Over the years, Mission Hills High School has put on many wonderful shows: Sweeney Todd, Mama Mia!, Carrie and many more; this spring, though, the musical is Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Watching the show from the audience gives one the perspective of just that: a watcher, but there is so much work behind the scenes that many never know about or experience.
Freshman Militsa Paul plays Sally, Percy’s mom, as well as Charon, the fairy of the underworld.
“It’s really fun, obviously. There’s definitely a lot of singing, and especially in musicals, stuff like choreography is a lot more difficult,” Paul said.
Paul’s perspective provides a small glimpse into the background of musical theatre and proves that there is so much more to performing than what meets the eye. There’s even a difference between plays and musicals, according to Mila: musicals often contain more advanced choreography and, of course, music.
Freshman Elijah Mott is also participating in the upcoming musical. They play Poseidon, Percy’s dad and the god of the sea.
“It’s really fun because you get really close with the cast, and it’s a good outlet, especially if you’re doing a dance show… It’s an opportunity to make friends with people who are in different grades and who maybe don’t go to the same school as you,” said Mott.
This portrays the friendships built outside of performing and the benefits of creating a show together. An audience would never know how close the actors in front of them are in real life. Working tirelessly together to create something magical for the people watching helps to form an unbreakable bond between actors and even directors.
All in all, theatre has many benefits. It transports its audience into a different world and provides a prime source of entertainment. When watching, it’s crucial to remember all of the effort put into creating the atmosphere and acknowledge the experience of the actors, as they are the reason for the show. Go see Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, a Mission Hills musical, on April 25, 26 and 27.
