Lord of the Rings - the Musical Adaption

[Mystery Man]

Link to The Lord of the Rings Musical website

The world premiere of the first stage musical adaptation of JRR Tolkien's classic trilogy <cite>The Lord of the Rings</cite> to open in London in Spring 2005

Press Release

"<cite>The Lord of the Rings</cite>" produced by Kevin Wallace and Saul Zaentz, to be directed by Matthew Warchus.

"<cite>The Lord of the Rings</cite>", the first major stage musical adaptation of JRR Tolkien's classic trilogy, will receive its World Premiere when it opens in London in Spring 2005. This coincides with the 50th anniversary of the publication of the complete trilogy, "<cite>The Fellowship of the Ring</cite>", "<cite>The Two Towers</cite>" and "<cite>The Return of the King</cite>".

The £8 million production has book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and music by Stephen Keeling and Bernd Stromberger. McKenna & Keeling were the team responsible for the critically acclaimed West End musical "<cite>Maddie</cite>".

Award-winning Matthew Warchus will direct. His recent credits include the London musicals "<cite>Tell Me On A Sunday</cite>" and "<cite>Our House</cite>", and the Yasmina Reza plays "<cite>Life x 3</cite>", "<cite>The Unexpected Man</cite>" and "<cite>Art</cite>". Award-winning Rob Howell will design. His recent West End credits include "<cite>Our House</cite>", "<cite>Simply Heavenly</cite>", "<cite>The Graduate</cite>", "<cite>The Caretaker</cite>" and "<cite>Sophie's Choice</cite>" at The Royal Opera House.

"<cite>The Lord of the Rings</cite>" will be produced by Kevin Wallace and Saul Zaentz. Kevin Wallace has produced the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals "<cite>Whistle Down the Wind</cite>", <cite>The Beautiful Game</cite>", "<cite>Jesus Christ Superstar</cite>" and "<cite>Sunset Boulevard</cite>". His other London productions include the critically acclaimed "<cite>Gagarin Way</cite>" and "<cite>Eden</cite>". Saul Zaentz, whose film productions include the award-winning "<cite>One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest</cite>", "<cite>Amadeus</cite>", " <cite>The Unbearable Lightness of Being</cite>" and "<cite>The English Patient</cite>", was this year awarded the <abbr title="British Academy of Film and Television Arts">BAFTA</abbr> 'Academy Fellowship'.

 

[Cannibal_Kender]

Argh!!!!!

 

[NiTessine]

For some reason, I cannot avoid the image of Gollum doing the duet of Christine and the Phantom from Phantom of the Opera all by himself, or of hobbits singing "Do You Hear the People Sing" during the Scouring of the Shire.

This might suck mightily. Then again, it might not. We shall see.

 

[mojo1701]

This I would never have imagined.

Now, a Star Wars musical...

 

[KenM]

I heard about this a couple of years back. I don't know how they can squeeze all of it into a 2.5 hour musical and still be faithful.

 

[thalmin]

This sounds sooooo wrong.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

All I can think of is something along the lines of Mark Hamill singing Luke be a Jedi Tonight in the Simpsons. That and the Planet of the Apes Musical also from the Simpsons.

 

[KenM]

Someone tryed to do a musical based on Shogun awhile ago, that bombed.
http://www.jamesclavell.net/shogun_musical.htm

 

[Filby]

Dear Lord, this is sacrelige.

Pardon me while I commit seppuku.

 

[shilsen]

Considering that Tolkien thought one of the most important aspects of Middle Earth was the poetry and music of its peoples, this seems quite appropriate.