SUU theater class looks to engage community in Greek mythology, performing arts

CEDAR CITY — Southern Utah University's theater department is gearing up for its upcoming production of "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical" and looking to engage the community in the process.

Through the Killer Quest platform, SUU's theater education capstone class is bringing an adventure in Greek mythology to life in an educational challenge for Iron County students and their families.

"The Killer Quest is a way to learn about Greek mythology in an arts-integrated way," Brooke Wilson, a member of the theater education capstone class, said in a statement. "This will get students to take their own journey in educational programming."

More specifically, Killer Quest involves a series of educational activities inspired by the world and lore of Percy Jackson. Activities include visiting a local library to find a book about Greek mythology, snapping a picture of the Randall L. Jones Theatre on SUU's campus, creating a Greek mask and seven other themed quests.

Students who complete the required challenges can earn a 50% discount on up to eight tickets to the musical. All Killer Quest participants, regardless of whether they complete the challenges, will earn a 15% family discount.

For the SUU students behind both the production and the project, the goal is to create hands-on, interactive and engaging learning opportunities for Iron County students by encouraging them to connect with mythology and their own experiences while also learning a bit about the performing arts.

"The amazing thing about The Killer Quest is that it's allowing students to put effort and time into learning activities outside of a school environment that they then can see the real-world effects of," Beth Smith, another member of the capstone class, said in a statement. "The opportunity to have their accomplishments lead to real, tangible rewards like the discount and the chance to see a show that talks about the activities they just worked through is such an invaluable positive experience for these students."

Adapted from Rick Riordan's best-selling novel, "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical" will play on Nov. 6, 7, 9 and 13 at 7:30 p.m., with matinee performances Nov. 7 and 14 at 2 p.m. in SUU's Randall L. Jones Theatre. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for SUU alumni, and $8 for non-SUU students.

Students and families can sign up for the Killer Quest here.

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