Regular readers will know that The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale has been playing at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (quick, catch it before it closes on Sept 1!); and will then head down under, first to New Zealand and then to Australia. Staffer Madeye Gamgee went to see the show in Chicago, and was fortunate to have an opening preview conversation with Producer Kevin Wallace.
“This is all about the Hobbits telling their story.”
Pippin (Ben Mathew), Sam (Michael Kurowski), Frodo (Spencer Davis Milford), and Merry (Eileen Doan) dance as only hobbits can.
This Gandalfian counsel from The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale producer Kevin Wallace provides an essential lens for anyone engaging in the magic that sweeps across the Chicago stage in this re-imagined production of the epic Tolkien classic. Just as Tolkien himself discovered upon penning, “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit,” so too this musical seeks to transform the epic into the intimate, connecting us to joyfully humble hobbit roots through memorable songs, sparkling dance, and music from the performers themselves. “It’s a retelling of their story,” per Wallace; appropriately so given Frodo’s entrusting of the Red Book of Westmarch to Sam and his progeny. The songs go ever on and on.
Originally conceived “as a great piece of commercial art” in its mithril-financed, three-act/3.5 hour initial form for Toronto (2006) and London’s West End (2007-8), ‘The Lord of the Rings Musical’ has seen a renaissance at a much more hobbit-like scale. Now billed more simply as A Musical Tale, the 2023 revival at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury (UK) dropped an entire act, reduced the number of actors by more than 40, and compressed the run time by nearly an hour. (You can find staffer greendragon’s review of that production here.) “Compared to the earlier productions, this is ‘rough’ theater,” Wallace explained. “It’s hobbits telling their story with what’s available to them… It’s actually ‘big’ theater with the illusion of being ‘poor’. You’re allowed to see how we’re doing it.” Which is why Pippin goes to war carrying a cello, a feat which comes off surprisingly well, to the consternation of a few marauding orcs; and we’re talking some serious swordsmanship by the double bass player.
Two and three quarter hours to cover the whole book? Really?
Spencer Davis Milford as Frodo and Tom Amandes as Gandalf
The PJ extended edition movies combined run for over 12 hours of content, and listening to the unabridged audiobooks will take you at least 54 hours at regular speed. So how is it possible to pack all of this theatrical Third Age goodness into the flight time between New York and Chicago (and still in time to wrap up before all the local restaurants close)? Kevin Wallace is very familiar with the challenge: “Given the films, we must satisfy our audience’s primary expectations.” Appearances by a very shadowy and flame-flowing Balrog, a stage-filling Shelob, and an especially spot-on and athletic homage to Andy Serkis’ Gollum (by actor Tony Bozzuto) certainly fed these appetites. “The essence of the story, though, is Sam’s and Frodo’s journey. Side sections have to fall away…” So the lands of Gondor and Rohan become “the Lands of Men”, Théoden and Denethor combine to become simply the “Steward of Gondor”, and we lose storylines and characters that many find dear. All you lovers of beacon-lighting, Paths of the Dead/Dead Marshes, and “I am no man” heroics may need a post-play re-watching, particularly of the second two movies, to scratch those particular itches. But even though there’s still no Bombadil, if you’ve ever wondered what John Lithgow’s version of Treebeard would sound like, this is the production for you.
Still, this is no mere cryptic condensation – despite what some less flattering critics have dwelled on since the inaugural performances in London and Toronto. This production certainly rewards any who are already familiar with the LotR story and personalities, whether through the book and/or movies: character connections are easier, e.g., between Merry and Pippin or Frodo and Gandalf; and plot compression leaves room for personal appreciation of excluded side quests and lost details. I found that the musical’s condensed frame actually served to intensify how I experienced some core Tolkien themes: the blending of voices, musical languages, and cultures in a functioning (and whirling) Fellowship; the enchantment and providential intricacy of dance as an element of creation and connection; the longing and reassurance of beauty observable in stellar spheres, sharply contrasted with the darkness that lingers here in Middle-earth (thank you, Kevin, for continuing to defend the inclusion of “The Star of Eärendil” on the song list!); and especially the hope and heartbreak of repentance, sometimes attained as with Boromir, and sometimes approached and then rejected, as with Gollum’s tragic tale. This was beautifully portrayed (far better than anything PJ produced) in Gollum’s self-aborted restoration to a more noble, never-ending story of worthy Hobbit heroes, as sung by Frodo and Sam in the poignant “Now and for Always” as they approach Mordor and Shelob’s snares. Gollum’s plaintive lyrical mimicry, and the mirroring choreography as he and Frodo together reach for some unseen saving grace, all leverage live theater powerfully in a demonstration of their shared addiction, and diverging paths, given the power of the One Ring. We even hear a faint note of self-sacrifice from Sméagol as he falls toward the Cracks of Doom, “Master is free…”
While condensed, this Musical Tale still manages to offer worthy, and unique, moments to integrate into the ways you may have experienced the artistic and thematic power of Tolkien’s story.
The Road Keeps Going Ever On
The Red Book of Westmarch gets a new owner at the Grey Havens in this production, too!
The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale continues to evolve. “Our Watermill production was a beautiful, intricate Swiss watch,” said Wallace. “Now, here in Chicago, we’ve built a more highly sophisticated Swiss clock.” Even with all the sets, puppetry, and props shipped in from last year’s UK production, the US premiere enjoys a larger venue than the Watermill, courtesy of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s innovative and flexible stage, The Yard. Director Paul Hart works wonders in leveraging this flexibility, from multilevel balconies built into the set, to Gollum’s gymnastic entrance from mid-audience to begin Act 2, to the lighting and mechanical magic that the set makes possible. The US cast and orchestration has also grown a bit from its Watermill roots, adding four new cast members/musicians (including that dangerous double bass). “It’s a production with Chicago ownership, reflecting the demographics and acting talent of the city,” added Wallace.
So where does the Road lead once the Chicago production wraps on September 1? The Civic Theater in Auckland has already scored a similar limited run as Chicago’s, with shows from the 5th though the 24th of November. And just announced is an Australia premiere, with performances beginning at the Sydney State Theater on January 7, 2025. And whither then? Well, wait and see!
“This production is not only a phenomenal opportunity, but also a huge responsibility. You just don’t want to take it for granted… In time, others will take the words and the music and ask, ‘How will I tell that story?’ But we’re still in our infancy with this one.” Suffice it to say that Kevin Wallace has dreams. Big dreams. Take some jewelry to Mordor big, unsurprisingly.
The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale continues through September 1 at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. You can find tickets on their website, here.
Staffer Madeye Gamgee and his wife Rosie (Emily and Jim Wert) bookend longtime TORn friend/birthday girl Prof. Constance Wagner, and our new friend Michael Kurowski post-preview. And Samwise sure sports some stylish shoes when not in hairy feet!
In our latest episode of the Collecting The Precious Podcast, we are chatting about the amazing collectibles that we saw during San Diego Comic-Con 2024 from Weta Workshop, Vanderstelt Studio, Diamond Select Toys, Iron Studios, and Cliff Cramp Illustration. We’ll be discussing what we hope to see as we work towards next years SDCC, and we’ll also talk about Jim’s first time attending SDCC.
As always thanks for watching and taking the time to support what we do here at TheOneRing.net.
It’s already been a week since San Diego Comic-Con , which was an expected crammed full with good things for Tolkien fans. Here’s a look back on all the Middle-earth related happenings from SDCC 2024.
Panels
Hall H
On Friday morning Prime Video took over Hall H. Fans who made it through the long wait in line were treated to an opening montage of clips from Prime Video shows – which included little snippets of Season 2 of The Rings of Power which had not yet been seen elsewhere. The 10am slot was an hour of irreverent fun from the cast of The Boys; this was followed by The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power hour.
TORn friends in line for Hall H!
Bear McCreary, drummers and male voices got this off to a great start, with compelling music from Season 2. Immediately after that, a clip played – which, interestingly, was our first time hearing the name Annatar spoken on screen. (He isn’t named as such in the current trailer – which was shown later during the hour.)
Host Yvette Nicole Brown was joined on stage by many cast members. Present were:
Showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne
Cyntha Addai-Robinson (Míriel)
Robert Aramayo (Elrond)
Maxim Baldry (Isildur)
Morfydd Clark (Galadriel)
Ismael Cruz Córdova (Arondir)
Charles Edwards (Celebrimbor)
Trystan Gravelle (Pharazon)
Ema Horvath (Eärien)
Tyroe Muhafidin (Theo)
Sophia Nomvete (Disa)
Lloyd Owen (Elendil)
Megan Richards (Poppy)
Charlie Vickers (Sauron)
Benjamin Walker (Gil-galad)
Daniel Weyman (The Stranger)
And joining them a little later – Sam Hazeldine (who takes over the role of Adar, from Joseph Mawle) and Robert Strange (the orc Glug).
Host Yvette Nicole Brown with Charlie Vickers, Morfydd Clark, and Benjamin Walker
The showrunners talked about how Season 2 is ‘Charlie vs Charlie’ – the collaboration which becomes confrontation between Sauron and Celebrimbor. Morfydd Clark said she thought Galadriel had perhaps learned, in Season 1, ‘Don’t trust handsome men!’ Robert Aramayo remarked on Elrond’s complicated relationship with Galadriel – that he feels she has made mistakes, but ultimately believes her to be a force for good.
We were treated to some fabulous behind the scenes footage, showing the forging of the rings. Lloyd Owen spoke of the battle for the soul of Númenor which we would see starting in Season 2 – and of Elendil’s own battle between his love for his country and his love for his daughter.
It was confirmed that the spider seen in the trailer is none other than Shelob. Megan Richards hinted at a possible romance for the Harfoot Poppy, and Sophia Nomvete shared that we would get more powerful singing from her, as Disa resonates the stone in Khazad-dûm.
Audience questions
In answers to the questions posed to the ensemble from the floor, showrunner McKay said yes, there is ‘room for Glorfindel’ in The Rings of Power – and possibly even Ungoliant? Ismael Cruz Córdova said, when asked if there was a chance that Arondir could be Theo’s real father, that though the Elf is not Theo’s Dad, he does step into a fatherhood role in this season.
In another clip shown, we saw artist John Howe sketching all of the rings of power. To end an amazing hour, Ben Walker confirmed that Gil-galad sings in the show; and then he stepped up and gave us an example of his wonderful Elvish singing.
Friday evening’s panel
Room 25 ABC was packed out for TheOneRing.net’s panel, where we were joined by some very special guests. TORn staffers on the panel were Justin Sewell and Clifford Scott Broadway (familiar to followers from TORn Tuesday); Josh Long and Jim Wert (‘Collecting the Precious’); and moderator Kirsten Cairns (aka greendragon). Guest Matt Graf (Nerd of the Rings) joined them.
From L to R: John Mayo, Josh, Jim, Matt Graf, Lee Guinchard, Cliff, Justin, Jason DeMarco, Joseph Chou, Kirsten
The panel began by welcoming to the stage producers from The War of the Rohirrim, Jason DeMarco and Joseph Chou. They set up exclusive footage, kindly provided by Warner Bros. for us to show at the panel. Gaia Wise (who voices Héra in the film) had a video greeting for TORn, and this was followed by a lovely message from producer Philippa Boyens. And then we got our first glimpse of the movie. (Sorry we can’t share you with it here – but the buzz in the room was epic!)
De Marco and Chou were generous in their answering of questions, explaining why Héra seemed the ideal choice of character to tie together the various threads of the story; why anime is an ideal format for telling a tale from Middle-earth; and how they decided to hire many British stage actors for the voice work, as they feel anime needs the ‘bigger’ acting style used on stage. They also talked about how it was a true collaboration amongst all the artists involved, but how Kenji Kamiyama and Peter Jackson have quite different styles – and ultimately, it is Kamiyama’s vision we will see on screen.
DeMarco and Chou then left the stage, and the audience were treated to some exclusive new images from the upcoming game Tales of the Shire. We were then honoured to welcome, from Middle-earth Enterprises, VP of Creative and Product Development John Mayo, and none other than the President, Lee Guinchard. Middle-earth Enterprises own the licensing rights – originally sold by Tolkien himself – to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This means they are involved in all the gaming and film adaptations, as well as the licensed merchandise out there. (TheOneRing.net is licensed by Middle-earth Enterprises.)
Not surprisingly, Guinchard wasn’t giving anything away when we asked him about the upcoming film The Hunt for Gollum; but he did say he was excited for the project. He was keen to emphasize how Middle-earth Enterprises take seriously their custody of Tolkien’s creation, and that they approach each license with exacting standards, and with love for the Professor’s realm. He even hinted that he perhaps sometimes lurks in TORn’s message boards or Discord chat!
We could have talked for much longer, both to the producers from Warner Bros. and the gents from Middle-earth Enterprises. But alas, time ran out. We’re so grateful to all the guests who appeared on our panel, and who provided content. Special thanks to WB for providing some of the first official The War of the Rohirrim ‘swag’ for folks who were in the audience.
I am No Man: the Creative Women of Middle-earth
This panel took place on Saturday afternoon, in room 5AB – and rather than telling you about it, how about you watch it yourself? Moderator TORn staffer Kellie Rice was joined by women leaders from Weta Workshop, EA games, Wizards of the Coast, and Middle-earth Enterprises; hear what they had to say in this video of the panel:
Party
TheOneRing.net were honoured to co-host, with Prime Video, The Rings of Power Middle-earth Moot! Venue 808 was beautifully decorated, with photo opportunities and with stunning costumes on show. All of the rings of power (apart from the ONE ring) were on display to be ooh’d and aah’d over by party goers; and some lucky fans had an opportunity to meet the cast, and have a poster autographed.
Beautiful cosplay was worn by some attendees, and a good time was had by all. Enjoy some photographs (thanks for Ellen Monocroussos for taking some of these):
TheOneRing.net Booth
We were delighted to be joined at our booth this year by Nerd of the Rings Matt Graf, and Jordan Rannells, creator of A Long Expected Soundscape. Fans were excited to meet Matt, and his shirts and caps sold out. The Long Expected Soundscape was perhaps unexpected for many fans – but folks loved having the opportunity to experience the atmospheric audio world created by Rannells. No less a person than Bear McCreary himself was wowed by what he heard! (Find out more about Rannells’ amazing work, here.)
Composers Bear McCreary and Jordan Rannells at TORn’s booth
Staffer Kellie Rice, aka Happy Hobbit, was also at the booth – and her shirts, along with TORn’s ‘Gollum/Smeagol ’24’ election shirt, all sold out as well.
The maestro of Middle-earth, Jed Brophy, thrilled fans throughout the convention, with amazing tales of hijinks and heroics on set (for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit movies, AND The Rings of Power!) We were also joined by many other special guests over the course of the weekend; Knewbettadobetta worked with Matt to host a brilliant trivia session, and fans were delighted to chat with Tea with Tolkien and The Tolkien Professor.
And that was a wrap for SDCC 2024! Next stop, DragonCon; if you’re hoping to snag one of our sold out ‘Gollum/Smeagol ’24’ shirts, that will be your opportunity! We look forward to seeing our fellow fans there. Meanwhile, big thanks to all who partied, chatted, and celebrated the Middle-earth fandom with us in San Diego.
Don’t forget, you can always hang out with your fellow fans at TheOneRing Discord – see you there!
Earlier this year, toy manufacturer Funko released a series of The Lord of the Rings figures in its ‘Bitty POP!’ format. Today they announced the expansion of this line to create a ‘Bittyverse’. The manufacturers say, ‘A refreshing extension of the core Bitty POP! line, Bittyverse focuses on enhancing the playability of the miniature Funko products by inviting fans to mix and match with new, IP-driven Rides, Towns and Displays.’ In The Lord of the Rings line, this means their Frodo Baggins figure gets his own Hobbit hole.
Part of the ‘Bitty POP Town’ range, the Hobbit hole is released today and retails for $9.99. Official details:
Your favorite The Lord of the Rings POP! collectibles have been shrunk into Bitty POP! collectibles. Expand your collection with Bitty POP! Town Frodo Baggins™ with the Ring and the Shire! Bitty POP! figure is packaged in a hard acrylic display case with a detachable bottom lid. The detachable bottom lid doubles as an acrylic base, to which the Bitty POP! figure is adhered. Remove this exclusive Bitty POP! Frodo Baggins™ from his display case so he can step inside the Bitty POP! Town The Shire! Vinyl figures are approximately 0.9 and 2-inches tall.
A bit more information about the Bittyverse, from Funko’s press release:
Taking the tiny figures to the next level of play, Bitty POP! Rides let fans take new Bittys on the “open” road with IP-specific Rides. Fans can also utilize new releases to drive into Bitty POP! Towns, which offer a variety of iconic IP-inspired buildings and locations. Each Town comes with a related Bitty POP! and case that can be placed within the Town. The latest releases allow fans to create endless combinations and run wild with their imaginations as they have the opportunity to place any Bitty POP! in a Bitty Ride or Town!
Funko POP! collectors will be delighted by these adorable additions to the Bittyverse. We wonder if eventually Frodo will get his own Bill the Pony ‘Bitty POP! Ride’…?
If you’re a fan, like I am, of the awesome figures our friends at Diamond Select Toys are doing, and you’re going to be at Comic-Con this year, you’ll want to make sure you get this.
This year their exclusive collectible representing The Lord of the Rings, is a fantastic looking deluxe version figurine of Gimli. From the images we have been provided, a number of hands, weapons, and two head sculpts are included with the figurine.
Con attendees will be able to grab this for $40 at the show, and, if any are left, you can get them on Diamond Select the Monday after the Con.
We’re delighted to reveal a special collaboration we’ve worked on with our friends at Oscha: TheOneRing.net 25th Anniversary mug! Now available for pre-order.
This beautiful mug has on one side Oscha’s own ‘Doors of Durin’ design, and on the other, TORn’s special 25th Anniversary logo:
The mugs are only available as a limited edition. You can pre-order online direct from Oscha; and we’ll also have a limited quantity of mugs available for purchase in person at DragonCon this year. (Sorry, we won’t have the mugs at SDCC this week; but we will have pre-order information!) Please note, this pre-order is for a VERY limited period – it ends July 31st at 4pm BST (11am EST). So don’t delay – order this mug and celebrate the 25 years we’ve had together so far. The road goes ever on….!
