THE COLOR PURPLE's Carrie Compere Struck by THE LIGHTNING THIEF Off-Broadway

The Color Purple's Carrie Compere will join the cast of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical in the role of Sally this March for the brand-new production at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street).

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical begins performances on March 23, opening on Tuesday, April 4 and will run through May 6, 2017.

Percy Jackson has newly discovered powers he can't control, monsters on his trail, and he is on a quest to find Zeus's lightning bolt and prevent a war between the Greek gods. Normal is a myth when you're a demigod. Based on the best-selling Disney-Hyperion novel by Rick Riordan, featuring live music, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed theatrical adventure that will rock your world.

Carrie Compere (Sally and others) Broadway: The Color Purple, Holler If Ya Hear Me. Off-Broadway: Sistas the Musical, National Tour: Shrek the Musical. Regional: Smokey Joe's Cafe, TV: "NYC 22" (CBS), "Gurland on Gurland" (Showtime), "Show Boat: Live at Lincoln Center" (PBS).

Ms. Compere will join previously announced cast members Chris McCarrell (LES MISERABLES) as Percy Jackson, Jelani Alladin (Regional: Choir Boy, San Fran Critics Award) as Luke, Sarah Beth Pfeifer (Nat'l tour: Legally Blonde: The Musical) and Clarisse, Jonathan Raviv (The Band's Visit) as Brunner, George Salazar (Broadway: Godspell. Nat'l tour: Spring Awakening) as Grover, and Kristin Stokes (NY: Fly by Night, Regional: Diary of a Wimpy Kid) as Annabeth.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is written by Joe Tracz (Netflix "Series of Unfortunate Events") and Rob Rokicki (Strange Tails), directed by Stephen Brackett (Buyer and Cellar), choreography by Patrick McCollum (The Band's Visit) with musical direction by Wiley DeWeese (The Wildness), orchestrations by Wiley DeWeese & Rob Rokicki, and fight direction by Rod Kinter (More Than All the World). The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical creative team includes Lee Savage (Set Design), Sydney Maresca (Costume Design), Ryan Rumery (Sound Design), David Lander (Lighting Design), Jason Blitman & Greg Uliasz (Casting). It is being presented by Theatreworks NYC in arrangement with Rick Riordan and the Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical was introduced to NYC by Theatreworks USA in 2014 as part of its FREE theatre series, a one hour version with a smaller cast that has successfully toured the country. This is a brand-new production with a new score, an updated, expanded script including a second act, a larger cast and will feature a live band.

Tickets are $85-$65 and can be purchased by visiting www.LightningThiefMusical.com and 866-811-4111.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Joe Tracz (Book) is a playwright with an MFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Williamstown Theatre Festival: the original musical Poster Boy with composer-lyricist Craig Carnelian (2016), Song for a Future Generation (2015). Joe's adaptation of the first book in the Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief (with composer Rob Rokicki) received a Lortel nomination for Outstanding Musical and is now touring nationally with Theatreworks USA. His musical adaptation of Ned Vizzini's novel Be More Chill with composer Joe Iconis premiered last summer at Two River Theater. Other plays have been developed with Manhattan Theatre Club, Second Stage, Roundabout, Ars Nova, and The Flea, and published in Best American Short Plays. Film/TV includes the forthcoming Netflix series "A Series of Unfortunate Events" starring Neil Patrick Harris and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, "Epic" (20th Century Fox) and "Lights Out" (FX). Joe is a former Playwrights Realm writing fellow, an alumnus of Theater Masters and the Ars Nova Play Group, and, with Two River Theater and Joe Iconis, a recipient of a 2015 Doris Duke Foundation Commissioning Grant. He has a BA from Kalamazoo College.

Rob Rokicki (Music, Lyrics, Orchestrations) is an award-winning songwriter, performer, music director & educator. He is member of the Dramatists Guild & alum of the Tony Award-winning BMI writing workshop. Rob wrote the music & lyrics to the Lortel nominated, The Lightning Thief (book Joe Tracz). He co-authored (with Michael Ruby) Love, NY, Strange Tails & Relativity. He's currently collaborating on a project with Rebekah Allen. His studio album, is available on iTunes & his album/graphic novel, Monstersongs, will be out soon. Thank you to TW, Iconis, Flynnie & all the artists who've contributed to the development of the show. www.robertrokicki.com

Stephen Brackett (Director) Off Broadway credits include: Ultimate Beauty Bible (Page 73), Wringer (NYCCT), Sommerfugl (InViolet), Buyer & Cellar (Rattlestick and Barrow Street Theaters/Westport Playhouse/National Tour/London's Menier Chocolate Factory), City Of (Playwrights Realm), Carnival Kids (Lesser America), The Lightning Thief (Theatreworks USA), The Correspondent (Rattlestick), After (Partial Comfort), The Material World (Dixon Place), Be A Good Little Widow (Ars Nova), and The Tenant (Woodshed Collective). Regional credits include: I Now Pronounce (Humana Festival), Le Switch (About Face), Be More Chill (Two River), The Great Pretender (TheatreWorks).

RICK RIORDAN is the author of four #1 New York Times bestselling series, including the Percy Jackson series, the Kane Chronicles, the Magnus Chase series and the Trials of Apollo, with the second book in that series, The Dark Prophecy due out in May 2017. He is also the author of the multi-award-winning Tres Navarre mystery series for adults.

For fifteen years, Rick taught English and history at public and private middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Texas. While teaching in San Antonio, Saint Mary's Hall honored him with the school's first Master Teacher Award.

While teaching full time, Riordan began writing mystery novels for grownups. His Tres Navarre series went on to win the top three national awards in the mystery genre - the Edgar, the Anthony and the Shamus.

Today over fifty million copies of his books are in print in the United States, and rights have been sold into more than 37 countries, and translated into 41 languages. Twentieth Century Fox adapted the first two books of his Percy Jackson series. His books have spawned related media, such as graphic novels and short story collections.

Rick Riordan now writes full-time. He lives in Boston with his wife and two sons.