To me, McCarrell was a standout in the tour, both boyish-looking and charismatic enough to carry the show.
Notably, McCarrell's the only one in the cast with a Broadway credit, having played Marius in ''Les Miserables'' (2014).
In ''42nd Street,'' it's said that ''two of the most glorious words in the English language'' are ''musical comedy.''
But I'd add that two more are: ''Broadway debut.'' And other than McCarrell, everyone in his vibrant and versatile ''Lightning Thief'' cast will be making theirs, which must be so exciting for them. And not all of them are fresh-faced kids.
The real scene-stealer of ''Lightning Thief'' is Ryan Knowles, 40, an accomplished actor with 20 years of theater experience. He plays 10 different roles in the show: most notably, Chiron, Poseidon and Hades. Knowles, who's also a vocal coach, has created a different voice for each, which makes his each appearance such fun. For instance, he plays Chiron as a proper-sounding professor; Posideon as a laidback beach bum, and Hades, most Hell-ariously, as Paul Lynde (!). |
