LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – Los Alamitos High School rocked on stage as they performed their first musical of the year. Their performance of “The Lightning Thief, The Percy Jackson Musical” took place Oct. 17-19 inside the Performing Arts Center. The show displayed impressive vocals, acting and choreography.
LAHS drama teacher Mrs. Castiglione, known to her students as Mrs. C, was the musical’s director, and the show could not have been made possible without the student-led crew. From props to costumes to sets, the students did it all. Lighting and sound were run by beginning and advanced technical theatre students. All the music in the show was played by a live band of five LAHS students, directed by the LAHS band teacher Mr. Padilla.
The cast consisted of 21 members who have worked for months to produce an incredible onstage production of “The Lightning Thief, The Percy Jackson Musical,” based on the popular book and series by Rick Riordan.
“There is so much passion put behind it. You see the sets and choreography; everyone just put so much work into it, and it is worth the watch,” said AJ Buechler, who played Percy Jackson.
Five Griffin Gazette students who watched the show share their thoughts below.
Brooklynn De Shazer
This was the first LAHS musical I have ever seen, and I was amazed by how incredible the whole production was. From the magnificent set made by the students to the incredible story, everything was done to make the world of Camp Half-Blood come to life. It was a delight to witness the rock-heavy music and daring vocals of the outstanding students. I can’t wait to go see the next musical.
My favorite part of the show had to be in act two when Annabeth, Percy and Grover were trying to find their way to the Underworld in L.A. The bus they were riding had just exploded, and they were stranded in a forest. In this moment, they broke out into a song called “Lost,” which was filled with many harmonies and kept the audience intrigued and wanting to know what would happen next.
Bella Kim
This was also my first LAHS musical, and I was thoroughly impressed and nostalgic watching one of my favorite childhood series take the stage. I couldn’t believe AJ Buechler’s (Percy) stamina; he stayed onstage practically the whole show and sang in almost every number. Myles Zintl brought the innocence and humor of Grover, and Laila Rain Montana performed with Annabeth’s “Wise Girl” sass and charm.
Lauren Kim (Clarisse) and Gianna Carrasco (Charon) showcased particularly strong vocals, and I enjoyed their solos the most. Rhiannon Carlson, one of the choreographers, also stood out with her energy and bright smile in the ensemble. While the music sometimes overtook the actors’ voices, the student band sounded very professional, and the live music was a great touch.
As far as comedic characters, the musical did not disappoint. Timm Junge perfectly captured Dionysus’ dislike of demigods with an annoyed, nasally yelling voice, and Evan Pagán cracked up the audience with Ares’ motorcycle swagger. Of course, Griffins erupted in cheers when the iconic Tom Curd entered as Poseidon with a long, gray beard and hilarious, deep laugh.
“The Lightning Thief: A Percy Jackson Musical” was a fantastic show that kept me laughing and applauding.
Katie Arnoult
This was my first time going to an LAHS drama show, and I loved this production so much! It was really fun to watch a musical based on a childhood book, and I loved the spin that the drama students took on it. I thought the entire production was very impressive, especially the talent of the actors, whether they were dancing in the background or singing a solo. My favorite character in the show was Grover, played by Myles Zintl. His enthusiasm and goat jokes were contagious and made everyone in the audience laugh!
This musical showed me how much creativity and collaboration the LAHS drama department has. I can’t believe that this show was almost entirely student-run! After this production, I will definitely be attending more drama shows in the future.
Esme Justice
This drama show was a pleasure to watch! The effects and sets were well thought out. My favorite part was when Mason Potter (Medusa) showcased his acting skills and wowed the audience with his outstanding performance. Buechler (Percy), blew me away with his voice. His vocal range astounded me and gave me goosebumps. I would watch another drama performance thanks to this amazing cast.
Lily Zimmerman
I loved the “Percy Jackson” books when I was younger, and this musical did an amazing job channeling the fun energy of Rick Riordan’s writing. I loved how much power the actors put into their singing and dancing. It was amazing to watch.
My favorite scene was Charon’s song, “D. O. A.,” in act two. I loved Carrasco’s vocals and costume, and the famous dead singers appearing was such a fun touch. I especially loved how the set changed and revealed the graffiti under the blacklight.
The costumes were great, too, especially the camp shirts. I really liked how each camper wore their shirt differently. It helped create a sense of unity while also showing how different all the characters were.
LAHS started this year strong with its very first musical. Don’t miss out on their next musical, “The Outsiders,” which is holding on auditions on Nov. 14.