The brand new production of The Lord of the Rings musical is almost here! The show opens next week, Tuesday July 25, at The Watermill Theatre, near Newbury in Berkshire. To whet appetites, a musical video has been released – and it’s an absolute delight, sure to transport you back to the Shire. Take a look:
Don’t miss the chance to see this charming and moving re-tellling of the beloved story; grab your tickets now!
The Lord of the Rings will play at the Watermill from Tuesday 25 July until Sunday 15 October 2023. Tickets are on sale via watermill.org.uk/The-Lord-Of-The-Rings.
The folks at Mischief Management have just announced that Frodo Baggins himself, actor Elijah Wood will be joining Sean Astin and others at LeakyCon next month! Here’s the official press release:
FILM STARELIJAH WOOD JOINS LEAKYCON SPECIAL GUEST LINEUP
New York, NY (July 19, 2023) – Film star Elijah Wood has joined the special guest lineup for LeakyCon 2023, the fan convention celebrating fandom, fun, and some of our favorite magical worlds. LeakyCon 2023 will take place at McCormick Place South in Chicago, Illinois, August 4-6, 2023. Tickets are available now at LeakyCon.com
Wood will appear on panels and programming on Friday, August 4, and Saturday, August 5, as well as participate in autograph and photograph sessions with fans. A joint photograph session with Wood and Sean Astin is also available.
LeakyCon has also announced the addition of the Heroes’ Journey Pass ($625) which includes Friday and Saturday access to LeakyCon, a priority duo photograph session with Elijah Wood and Sean Astin, a priority autograph session with Elijah Wood, a priority autograph session with Sean Astin, and guaranteed reserved seating in individual spotlight sessions with Elijah Wood and Sean Astin.
Wood joins fellow actors Sean Astin, Miranda Otto, Tom Felton, Sean Biggerstaff, Miltos Yerolemou, Ellie Darcey-Alden, Rohan Gotobed, James Payton, Chris Rankin, Stanislav Yanevski, Walles Hamonde, Kiran Shah, and Flick Miles, fandom creators Chanel Williams (TikTok: @chanwills0), Trey Beachum (Instagram: @iamblackharry), and Em Wallbank (Instagram: @emwallbank), and fandom podcasts Potterless, Pottercast, Mugglecast, and more.
LeakyCon stands in solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. In coordination with SAG-AFTRA members appearing at LeakyCon, we have removed direct reference to their projects that fall under TV/Theatrical Contracts so that they can continue to appear without promoting these projects.
San Diego Comic Con is upon us yet again. After a huge return last year where The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power dominated the show with badges, parties, and a Hall H concert, the fans are in the driver seat this year to celebrate all things fandom.
By Popular Demand – Magic of Middle-earth Party!
TheOneRing.net, Weta Workshop, Diamond Select Collectibles, Nerd of the Rings and more are teaming up for a party of hobbit magnificence featuring food, drinks, libations, goodie baggins, artwork by Jerry Vanderstelt and a cosplay contest hosted by Weta Workshop’s Richard Taylor and Daniel Falconer!
When: Thursday July 20
Time: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Where: Storyhouse Spirits, downtown San Diego
Cosplay Contest: 7:00 pm
Family: Friendly (kids allowed)
SDCCBadge: NOT required
Tickets: Required
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Thursday July 13 at 12pm Noon PT. Last year’s party sold out in 3 minutes. Link will be published on all our socials, and its highly suggested you join the TORn Discord for earliest access.
TheOneRing.net Booth 1220 – Signings and Exclusives
Find us again in the book publishers area of the show floor with new Exclusive Merch and Shirts! Limited quantities have been produced and will not be sold online. Shirt sizes available from XS – 3XL
Shire Post Mint returns to TheOneRing.net booth with officially licensed coinage and pins. We will have a selection of the most popular products.
EXCLUSIVE new secret Weta Workshop Mini Epic will be unveiled Thursday morning and we will have limited quantities available each morning of Comic-con, while supplies last.
SIGNING at the booth Thursday July 20 from 12pm noon – 2pm is Weta Workshop’s Richard Taylor and Daniel Falconer! Bring your favorite treasure (like Middle-earth Script to Screen) or rush to purchase the exclusive new Mini Epics and get them signed free.
More Signings – Jed Brophy
The man of many faces in Middle-earth returns to celebrate 20 years and counting of performing in LOTR adaptations. Pick up signed headshot from one of his many memorable characters, or just shake his hand and share a smile! He’ll be around all weekend.
Also hanging at the booth all weekend is the friendly volunteer staff from your favorite Tolkien community plus friends like Matt from Nerd of the Rings, Kaitlyn from Tea with Tolkien, and author K.M. Rice.
Tolkien Panels!
Here’s a list of panels LOTR fans may be interested in. Things have been in flux due to Hollywood union negotiations and strikes, but these panels are confirmed:
Friday 2:15pm, Room 6A – Weta Workshop Presents… you won’t want to miss this! Surprises abound
JUST ADDED!Saturday 1:00pm, Room 23ABC – Dispatches from Middle-earth with TORn and Nerd of the Rings
Saturday 4:30pm, Room 10 – Costumes of Rings of Power with Kate Hawley
Saturday 5:30pm, Room 7AB – No Man Am I: Women of Middle-earth, Hosted by TheOneRing.net with Cathy Udovch, Tea with Tolkien’s Kaitlyn Facista, and Happy Hobbit’s Kellie Rice.
Looking forward to seeing all the Ringers there at San Diego Comic Con 2023. While many anticipated a preview of new movies or TV shows from The Lord of the Rings, many fans understand and support the efforts of WGA writers and SAG actors to get the best deal that allows the best work. Future adaptations of Tolkien depend on the very best! See you in San Diego!
In our newest episode of the Collecting The Precious Podcast we sit down with Ben and new guest Ryan aka The Cyber Hobbit to talk about Comic-Con 2023. We chat about some recent releases and things we’d like to see come out during Comic-Con. As always, we hope you enjoy the episode!
So as you’re all aware, the MTG The Lord of the Rings cards are all the rage and getting fans excited as can be. Well, I am no stranger to this and have purchased a few things myself. In this first video, this newb will be opening up and going through my Food and Fellowship Commander deck. This is just the first MTG video you’ll see from Collecting The Precious. I’m addicted to the art of these cards, and will be getting more for sure.
Back in March we let you know that a new production of The Lord of the Rings musical was in the works. It will be performed at The Watermill Theatre, near Newbury in Berkshire, July 25 to Oct 15 this year. Tickets for this highly anticipated production are available now! Here’s the latest information on cast and crew for this exciting production, from the official press release:
THE LORD OF THE RINGSFULL CASTING AND CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED
25 JULY – 15 OCTOBER
BOOK ONLINE AT WATERMILL.ORG.UK OR VIA THE BOX OFFICE ON 01635 46044
Newbury’s TheWatermill Theatre is thrilled to announce the full cast of their upcoming musical; a brand-new production of THE LORD OF THE RINGS, a musical tale based on the classic trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and music by A.R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams, Slumdog Millionaire), Värttinä and Tony Award winner and Grammy nominated Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical).
With the production set across both the Watermill auditorium and gardens, audiences will be immersed in the magical landscape of Middle-earth, joining an ensemble cast and large-scale puppets on an epic journey celebrating the power of friendship and common goodness to conquer unimaginable evil.
The full cast are Folarin Akinmade (Perfect Show for Rachel – The Pit, Barbican) as ‘Gimli’, Matthew Bugg (Zorro the Musical – Charing Cross Theatre) as ‘Gollum’, Reece Causton (Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man – UK Tour) as ‘Ensemble’, Kelly Coughlin (Avenue 5 – HBO/Sky) as ‘Ensemble’, Geraint Downing (A Christmas Carol – The Old Vic Theatre) as ‘Merry’, Peter Dukes (Brief Encounter – Empire, Haymarket) as ‘Boromir’, Amelia Gabriel (Ride – VAULT Festival) as ‘Pippin’, Tom Giles (Miss Littlewood – Royal Shakespeare Company) as ‘Elrond/Saruman’, Charlotte Grayson (Whistle Down The Wind – The Watermill Theatre) as ‘Rosie’, Nuwan Hugh Perera (Life of Pi – Wyndham’s Theatre, West End) as ‘Sam’, Bridget Lappin (The Rhinegold – English National Opera) as ‘Ensemble/Dance Captain’, Georgia Louise (Tammy Faye – Almeida Theatre) as ‘Galadriel’, Elliot Mackenzie (Whistle Down The Wind – The Watermill Theatre) as ‘Ensemble’, Peter Marinker (Judge Dredd, Love, Actually, Labyrinth) as ‘Gandalf’, Louis Maskell (The Grinning Man – Bristol Old Vic & Trafalgar Studios, West End) as ‘Frodo’, Aoife O’Dea (Innocence – Royal Opera House) as ‘Arwen’, John O’Mahony (Fisherman’s Friends the Musical, UK Tour) as ‘Bilbo’, Yazdan Qafouri (The Band – Theatre Royal Haymarket, West End) as ‘Legolas’, Sioned Saunders (Amélie – Criterion Theatre, West End & The Watermill Theatre) as ‘Ensemble/Onstage Musical Director’ and Aaron Sidwell (EastEnders – BBC, Wicked – UK Tour) as ‘Aragorn’.
The Lord of the Rings will play at the Watermill from Tuesday 25 July until Sunday 15 October 2023. Tickets are on sale via watermill.org.uk/The-Lord-Of-The-Rings.
As the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday, he gifts his nephew Frodo his inheritance – including his most precious belonging – a gold ring. Little does he know that his legacy will confront Frodo with an immense and impossible task; a perilous journey across the darkest realms of Mordor to foil the Dark Lord’s quest for total dominion.
Paul Hart said, “Welcoming the cast and creative teams into rehearsals this week has been hugely exciting. The Lord of the Rings is one of the most epic stories ever written, and our production will hopefully bring audiences closer to the heart of this story than ever before – both figuratively and literally in our intimate 200 seat theatre. What’s central to this production is that we’re telling it through the perspective of the Hobbits and hopefully audiences will experience our depiction of Middle-earth with the same awe and wonderment. We’re so fortunate to be working with an incredible creative team and a truly multi-skilled group of performers and we’re determined to make a piece of theatre that will live long in the memory of all who see it!”
Claire Murray said, “For twelve weeks, we are welcoming audiences to experience this incredible musical in our very special corner of West Berkshire. We’re so excited to welcome new audiences to the theatre, coming from far and wide to visit our beautiful grounds for the first time, as well as our wonderful and loyal audiences who have visited us many times before, to see us using our space in a new and exciting way. With the design of the show spilling out from the theatre across our gardens, audiences will be welcomed into the Shire for dinner and drinks in our Restaurant or Garden Café on the lawn, before joining in the celebrations for Bilbo’s birthday which marks the start of the show. Any production is a team effort, and we’re so grateful to our wider community for their support, particularly those who are so kindly hosting our thirty-strong company this summer, and all those who are sharing in our excitement.”
Fredrica Drotos, Director of Brand and Licensing at Middle-earth Enterprises added; “Middle-earth Enterprises along with our good partners at Kevin Wallace Ltd can’t imagine a more fitting locale for the live staging of the Fellowship’s epic adventures from the Shire to Mordor, and back again, than at the Watermill Theatre, set in the bucolic Berkshire countryside.”
The Lord of the Rings will be directed by Paul Hart with design by Simon Kenny, Musical Supervision and Orchestrations by Mark Aspinall, Choreography by Anjali Mehra, Lighting Design by Rory Beaton, Sound Design by Adam Fisher, Projection Design by George Reeve, Associate Directed by Sibylla Archdale Kalid, Puppet Design by Charlie Tymms, and Puppetry Direction by Ashleigh Cheadle. The stage management team are Cat Pewsey (CSM), Katie Newton (DSM), Natalie Toney and Fern Bamber (ASMs) with –Leila Stephenson (ASM Placement).
The Watermill is a 200-seat regional powerhouse, with an unparalleled reputation for producing bold, world-class theatre with local and national reach from its home in West Berkshire. It also has an extensive programme of community outreach, and schools touring work, and a firm commitment to inclusion, environmental sustainability and talent development.
