Percy Jackson comes to Edinburgh: Vasco Emauz on leading The Lightning Thief

As The Lightning Thief makes its Scottish premiere, we hear from Vasco Emauz — the young actor who went from fan to leading the UK tour as Percy Jackson.

From childhood fan to leading man

Vasco Emauz first met Percy Jackson not on stage but on the page. Growing up in Portugal, he devoured Rick Riordan’s bestselling series — to the point, he says, that it changed his life.

“It is a childhood dream come true! Going from pretending I was Percy controlling the waves in the sea off the coast of Portugal as a child, to playing him on stage every night is absolutely mindblowing, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have that privilege,” Emauz said. “The Percy Jackson books are so near and dear to my heart, to the point that I learned English through them. I was so hooked on the story! I couldn’t wait for the next translation to come out, so I would ask my parents to order the original. I would sit there at around 8 to 9 years old with an English to Portuguese dictionary, in case I didn’t know what a word meant.”

As he tells it, the books opened a door not just into mythology but into performance. He began to imagine himself living those adventures, and when he later discovered musical theatre, that fantasy turned into ambition. “I remember sitting in the movie theatre and thinking how cool it would be to be one of those people on the screen, getting to live out epic adventures. But for the longest time, I didn’t think it was for me. I had this idea in my mind that you had to be born special to do that, and that I did not fall into that category.”

“It is a childhood dream come true! Going from pretending I was Percy controlling the waves in the sea off the coast of Portugal as a child, to playing him on stage every night is absolutely mindblowing…”

Vasco Emauz

The turning point came in his mid-teens. “I rediscovered this curiosity through musical theatre. I found Wicked after the ‘Let It Go’ craze, as I had fallen in love with Idina Menzel’s voice, and after that I kept discovering new musicals online, and eventually built up the courage to try it out. I was 15 and I felt like I finally found what I was meant to do.”

That passion brings him this week to Edinburgh Festival Theatre, where The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical makes its Scottish premiere on 23 September.

A phenomenon reimagined

With over 180 million copies sold worldwide, Riordan’s novels have inspired two films and, most recently, a Disney+ series. The stage version, with book by Joe Tracz and music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, first premiered off-Broadway in 2014 before transferring to Broadway in 2019. Its UK debut came in a record-breaking run at The Other Palace.

Now the show has embarked on its first full UK tour, produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd and Paul Taylor-Mills, directed and choreographed by Lizzi Gee. Edinburgh marks one of the early stops on a route that takes in Newcastle, Milton Keynes, Liverpool, Brighton, and beyond before continuing into 2026.

**Cast of The Lighting Thief (Production Images) – Photo credit Johan Persson**

For Emauz, who made his West End debut in Back to the Future: The Musical, the role of Percy feels less like a part than a destiny. He describes the years of training and graft that brought him here: studying at the Institute of the Arts Barcelona, graduating with a BA in Musical Theatre, and securing representation with his first agency. His professional break came in 2024: “I booked Marty McFly on the West End as my professional debut! From there, I got my Global Talent Visa, which gave me the right to work in the U.K., and I auditioned for this show with huge hopes to play this amazing part.”

The hero’s journey

Percy Jackson is no ordinary teenager: son of Poseidon, pursued by monsters, burdened with powers he can’t control. The stage version delivers battles and anthems, but also moments of vulnerability.

“My absolute favorite moment to perform would have to be Good Kid,” Emauz said. “I am a sucker for a great ballad, and this pop/rock anthem is an absolute gem. Not only is it a certified BANGER, it encapsulates who Percy is, gives us a window into what he’s been through, and shows us how that has shaped and hurt him. It is brilliantly written and shows the most incredible character journey!”

The physical demands are relentless. “The biggest challenge in playing Percy is definitely the fact that he does not leave the stage for more than a few seconds. This part is a non-stop train, and once you get on, you only get off at the end.”

Still, the rewards are clear. “The biggest joy would have to be being able to perform it with such an incredible group of people, it’s a dream role and they are a dream cast.”

“My absolute favorite moment to perform would have to be Good Kid,” Emauz said. “I am a sucker for a great ballad, and this pop/rock anthem is an absolute gem. Not only is it a certified BANGER, it encapsulates who Percy is…”

A company quest

If Percy’s story is about loyalty and friendship, Emauz sees that echoed behind the scenes. “It honestly could not be easier to keep a sense of camaraderie with this cast and crew! They are some of the loveliest, funniest people I have ever met, and coming to work every day is just a blessing. Couldn’t ask for a better company to tour with. From the start of rehearsals, the creative team and everyone involved created such a safe and fun environment, and I feel like that has carried through even now that we’re on the road. I wholeheartedly know I have made friends for life.”

That camaraderie carries into rituals. “At beginners, that is, 5 minutes before the show starts, Cahir (Grover), Kayna (Annabeth) and I do a little secret handshake, sometimes joined by a special guest or two. And during the Prologue, Niall (Mr Bruner), Liv (SM) and I perform some top tier choreography in the wings, right before I go on.”

Scottish premiere

For Emauz, the chance to bring The Lightning Thief north of the border is part of the adventure. “It’s always exciting to bring a show somewhere it’s never been performed! One of my favorite parts of touring is being able to bring this show to audiences that wouldn’t have been able to see it otherwise, and I hope the Scots enjoy it just as much as we do.”

And as for the powers of Percy Jackson? Emauz laughs at the idea of wielding them off-stage. “I would be betraying my younger self if I did not say his power to control water, I mean how cool is that?! There are truly endless possibilities, my younger self would’ve loved to control the tides of the sea, or even just splash anyone who annoyed me.”

For a boy once reading Percy with a dictionary at hand, now commanding Camp Half-Blood from the stage, it feels like the stuff of myth. As he put it: “It is truly a full circle moment for me.”

Featured Image: Vasco Emauz – The Lighting Thief (Production Images) – Photo credit Johan Persson