Timber Lake Playhouse (TLP), 8215 Burr Oak Road, Mr. Carroll, IL 61053, is the premier professional summer theatre of northwest Illinois. We are thrilled to announce that “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” will open on Friday, May 12, 2023, for one weekend. From page-to-stage, it’s a thrilling, new, musical for all ages. See an “electrifying” (Newsday) musical adaption of The New York Times bestselling novel, written by Rick Riordan, book by Joe Tracz, and music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki.
Synopsis: The action-packed musical follows Percy Jackson, a teenager who newly discovers that he is a demigod. He goes on an epic quest to find Zeus’s missing lightning bolt, to prevent a war between the Greek gods. The story is based on the first of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians young-adult novels, that transplant Greek mythology into the present. Teen hero Percy–as in Perseus–Jackson never fit in at school, but, surprise! It turns out his missing dad is actually Poseidon, god of the sea. After being attacked by a few monsters, Percy goes off to a magic training camp, where he meets a bunch of other super-powered demigod kids. As ever, the gods are really promiscuous. “Yeah, the gods are real, and they have kids, and those kids have issues!”
It’s a great time to come back to Timber Lake Playhouse and make lasting memories with friends and family. Performances are one weekend only, on Friday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 13, at 2:00 and 7:30; Sunday, May 14, at 2:00.
More than 100 million copies of the book series sold worldwide. Now, this global phenomenon has found a new home on the live stage, in a “mesmerizing” theatrical event that proves “lightning can strike twice!” (TheaterMania). Following a sold out run in New York City, where it garnered 3 Drama Desk Award nominations, including Best Musical, this “winning adaptation” (The Hollywood Reporter) is coming to rock the Playhouse.
“We have wanted to produce [“The] Lightning Thief” at TLP for some time now,” said TLP Executive Director Dan Danielowski. “When I heard that Western Michigan University had done the show last fall, I reached out to Jay (Berkow–WMU Theatre Professor), and we started working out the details.”
This production will feature Western Michigan actors and actresses and be directed by Jay Berkow. “We have typically hired Western Michigan students in the May company, so this seemed a perfect fit,” said Darren Mangler, TLP Artistic Director.
Timber Lake Playhouse opens up the Summer Subscription Season on Thursday, June 1, with the musical celebration of growin’ up, cruisin’ with friends, and goin’ steady: “Grease.” TLP’s second production mixes a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel and a dash of Monty Python in “The 39 Steps.” Then, “The Sound of Music,” “9 to 5,” “Bright Star,” and “Jersey Boys” finish the series.
Information and tickets for all Timber Lake events are available online at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org or by calling the Box Office at 815-244-2035. The Box Office is open Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Timber Lake Playhouse–Where Memories are Made.
