Theater students all throughout Hollis Brookline are buzzing with excitement as their new musical The Lightning Thief, which is well underway. The production is unique as it’s much more mechanically complex than previous shows the school has put on. 

“There are 60 cues in the first song which is insane. I barely had 60 cues in one half of the last show I did,” Emma DiGennaro ‘25 said. “There is a thing on the computer where you can move your mouse [and] the lights will move with it… I’m really excited to see that.”

While most of the attention is on the stage, just as much action is happening backstage with large amounts of work put into the props and set pieces needed for the musical. “Sometimes we’ll split up into two people who will be painting a door, and two people will be making a sign,” Cameron Rockwell ‘23, a member of the crew, said, “The other day I built a slot machine.”

The scope of The Lightning Thief is especially grand, with more props and sets than in previous years, while maintaining a short work crew to get the job done. “I think it’s the same amount of people for any show normally right now,” DiGennaro said.

All of the hubbubs have come to a head for the first time in last week’s tech week, which started March 6. “Tech week is practicing the actual performance. Crew and cast are separate, but tech week is putting those things together,” Rockwell said. 

Although students are well on their way to a finished Lightning Thief, tensions are electric. Riley Scanlon ‘23, who plays Grover, said “My confidence level is wavering daily. Some days I’ll be like yeah, this is good I know my lines, and then he’ll [Director Dylan Silcox] throw mics and costumes and a show-ready run at us, which is fine, but a little bit stressful.”

Despite the pressure behind building a musical, students have taken it in stride and are ready for the new adventure. “We’re all working very hard to make it happen. It’s been really nice seeing everybody working this hard for it,” DiGennaro said. 

The added workload of the musical has allowed students to rise to the occasion and reach new heights. It is strongly recommended that all who are interested in musicals or watching HB students shine, come to watch The Lightning Thief on its upcoming dates March 17 and March 18, 2023.