guitar 2) is a sophomore at EKU and is majoring in Music Performance and Recording Arts. Jakob is from Lexington, KY where he went to Lexington Catholic High school. Jakob is so excited to be working on the Lightning Thief!
Tristen Woods (Guitar 2) is a sophomore at EKU and is majoring in Music Performance and Recording Arts. Jakob is from Lexington, KY where he went to Lexington Catholic High school. Jakob is so excited to be working on the Lightning Thief!
Jaden Wright (Guitar 1) is a Sophomore at Eastern Kentucky University and is double majoring in Music Education and Music Industry. Jaden is from Whitesburg, KY where he grew up crafting his skills in musicianship. Jaden is greatly excited to be playing guitar in the orchestra for The Lightning Thief!
“I Am Frankenstein”
Produced by PASA (Performing Arts Student Association), Student Directed and Performed
Performing April 11, 12, 13 in Pearl Buchanan, Keen Johnson Building
Tickets $10/General Admission, $5/Students
“Bard’s Friends Forever”
A two-person touring performance that focuses on some of Shakespeare’s most interesting friendships, our 45-minute show explores social and emotional learning through friendships while giving students a taste of Shakespearean text.
Loose Canon Project
A learning initiative to engage learners in the Appalachian region with the works of William Shakespeare and to work collectively to create a project-based presentation. Open to all high school age educators and organizations for free!
COMING SOON – Auditions for Summer 2024
Taming of the Shrew
Learn more and sign up at appshakes.com
Cameras and Recording Devices
The use of cameras, with or without flash, recorders, or other electronic devices inside the theatre are strictly prohibited. Please be courteous to those around you and turn off all pagers, phones, and other electronic devices and refrain from texting during the show. If children prove to be disruptive or restless, please remove them to the lobby.
Musical Theatre Minor
If you are a student who is interested in musical theatre, check the program requirements to earn a minor.
Contact EKU Theatre
521 Lancaster Avenue
Jane F Campbell Building, Rm 306
Richmond, KY 40475
Phone: 859-622-1315
paige.lambert@eku.edu, Production Manager
matthew.johnson2@eku.edu