Minerva Arts' 'Lightning Thief' Meaningful to First-Time Director
Minerva Arts Center veteran Ry Goodell directs and stars in the company's production of 'The Lightning Thief.'
He just was not his own first choice.
Goodell, a MAC veteran and now undergraduate at Rhode Island's Roger Williams University, will make his directorial debut when "The Lightning Thief" is presented Friday and Saturday, July 21 and 22, at the former St. Mark's Church on River Street.
Initially, he was looking forward to directing someone else in the lead role.
"I wasn't fully anticipating performing, but if I was, I was going to take a smaller role," Goodell said during the show's six-week rehearsal period. "But I had to put myself in the titular role. Most of our cast is female identifying. I'm the only male identifying member."
Goodell said he did reach out to area schools to recruit performers who would be up for auditioning for the role of Percy, but that was not in the cards.
"I was disappointed, but not really at the same time," he said. "It's a great opportunity for me, but I love getting other people involved."
"The Lightning Thief" is a rock musical adaptation of the fantasy novel by Rick Riordan. It tells the story of Percy Jackson, a contemporary adolescent who also is a demigod, the offspring of a mortal parent and a mythological god (Poseidon, in Percy's case).
Goodell said he did not read the Riordan books as a kid, but he did fall in love with the play, which had a 16-week limited run on Broadway in 2019-20, when he saw a touring production.
"I always liked the rock style music, even when I was a kid," Goodell said. "Meeting Percy, who struggles with ADHD and dyslexia — and I struggle with ADHD myself — it was meaningful being able to connect with a character who is a leading role and has some of those mental health issues. Those issues do get representation today but not always in a good light."
His personal connection to the show's main character was one reason why Goodell took on the challenge of both directing and starring in the show.
"I didn't have any second thoughts," he said. "I was totally willing to do it. I would have preferably accepted the role of a sidekick or a friend. But Percy is a person who is on the spectrum of neurodivergent, and I am as well. I think representation works better that way."
Goodell has been a performer, a stage manager and a production manager for student productions at Roger Williams, where this spring he will be directing a production.
It has been an adjustment to be a main player while also steering the production.
"It's still taking some time for me to work through it," Goodell said in June as the company neared the end of its second week of rehearsals. "Usually, the director is sitting there guiding people along the way.
"As an actor, coming with an acting background, I know how important it is for your scene partner to be on stage. So I have to make sure to put myself on there so my scene partner gets what they need. I do struggle sometimes finding the balance in rehearsals, but it's something I've been working on since I went to college."
Like Goodell, who started at Minerva when he was 9 years old, most members of the company for "The Lightning Thief" have experience with the nearly 30-year-old non-profit.
Over the years, MAC has called a lot of places "home." The former church at 2 River St. also was the site of Minerva Arts' production of "Shrek the Musical" in 2021. Goodell said it is complicated putting up a musical in the nontraditional venue.
"Having the audience in pews, you have to think about eyelines," he said. "There are four to six columns that hold the roof up. The stage is raised in two segments so you have to account for the two levels. There's a massive organ that is right on the stage, but we decided to cover everything with blocks."
Another challenge: creating the fantastical world of gods, demigods and monsters without the budget of a Broadway or national touring production.
"This show requires a lot of effects," Goodell said. "This is all magic, so we wanted to try something new and get out of our comfort zone. Pens turn into swords. People have to turn into centaurs.
"We're doing our best to make it look like it's Greek mythology. We're focused on making the effects look good and presenting the story in a proper manner."
That means the show does include loud thunder sounds and flashing lights, and Goodell wants to make sure that audience members with sensitivity are aware of that going in.
He also wants people to know that while "The Lightning Thief's" plot is fantastical, its themes are very real.
"It's just a great story about overcoming the challenges of life, being able to fit in, trying to prove you're a good person to your mom," Goodell said.
"I'd like anybody who is coming to have an open mind, to think about their own kids and the struggles they go through because the struggle is real."
"The Lightning Thief" runs for three performances, Friday, July 21, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 22, at 2 and 7:30. Tickets are $12 for adults, and $8 for students and senior citizens. Starting Monday, July 17, there will be a tech week rush sale at Minerva Arts Center's ticketing website: Minerva.BookTix.com.
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