RuPaul’s Drag Race UK champion Danny Beard will be joining the cast of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical for the next leg of its UK tour, starting in January 2026.

With a dazzling track record—from their unforgettable performances on Britain’s Got Talent, to winning RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2022, and finishing runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year —Danny is set to bring their signature charisma, powerful vocals, and stage presence to the mythical world of Camp Half-Blood as the delightfully grumpy god of wine, Mr. D.

The mythical musical continues its quest into 2026 and leading the charge (and wielding the lightning bolt!) is Vasco Emauz (Back To The Future: The Musical) as the one and only Percy Jackson, Kayna Montecillo (Starlight Express) as the wise and fearless Annabeth, and Cahir O’Neill ([title of show]) as everyone's favourite satyr sidekick, Grover.

They are joined by Simone Robinson (Coming to England) as Sally Jackson, Niall Sheehy (Miss Saigon) as Mr Bruner, Ellie-Grace Cousins (Mamma Mia!) as Clarisse, Paolo Micallef (who was cast following open auditions) as Luke with Alex Anderton (making his professional stage debut), Abe Armitage (The Wizard of Oz), Joseph Connor (Sister Act), Ellouise Delooze (making her professional stage debut), Becca Francis (Iolanthe at ENO)  and Amy McEvoy (making her professional stage debut) as the ensemble.

Based on the beloved book series (with over 180 million copies sold worldwide), Percy Jackson’s story has been adapted into both films and a major hit TV series for Disney+. The musical first premiered off-Broadway in 2014 to rave reviews and went on to have two US tours, another off-Broadway run in 2017 and a 16-week limited run on Broadway in 2019. The Lightning Thief made waves in the West End during its critically acclaimed, record-breaking run at The Other Palace.

When New York City teenager Percy Jackson discovers that he is the half-blood son of the Greek god, Poseidon, his life takes a dramatic turn as he is plunged into a world much bigger than he could possibly have imagined.

With newly discovered powers he is unable to control, an unwanted destiny and a whole textbook’s worth of mythical monsters on his trail, Percy must learn what it means to be a hero.

It’s the perfect adventure for gods and mortals of all ages with a gripping story that shows that ‘normal’ really is a myth!

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical comes to Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 24 February until Saturday 28 February 2026. Tickets can be booked at birminghamhippodrome.com