Listening party announced to celebrate release of THE LIGHTNING THIEF London Cast Recording
Center Stage Records will host a special online Listening Party for the new album The Lightning Thief: Original London Cast Recording tomorrow (7 November) at 4pm EST / 9pm GMT.
The event will be hosted by Max Harwood and Samantha Mbolekwa, joined by their fellow original London cast members to mark the launch of this album. Expect exclusive videos and interviews, a live audience Q&A, and a chance to listen along as the cast spill the stories and gossip behind each track and their time in the studio, plus surprise appearances from Lightning Thief alumni from both sides of the Atlantic.
The Lightning Thief: Original London Cast Recording will be released in streaming and digital formats on 7 November and the CD edition will be available on 5 December. This dynamic musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s bestselling The Lightning Thief has a book by Joe Tracz, with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki.
Presenting the show in its most complete form to date, the new album features 15 minutes of musical material not on the original cast recording. The recording brings to life the recent record-breaking West End production at The Other Palace, directed and choreographed by Lizzi Gee and presented by Bill Kenwright Ltd and Paul Taylor-Mills. The new album reflects the updated orchestrations and arrangements first introduced on tour and Broadway but never previously recorded, in addition to cut material restored for the London run, expanded vocal moments, and a larger ensemble.
The Lightning Thief: Original London Cast Recording will feature 26 tracks and bonus material, with highlights including the fan-favourite number ‘Try’, updates to ‘The Campfire Song’, and more. Enhanced ensemble harmonies bring fresh energy to songs like ‘Lost!’, ‘D.O.A.’, and ‘The Day I Got Expelled’.
The album features performances by Max Harwood in the title role of Percy Jackson, Scott Folan as Grover, Jessica Lee as Annabeth, Paisley Billings as Sally Jackson, Greg Barnett as Mr. Brunner/Poseidon/Hades, Joe Allen as Mr. D/Gabe, Samantha Mbolekwa as Clarisse, and Joaquin Pedro Valdes as Luke/Ares. Philip Catchpole, Morgan Gregory, Charlotte O’Rourke, and Alex Waxman serve as the ensemble.
For the production at The Other Palace, the musical supervisor was Jeremy Wootton, and the musical director was Ben McQuigg, with orchestrations by Wiley DeWeese and Rob Rokicki.