Exclusive interview: Q&A with James Rodriguez, Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief musical


Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief will be playing at the Fisher Theater this month, from February 26 through March 9. I recently was able to ask James Rodriguez, who plays Luke as well as Fight Captain, some questions about the musical.


Liz Parker: Which adaptation of Percy Jackson is the musical based on? (book or movie?)
James Rodriguez: Our musical is based off of the first book in the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series, The Lightning Thief.

 LP: Did you either read the book or see the movie to prep for your role in the show?
JR: I've read the entire book series but all of my preparation for this role came from the first book
and my own personal experience.

LP: How long have you been acting, and what is your dream role?
JR: I started acting in high school. I think I was 14 or 15, but I have been singing since I could talk.
My dream role has always been to play Simba in The Lion King on Broadway. I grew up
watching the movie every single day so I need to cross that one off my list.

LP: For how long have you had this role in Percy Jackson, and how long will the tour last for?
JR: I created this role 2 years ago when we started rehearsals for our production in New York City.
It's been a dream to return to this role and dive deeper into the nuances of this character. The
tour is scheduled to last until mid July.

LP: Where are some of your favorite cities or venues to perform at, and why?
JR: Well so far we've only been to a few, but I will say Chicago was such an amazing venue to
perform at. The Oriental Theater was not only massive but beautiful in all of its architectural
glory! Also Philadelphia is a really cool city that I had a great time running around.

About James Rodriguez:
JAMES HAYDEN RODRIGUEZ (Luke and others, Fight Captain) originated the role of Luke in NYC and is on the Original Cast Album. Favorite credits: The Visitor (The Public Theater), Spring Awakening (First National Tour), Man of La Mancha (Shakespeare Theatre Company), Hairspray (Signature Theatre). TV: CONAN @ The Apollo. www.jameshaydenrodriguez.com @jameshaydn

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