JADAR

Vasco Emauz has made an electrifying return to stage with his lead role in The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. From Marty McFly to Percy Jackson, this leading man is bringing beloved stories to a whole new generation. I was delighted to sit down with Vasco Emauz as he prepares to make a landing in Manchester.

Percy Jackson and The Lighting Thief is a beloved childhood classic for countless people, including Emauz, who learned English from translating the books himself. His brilliance and hardworking nature are easy to spot as he made his West-End debut as Marty McFly in Back to the Future, just months after undergoing hip surgery and graduating from University in Barcelona. 

Being able to talk to Vasco was a delight; he bleeds enthusiasm, talent and kindness, like everyone’s favorite Demi-God does. His passion for the role completely transforms the show, transporting audiences back to a more familiar place, the place we grew up, the memories we had and that feeling of belonging we had as kids. It was a true honor to talk to him about his experiences and his connection to the story, and it felt like the weirdest dream to talk to the embodiment of one of my favorite heroes. 

His drive is noticeable, and his honesty in our conversation about feeling othered, or different, touched a rare vulnerability in these interviews. I have full faith that his interpretation of the role will inspire a whole new generation of audience members and people who have ever feltdifferent. Emauz offered up his advice to people feeling that way, including a message to his younger self, saying that these differences are what makes us special. 

I’d first like to ask you to talk about your connection to the show and what makes this show so special to be a part of. 

So, I found the books when I was really young, like around eight years old, I think. It was around the time the movie came out and everything. And my brother just kept nagging me to read the books. He was like, the books are so much better than the movie. And I was like, okay, whatever. And I wasn’t really like a big reader as a kid. You know, got-late diagnosed with ADHD this year.

So, I started reading them when I was like eight and then I just ran out of the Portuguese translations, and I was just so hooked into this space and universe that I was like, well, I just want to keep reading more and more so then I just got the next book In English, and I was reading it with like a big, old English to Portuguese dictionary next to me, just every time I didn’t understand a word.

Most of the time, you could actually kind of, because I knew some English, obviously, so then you could just kind of make the connection in your head of, like, ‘Oh, I think this means this.’ And then, if I didn’t know, if I didn’t have a clue, I just read the dictionary. So then, it really helped me advance my English… really, I mean, it sounds so braggy and all horrible, but I had most of my classmates beat because I was just so invested in it.

And then I think it’s also because I joined a lot of online spaces about Percy Jackson and just talking to people from different countries as well about it. So yeah, really cool. Made some really international friends. It was always such a big part of my childhood, this universe, and I loved it, and I’ve loved it since. So then to get this job was such a full circle moment for me because obviously I don’t think I would be where I am today if I didn’t read these books and get this good at English, basically. Because it’s important when you’re acting in English. 

So yeah, it was such a great connection. And then earlier this year, I actually got to do an event with Rick Riordan. And I got to sing ‘Good Kid’ in front of him and meet him. And he was so lovely. And it was just great to actually be able to be like, well, ‘Thank you so much because I wouldn’t be here singing this song and playing this character you wrote if you hadn’t written those books.’

So, it was a really full circle moment for me. And this job itself has been such a full circle moment for me. It’s been great.

Is that one of the more impactful experiences you’ve had from the role or what has playing this character brought you as well?

Definitely, definitely… It’s always cool, especially because he told me himself he hasn’t seen the musical, so I think it was one of the first live performances of it he’s seen. That was really cool, and I got to nerd out a bit with him and talk about Percy Jackson, about [the] TV show and all that, and he was just really [a] chill, down-to-earth guy, really really nice, and obviously, Percy was my childhood hero.

So, it was cool. Just being the guy who created it all, the man the myth legend, you know. It was an amazing opportunity, and I left with a signed book.

I was going to ask a little bit about that as well, especially knowing now that you had a late diagnosis of ADHD: if you could go back to the younger version of yourself and tell him anything, what would you say? 

Oh, my god, I think I was just telling myself this… That thing where you’re not lazy, you’re not broken. I would try so actively hard to focus in class, and I just couldn’t. I was like, well, clearly, there’s just something wrong with me, or I’m just not trying hard enough. Then, I was like, ‘No, you are’. There’s just some people who are wired differently to most people. I think I would tell myself that. You spend so long being like, ‘Well, I’m not doing enough, and that is just not how it works’. Thankfully, I found a passion, and when you find something you’re passionate about, you actually are able to put in work in. Then suddenly, you’re like, ‘Wait, I actually can work! Wait a minute, what’s this like?’ So yeah, I think I would tell myself that most of all.

That is beautiful. Especially in the music itself, there’s a lot of references to it. And I think it is just beautiful. There are kids that are gonna be watching the show and being like, ‘Wait, maybe this is what it’s all about.’ And finding people that they can look up to. That’s just incredible that you get to do that.

Yeah, it’s amazing. And I think the show itself really promotes difference, what is normal and having your differences are what sets you apart. There’s such a powerful message in that. It’s okay to not be normal; they say normal is a myth and what makes Percy different is what makes him so powerful in the series and in the musical.

Obviously in this case, ADHD and dyslexia give him other advantages in life. In some sort of way, ADHD does have its own powers and advantages, creatively speaking. ADHD people tend to be so creative, and I guess it’s about reframing how you view yourself. Percy’s always been in an environment where he doesn’t belong. You know, how usually the characters who are outcasts are a nerdy type or a bit weird or they’re a bit socially awkward. And it’s nothing like that for him. He just doesn’t belong there because he’s not like everyone else. And then, when you find your tribe, you suddenly are like, ‘Wait, I can be the best version of myself’, because… I am surrounded by people who are, in some way, like me. At the core of it all is people who actually understand you and see you. And I think that’s a great message to show. And the series really shares about finding your people. 

Oh, that warmed my heart. I love the importance of community in this show. I was going to ask about this slightly later on… What did you think about the TV show? What are your thoughts?

Oh, my god. Okay, I love it. I’m a big fan of the books, obviously, so there’s a lot of changes. I’ve seen some people online complain about, ‘O, they’ve changed this, they’ve changed that’. But I actually think a lot of the changes are for the better. Clarisse in season two, for example, such a more likable character. So, I just think it’s great to see all these nuanced characters as well.

Obviously, there’s all the whole discourse about the casting, but I’m like, you’re taking a series about outcasts and then trying to outcast people for the way they look based on characters, when the writer of the show is casting them for who they are, and they do such an amazing job. I’m rereading the books now with Kayna who plays Annabeth, and I just read them and I either picture the people who are playing it in the show or the people who are playing it in the TV show.

They just fit the characters. There you go. Like, that’s perfect. So, I’m just enjoying it so much, and I can’t wait to see season three ’cause ‘Titan’s Curse’.

Are you a Percy Jackson fan as well?

I’m a big Percy Jackson fan.

Oh, so you know, ‘Titan’s Curse’ is where it starts getting good.

I’m so excited. I cannot wait. 

Same.

Can you expand slightly on your career and how you ended up as Marty McFly, as well, before we jump into nerding out about Percy Jackson? Where did you start before then and kind of what led you to move to London?

I started in musical theater quite late for most people, I’d say, because I started doing it at like 15. I took classes on Saturdays for three years, and then when I turned 18, I had my first private singing lesson as well. And then I was like, you know, I’m just going to commit to this because it’s the only thing, again, like we talked about school and not being into that. I was like, ‘Well, this is what I actually am passionate about’. This is what I feel like I’m good at. And I don’t see any point trying to waste my life on a nine to five when I could try something that I’m passionate about.

So, then I went to school in Barcelona, Institute of the Arts Barcelona, and I did three years there, and it was amazing. We did some awesome shows. We did Legally Blonde, Catch Me If You Can. So, I had the best time. And then my agent found me actually through Instagram, which is the new age. New world. Cause I had my showcase video of me just singing a solo on it.

And she came across it and then contacted me, signed with me. And then that was great. And then I had to get hip surgery on my right hip because I was born with a slight deformity on it. So, then I was out of commission straight out of college for like six months, which, you know, let’s just say… Some things are just meant to be because if I hadn’t gotten that surgery, maybe I could have gotten something else. I didn’t have a visa for the UK. A lot of shows didn’t see me. But eventually, my agent got me to get seen for Marty McFly because they had been searching for a while. So then, I got to be seen by them. They cast me in it, and then I had my first job on the West End, which is crazy. And yeah, that was kind of my journey. And then I auditioned for this and booked Percy and just been on it ever since. And it’s been great.

That is just so incredible. Had you seen much of the UK before? Did you kind of just move here and start working?

Yeah, well, I had seen just a bit of the UK, because my sister lives in Southampton. She’s a social worker. She moved a long time ago. And so I had been to London a couple of times, but I didn’t really know London that well until I moved to London. So yeah, then I moved to London and I got to know the city as I worked.

It’s been great, yeah, and now that I’m touring, I actually get to see the country and see all the different cities and different places which has been amazing.

This is another selfish question, Percy Jackson or Marty McFly? How are we feeling? Or are they incomparable?

I mean, I was gonna say they’re incomparable. I think from the personal connection, I’d have to pick Percy. It’s like… I’m personally connected with it. Marty is such an iconic role as well. And an iconic trilogy and an iconic franchise but it kind of escaped my time in my generation. I did see it but I was hardcore geeking out over Percy Jackson when I was a kid… so I’d have to say Percy for that reason alone. 

Do you have any other dream roles that you would love to play?

Yeah, for sure. I think… I’d love to play Young Noah in The Notebook musical, if it ever transfers. I love the music in that show. Another one, I mean, that’s been done recently, so I’m not really hopeful for it, but like Gabe in Next to Normal. I’d love to do that. I love Next To Normal. But yeah, right now, I really, really hope someone brings The Notebook over and lets me be in it…

You mentioned that you’re reading the books with Kayna, the performer that plays Annabeth. What’s your favorite part about working with these other incredible actors?

Oh, my god, these actors have been the most amazing bunch of people. They’re so nice! We just all get along so well. It’s a joy to show up to work and just spend time with everyone. We just have such a great environment, and we have a great old time doing the show. We love that so it never gets old and we just tend to also share digs with each other. It’s really cozy. It’s like a little family, which is such a cliché theatre thing to say, but it’s true.

This is one of my favorite questions to ask anyone: can you nerd out about a part of the show that you think deserves a little bit more credit or like something that you just love about this show in general?

Oh, that is a hard one. Well, I do love ‘Campfire Song’ quite a lot because it’s a moment where most of us, if not all, are on stage. There’s a lot of chaotic interactions in it because it’s just like a big old… Well, it’s a campfire song. It is what they say. It’s people talking about how their godly parents disappoint them in different ways. And it’s such a fun and energizing number. There’s a lot of heavy moments in this story and a lot of light and shade. But I just love that number because we’re so united in it. There’s a lot happening in the back of that number.

Jumping on the back of that question, is there a favorite part of music in the show that you really like?

I mean, I love the opening number. It is such a good and energizing big old number. I love ‘The Day I got expelled.’ I just love singing ‘Good Kid’ because I love dramatic ballads, and I think it just encapsulates Percy so well. Then I just love any trio song where it’s Grover, Annabeth and Percy singing, especially ‘Try.’ ‘Try’ is just a beautiful one to sing.

I love listening to everyone else sing because I do a lot of active listening to people. It’s great to watch them and just get taken away by how great these people are at doing what they do.

What is it like working inside the infamous trio of Percy, Annabeth and Grover?

It’s really fun because we have such a great connection offstage as well, the three of us. The whole cast has a great connection, but I feel like we connected really fast as well. And it’s just a lot of… Again, fun. They’re such great performers as well, so it’s easy to just bounce off each other.  It’s just a great time, honestly.

This is kind of one of the things I’ve been most excited to ask. And we kind of touched on this at the beginning. What can we learn from Percy Jackson, and what do you think the lesson of the show is? What would you want people to take away?

Yeah, I think I’d say what I said earlier. I feel like when you grow up, there’s a lot of instances where since you’re in public school or whatever, wherever you are, you will just be in places where you’re like, ‘I don’t belong’. And sometimes that will make you feel like something is wrong with you. But that’s not true. You just haven’t found where it is you’re supposed to be, and that’s okay.

Sometimes it takes time but once you find where you belong, you’ll truly… thrive. It’s like they say in the show, ‘classically normal’ is a myth. You can look at it, as well, in countries and cultures. What is normal in some countries can be considered abnormal in others. And that’s why I think the message of it is: normal is a myth. Your normal could be someone else’s normal as well, and that’s about finding your people and getting your tribe. 

It’s Percy’s story as well. He starts not very confident in himself and he doesn’t really think he’s good at anything. And then by the end of the show, we see him. And again, in the books and in the show, he’s actually a really talented swordsman, and he has all these cool powers, and he’s so brave and all these qualities that he would never have found if he hadn’t been in the right place. 

Oh, that is so beautiful. I’m so excited to be able to watch that. I also think this show does just introduce a whole new generation to this story in a completely new way. And you get to be the face of that. I just think it’s so exciting and very admirable. So, I’m very excited to see that. What are you most excited about with this tour?

I think honestly right now Manchester because I’ve always wanted to go. I really want to explore the city a bit, and we’re there for quite a long time, like two weeks, so we actually do get to do a bunch of sightseeing because we’re usually just on a weekend. I think it’ll be nice to be in a new city and explore the city of Manchester. 

Well, that was a great answer to that question. I will take that personally. One of my favorite questions to ask, and this actually has the potential to be quite a mean one, what question do you want to be asked? I ask this one to open up the floor to get to talk about something that they’ve not spoken about in an interview that they want to share with people.

I mean, I feel like a lot of it would be kind of like, what’s it called… those eggy actor questions of like, ooh, the journeys, like the vocal journeys he goes through.. Yeah. And I feel like there’s a lot of details I’ve tried to include in my singing performance. This is just such a, what’s it called, wanky actor kind of thing to say. But it’s true.

For example, in ‘Try,’ Annabeth sings this line specifically, and then there’s a moment in the show where I repeated back to her and I try to mimic the way she sings the line exactly. Just to say, to her, I see you in some kind of way. 

So, that’s something that’s a detail that I really loved including. And I’ve loved exploring the question: what is Percy’s voice? 

I really love him, so it’s quite easy to ask that. I felt like I kind of already knew him beforehand from being such a big fan of the story. So, it was quite cool to, you know, get to do my own version of it as well and put a little bit of what I think of Percy in it, you know? Yeah, I think that’s such a great experience.

What specifically do you bring to him and what are you like learning from his character as well?

For me, personally, from a first glance at the script, it’s quite easy to play him into a… what’s it called? Dear Evan Hansen type – of like awkward or weird. For me, my goal has always been to make him a normal kid who doesn’t fit in in that particular place. Obviously, not that being awkward is not normal, but what I mean to say is that is not what makes him other in that scenario.

Yeah, it’s his ADHD and dyslexia, and this demigod side of him that he doesn’t even know which is what I’ve been trying to show. I think if we just focus on that, then it just becomes. Personally, I think it’s a bigger payoff in him being ‘the other’ than being included in camp. I feel like the journey is finding the place where you belong.

I think a lot of people can relate to Percy. I’ve talked to a lot of people who relate to Percy. I think I personally also relate to him a lot. I take his perseverance a lot with me as well because he is a fighter, and I feel like we’re very alike in that. Like, I’m a fighter and I’m very loyal to the people I love, which is his fatal flaw, as we know. I think there’s a lot to be learned from all the characters in the show.

I think everyone can agree on that and relate to that feeling of otherness at some point in our lives, everyone will feel othered. And like finding the superpower in that. 

I’m going to ask you one more very selfish question. 

Go ahead. 

Do you have a favorite God?

Oh, my god, okay. Can I say two? 

Yes, I’ll allow it. 

Thank you. Okay, I gotta say Poseidon. Yeah, I just love the sea. I love the sea. I’m personally connected to the sea. Very personally. I’m Portuguese, so we’re the people of the sea. We’ve been known as that. So, Poseidon. And then I just love Apollo, you know? He’s just a good vibe.

And I mean, look at the combo sun and sea.

I would like to personally thank Vasco Emauz for joining me in this interview. His vulnerability and honesty were inspiring. I am blown away by his talent, his ease for discussing these difficult topics and his appreciation for the world around him. 
For all casting directors out there, if you are looking for a Young Noah in The Notebook, look no further!

You can catch Vasco in The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical runs at HOME (Theatre 1) until February 21 and tours the UK until March 21.

Photo: Johan Persson