The musical, adapted from Riordan’s 2005 bestseller, debuted on Broadway in 2019 and follows the journey of Percy Jackson, an underachieving teen who discovers he’s a demigod. Played by EMU senior Adam Hoover, Percy is accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt, leading him on a quest with his friends Grover, portrayed by Mac Rhodes-Lehman, and Annabeth, played by Ella Walters, to clear his name and prevent a war between the Greek gods. Along the way, Percy must face mythological monsters and unravel the mysteries of his heritage.

Directed by EMU Theatre Program Director Justin Poole, with music direction by Jim Clemens and costume design by Rachel Herrick, the production delivers an action-packed adventure filled with humor, heart, and high-energy performances. Rounding out the artistic staff are Robert Weaver (lighting designer), Shannon Dove (set designer/technical director) and Ellie de Waal (choreographer).

The electrifying score, performed by Clemens on keyboard alongside a live rock band, will energize the intimate theater space, while larger-than-life puppetry and choreographed sword fights enhance the mythical spectacle.

Senior Cassidy Williams portrays Luke and Ares, delivering dynamic performances that combine vocal range and physical prowess. “Singing while sword fighting is no easy feat,” said Williams. “It’s been a rewarding challenge to portray such complex characters.”

Senior Alexis Lewis serves as assistant director and production assistant. “This show offers a fresh, punk rock twist on classic Greek myths,” Lewis said. “It’s packed with fun, upbeat moments that will appeal to longtime fans and newcomers alike.”

The cast, composed of EMU students and community members, will interact with the audience throughout the production, using the entire Studio Theater space for an immersive experience. “It’s a highly dynamic production,” said Poole. “There are no barriers between the cast and the audience—they’ll be performing from the stage, the mezzanine, and even within the crowd.”

Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, $10 for children 18 and under, and $6 for university students. For tickets, visit:

Cast
Percy Jackson — Adam Hoover
Annabeth Chase — Ella Walters
Annabeth Understudy/Silena Beauregard — Emilee White
Grover/Mr.D — Mac Rhodes-Lehman
Luke/Ares — Cassidy Williams
Sally Jackson/The Oracle — Emma Saville
Clarisse/Mrs.Dodds/Medusa/Charon — Elie Hoover
Chiron/Kronos — Ezra Smith
Gabe Ugliani/Hades/Poseidon — Jacob Nissley
Katie Gardner/Various ensemble roles — Saycia Szakonyi
Various ensemble roles — Katie Beth Warner

Crew
Director — Justin Poole
Music Director — Jim Clemens
Assistant Director/Promotions Assistant/Production Assistant — Alexis Lewis
Vocal Coach — Afton Rhodes-Lehman
Technical Director and Set Designer — Shannon Dove
Costume Designer — Rachel Herrick
Light Designer — Robert Weaver
Choreographer — Ellie de Waal
Stage Manager — Sarah Peak
Assistant Stage Manager — Erin Batten
Assistant Stage Manager — River Lynch

Based on Disney’s beloved 1989 animated classic, the stage musical premiered on Broadway in 2008. Ariel, a young mermaid princess played by senior Afton Rhodes-Lehman, dreams of the world above the sea and falls in love with a human, Prince Eric — played by senior Thaddeus Jackson — much to the dismay of her father, King Triton. She makes a deal with Ursula, a half-octopus sea witch played by community member Holly Hanks Wanta, and gives up her voice in exchange for a chance to become human and win Prince Eric’s heart. But, she only has three days to find true love; if she fails in her quest, her soul will belong to Ursula. 

“It’s been an exciting new world to dive into,” said Rhodes-Lehman, who grew up wearing Ariel-themed bracelets and sketching pictures of the Disney princess in her notebooks. “I feel like every kid grows up with that one movie idol and for me it was Ariel. Although, this version of Ariel is deeper and more fleshed-out than the one in the movies.”

The show is directed and produced by EMU Theatre Program Director Justin Poole with music direction from EMU faculty member Kyle Remnant and longtime collaborators Angie Clemens and Jim Clemens. It features a multigenerational cast and crew ranging in age from elementary through high school, as well as EMU students, staff, alumni and community members. Rounding out the artistic staff are EMU student Thomas Erickson (light operator), EMU faculty/staff members Shannon Dove (tech director) and Rachel Herrick (costume designer), EMU alums Jareya Harder ’22 (stage manager) and Robert Weaver ’18 (lighting designer), guest sound technician Tom Carr and resident choreographer Ellie de Waal.

The show features crowd-pleasing hits such as “Under the Sea,” “Part of Your World” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and a number of new songs only found in the musical.

“It’s an immersive experience with a Broadway score that has a gravitas and beauty that surpasses what you find in both film adaptations,” said Poole, adding that there is plenty of interaction between the audience and cast. “It truly feels like a big Broadway production in terms of the musical and dance numbers.”

A painted backdrop behind the stage allows for cutouts and puppets to add another dimension to the story. The show opens with a group of children in front of the backdrop playing out scenes from “The Little Mermaid” with character puppets. As the overture music swells, the play comes to life on a stage that is transformed into an underwater world featuring sea creatures and three-fourths of the set made from recycled materials and found objects.

A treasure chest doubles as a sailing ship gliding across the stage on wheels. An assortment of umbrellas, rakes and beach balls piece together to form a giant fish during a rendition of “Under the Sea.” When Ariel is saving Prince Eric from his shipwreck, an enormous piece of white fabric combined with strobe lights faithfully recreates the effects of a thunderstorm at sea.

“We’re putting on a massive, elaborate spectacle on a shoestring budget,” said Poole. “That’s the magic of it.”

The musical is geared toward all ages, with singing along from the audience encouraged.

Tickets are $6-$10 for students and children and $18-$20 for adults and seniors. For tickets, visit /theatre/program/calendar.

Performances are Friday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Alisha Huber, who directs the Archibald MacLeish play, said J.B. reflects the biblical book of Job. “Job rejects easy answers; it trashes the gospel of wealth; it destroys our rational universe,” said Huber. “As we’ve worked on J.B., all of us have examined our own experiences with trauma and found the deep truth in the play…It avoids cliches about death and suffering, choosing an intense and human honesty instead.”

Published in 1958, J.B. tells the story of a twentieth-century American banker who God allows to be stripped of his family and wealth but who refuses to turn his back on God. MacLeish weaves humor and tragedy together, setting the entire action inside of a circus and taking all the world’s stage literally, according to Huber.

“The emotions in J.B. are profoundly mixed, but MacLeish knows-as Shakespeare knew- that the way to make a tragedy work is to make it fun and funny in places, there is a real joy in this play and real suffering,” said Huber.

Admission

General admission tickets are $5, or $2 for EMU students, and are available through the . Performances run 90 minutes with a 10-minute intermission.

Call 540-432-4674 or email theater@emu.edu.

“The opportunity for EMU students to interact with a performer and scholar of this caliber is a fantastic gift,” said , chair of EMU’s . “Dr. Mwangola speaks to the power of storytelling and theater to build community.”

A native of Kenya, Mwangola’s pedagogy, research and creative work are grounded in understanding performance as process and as the product on meaning-making. “She has performed, conducted workshops, researched and worked with and for diverse performance ensembles and individuals on four continents, with a career stretching over 25 years, primarily in acting, directing and story-telling, focusing on African literature by women,” according to her .

Schedule of events

Mwangola will be offering a workshop on women’s voices with ties to literature at 1 p.m., Nov. 15. Admission is free and open to the general public.

Her second workshop will focus on drumming, chanting and working with rhythm at 3 p.m., Nov. 15. Admission is free but limited to the first 15 respondents. Contact the EMU theater department to register at theater@emu.edu.

Mwangola will give a performance on three African short stories by women: New Life at Kyerafaso, Dressing the Dirge and To Be Feminist Is…, 8 p.m., on the .

About Mwangola

Mwangola earned her PhD in performance studies from Northwestern University in Chicago. She is chairperson of the Governing Council of the Kenya Cultural Center and serves as vice-chairperson of the Uraia Trust.

For more information and to RSVP contact the EMU theater department at 540-432-4360 or theater@emu.edu.

The one-woman show, produced and performed by Tevyn East, is touring faith communities and institutions of higher learning across the United States in 2011. Written in collaboration with Ched Myers, renowned biblical scholar and teacher, this show is about the interconnection of faith, ecology, and the global economy.

Weaving biblical and personal narrative, dance, song, music, and a touch of economic theory, “Leaps and Bounds” wrestles with the driving factors of our ecological crisis while awakening the imagination to a new way of living with and relating to Earth.

With foot-stomping songs, playful humor, daring dance sequences and vulnerable honesty, this show will draw the audience along a compelling journey, ultimately articulating a feeling of hope.

The daughter of two Presbyterian (USA) ministers, Tevyn East has spent most of her adult life developing original works of dance theater as well as teaching dance, organizing workshops and other cultural events in Charlottesville. While she appears on the stage alone, “Leaps and Bounds” is the result of a collaboration among many talented individuals.

East conceived of “Leaps and Bounds” while working with the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, an organization addressing the root causes of injustice, accompanying the vulnerable and marginalized and speaking truth to power in the heart of the United States capitol.

A full list of collaborators, themes and project resources is available at www.affordinghopeproject.org. Resource material about sustainable alternatives and faith-based initiatives are made available at each show.

Admission is free; a free-will offering will be taken.

For more information, call 540-432-4360; email: theater@emu.edu.