“We are hoping it will bring new young male audiences to musical theatre, who may be gamers and not your normal theatregoers or book readers.”
The stage show starts as the hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday in the Shire, as he gifts his nephew Frodo his most precious belonging – a gold ring.
Spencer Davis Milford as Frodo and Tom Amandes as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale, in Chicago.Credit: Liz Lauren
It showcases the same characters beloved by generations of readers, such as Gandalf, Aragorn and Galadriel and villains Sauron and Gollum, but the stage version focuses on the fellowship between Frodo and his friend, Samwise Gamgee.
With book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna (Maddie, La Cava) and Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day), it features a folk-inspired score, with original music by Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire), Finnish folk band Varttina, and Tony Award winner Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical).
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After a successful season in 2023 at The Watermill Theatre in the United Kingdom, the show transferred to Chicago, where it runs until September 1, and has attracted legions of superfans dressed up as wizards, elves and other favourite characters.
The show will open at Sydney’s State Theatre on January 7, with tickets starting at $69.
Helen Pitt travelled to Chicago courtesy of GWB Entertainment.
Source Agencies
