Musical? That's news.

[easterlinge]

Tell us more about this musical. Do the Nazgul get to sing? Does the Balrog do a dance routine?

[Kyote Fields]

No good can come from this....:(

[Darth Tater]

The Tolkien Trail is now hosting the musical. I recommend you go read it. It's in our Rivendell section and well worth your time

[Kyote Fields]

So how are they going to do the hobbits? Young kids or munchkins? Does anyone know more about the play then is posted on The Tolkien Trail? When's it scheduled to come out and where? That Balrog is going to be a big guy in a black monster suit. I don't see any way that this'll be done right. And the cut Saruman out entirely!!

[Renille]

I read it already! I really want to act in it. I wonder where it's first coming out, so I can audition? Or at least see it.

[webwizard333]

Everyone who goes to Entcon can act it out!

[hama1]

Hello to all who travel the Tolkien Trail. My name is Brad Marston and I am the librettist, lyricist, composer of The One Ring , a new musical in development, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic, epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings.

First and foremost, I would like to thank Ben for his generous offer to host The One Ring at Tolkien Trail. When our original web hosting service, theglobe.com shut down I was in a quandary as to how to proceed as we had attracted over 4000 visitors in a few months and having a presence on the Internet has been a big boost to developing the project.

As you can all imagine, there have been a myriad of coments about the project since we launched the site in May of this year. I am gratified that most of those who reacted negatively at first have been won over since reading material on the site or having their questions or concerns answered on various discussion boards. That is one of the reasons I am so excited about having a forum at Entmoot in order to be able to continue those discussions.

There are a couple of very positive reviews of the material at Lugburz and xenite.org. Both talk about the power and emotion of the lyrics. As we will not have the power of imagination available to readers of the Trilogy or the power of special effects available to Peter Jackson in the films, I have stressed the human or inter-personal relationships in the story and hopefully have writeen music and lyrics which properly convey the power of the emotions contained in LOTR. I am traveling at the moment but when I return home later this week I will post links to those reviews.

As for some of the posts so far, I am gratified that someone has visited the site and is interested in auditioning. I also appreciate Darth Tater's comment that it is well worth the read. As to cutting out Saruman, that was not my first choice. Originally, Saaruman and the Destruction of Isengard were in the script. However, after the intial reading of the script, it was apparent that it was too long and had too many characters. I chose to hang the story on the relationship between Aragorn and Gandalf and the Quest and the relationship between Frodo and Sam. If it didn't meet those criteria, I was hard pressed to include it in the final draft. Now before anyone has to big a fit, please admit to yourself that Tolkien himself had to make difficult choices as to what he actually put in LOTR.

Well I guess that's about it for now. I hope I can be a more frequent visitor and poster when I return home later this week. As far as dancing hobbits and Balrogs, well no...of course not. I don't foresee casting children in the roles of hobbits. As a very wise colleague of mine said..."You don't need actors who are short. You need actors who can ACT short." Also, as theater-goers are trained to suspend disbelief, if Aragorn, et al, are 6'5" or taller and the hobbits are 5' or shorter and then staged properly on a raked, or slanted stage, it will be enough to let the audience accept that the Hobbits and Gimli are much shorter than the human characters or the elves.

Sincerely,

Brad Marston

[easterlinge]

Hopefully you will get around to doing a musical of "Beren and Luthien". What with Luthien singing and putting Angband to sleep, Finrod's magical song duel with Sauron......etc.

[hama]

Well that's certainly an interesting idea and one that others who have suggested that I do a musical on a small part of LotR or perhaps the Hobbit would agree with. However, I think I will continue to focus on re-writes and nailing down a producer for The One Ring before I look at any other projects.

[hama]

In response to Kyote Fields "I don't see anyway this will be done right." I don't know how much you know about musical theater but I think it might help to think of the One Ring more as an opera rather than a "musical" such as Annie, Oklahoma or Cats. I have written The One Ring more in the vein of Les Miserables, Miss Saigon or Ragtime which are very serious and epic in scope.

I am a huge Tolkien fan and if I didn't feel this project could be done in a way that is a tribute to Tolkien's work, I wouldn't do it.

[hama]

Just as an FYI the reviews I mentioned earlier are at

Xenite.org Review (http://www.xenite.org/faqs/lotr_movie/news_0000/398.html) and

Lugburz Review (http://www.homestead.com/lugburz/review1.html)

[Pippin Skywalker]

How can I audition? :)

[Elanor]

I would love to be involved in something like this! Even if I can just comment :)

[hama]

Pippin,

There are no auditions scheduled at the moment. However we are planning to be in the studio withing the next 60 days to record 6 or 7 songs for a final demo CD. You can e-mail me at mbradmarston@msn.com and I would be happy to send you the address to send headshot/resume.

Elanor, Comment? Please do!!! Currently Act One, Scene One, a synopsis of the script and lyrics of many of the major songs are available here atTHE ONE RING (http://www.tolkientrail.com/theoneringmusical) I would love to hear what you think. As the show is still in development, your suggestions may end up on stage.

[Elven Warrior Maiden]

I saw what was written. Shouldn't bother emailing you hama, no way I could audition.
1: I wouldn't be aloud
2: I'm in Australia
3: I'm a girl, and there aren't many girl parts.

I'm starting to feel depressed. Guess I'll just have to comment and help, like Elanor said, if I want to do anything.


Just a thought, Pippin Skywalker, cool name.

[hama]

Well I would love it if Elanor or anyone else here would comment and help half as much as you are.

[Pippin Skywalker]

Where will all this take place? I'm in Britain...visiting.....

I am really from NY. :)

[hama]

I'll be in NYC troughout October and November directing the recording of the cd...let me know when you'll be in town and maybe you can sit in on one of the sessions...

[samwise of the shire]

THIS IS REALLY TAKING PLACE? SEND ME A VIDEO TAPE PULEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

[hama]

Sam...no wonder they call you wise...I had planned on taking still photos of the recording session and of course making the music available but I hadn't considered shooting a video. Of course it will only be the recording session and not a video of a full blown production but I think it could be interesting to people.

Thanks so much.

[garrfin]

has the production finished now?is it coming to Britain?:(

[hama]

Well I have to answer this post as you live in Marsden Moor. Although I always thought it was Marston Moor. LOL. The script is finished, orchestrations are being written now and we hope to record the demo CD soon. The hunt will then be on for a producer. My hope is to open the show in London given the lagacy of the source material.

[Pippin Skywalker]

Hey London!?! WOW! It so happens I'm IN London....will you be casting the production there as well? Details me lad...details!!!

[hama]

Details are a bit sketchy at the moment. I can only say that this is the year. With the interest from the films, and the reletively long lead time in bringing a show to Broadway (or the West End), I think if I can't land a producer now, I don't think I can get it done.

[Pippin Skywalker]

How much money is needed for a production like this? You could try advertising...TheOneRing.net gets tons of hits...maybe they will help you out...

Xoanon Posts: One Ring Musical: Producer Needed!!

:D :D :D

[hama]

We have sketched out rough numbers and assume that to open the show in New York would run approximately $13 to $15 million and $9 to $11 million if it opened in London. (UK has lower costs primarily due to easier union work rules.)

A show of this size would need an established production organization such as Cameron MacIntosh's, the Schubert Organization etc. There are a million details that have to be attended to even after the money is raised. I intend to go the traditional route and have my agent shop it around to the dozen or so producers large enough to do it right. Now how they raise the money is up to them and using lotr.net might be an option. Producers never, or almost never use their own money but rather raise it from investors or "Angels" as they are called in the theatre world.

[Laurelyn]

Musical? That's news, all right - GOOD NEWS!

[hama]

Wow Laurelyn,

Thanks for the whole hearted support. Others have a more jaundiced view. I am glad you think it is a good idea.

Brad

[Luineeldaiel]

Just a note of thanks--took a look at all you've done at Rivendell--awesome!!! Especially took note of the music of the different artists you listed--wonderful and inspiring!!! Thank you so much:)

[hama]

Thanks but I think that post was meant for the web master Ben.

[Agburanar]

Hello. It's been a while but I'm back....

So much more script than when I was here last, I'm gonna have to get reading it! Hama, did you get the Nazgul design thingy I sent you? My e-mail is a little hap-hazard at the moment.

[hama]

Yes I got it and think it is remarkable. I need to talk with Ben about getting a spot on the site for your designs. Thank you.

[Uusoae]

When the play has been shown in the proffessional theatres are you planning on giving it an amateur license?

[hama1]

I honestly hadn't thought that far ahead. Amatuer licensing is usually the eventual outcome for plays and musicals. However, I cannot imagine an amatuer theatre company having the resources required to stage a production I would be willing to sign off on.

[Agburanar]

I just read back over this post, you wanna open in London? Excellent, at least I'll be in the right country. You might find the stages are a little bit smaller here though...

[hama1]

Ag...
Yes I think London is the natural place to open. Ah another British import. LOL...

[Elf-woman 2890]

I dont know about this. I mean this is the first time i heard of a musicalabout LOTR. Hobbit would be better for the stage.Oh well , it could turn out okay I just have to waitand see.This is my first time on entmoot too.

[hama1]

Elfwoman,

Welcome to The Tolkien Trail. I am bothe pleased that your first vist to TT brought you to The One Ring as well as curious as to why you think The Hobbit would make a better show for the stage.

Hama

[HOBBIT]

Maybe he thinks the Hobbit would be better because it would be shorter and has a simple plot. But that has been done before. I know it has, for I have been to a production of The Hobbit in some theatre in New Jersey several years ago.

[Darth Tater]

The Hobbit stage play is absolute crap.

[HOBBIT]

I didnt say it was any good. :p

[hama1]

I have never seen the Hobbit stage play so I have no opinion. However I can say that I didn't particularly enjoy reading the Hobbit and never considered adapting it to the stage. LotR seemed a natural. As I have always maintained, with all the songs and lyrics in the source material, I believe LotR is already a musical. It just needed to be adapted to the stage. I am always curious about posts about line-dancing hobbits or Balrogs singing. I can't figure out why posters think I would inject elements into the story that don't exist in the source material. I guess theu can't be bothered to read the script or synopsis and/or don't really understand musical theatre.

[Celandine]

A musical? HAHAHA I would want to see this it would be very funny. I would probably enjoy it, a lot. :D

[hama1]

Actually the lack of humorous elements in the adaption is one of my major concerns. Areas that I have focused on bringing to the show are the elemnets of humor in the rivalry between Gimli and Legolas, interchanges between Merry and Pippin and of course the relationship between Sam and Frodo which in and of itself is not particularly "humorous" but at times light hearted when juxtaposed against the grim reality of the quest.

[Elbereth]

Sorry Hama, but i agree with koyote fields, no good can come of this...

[hama1]

Have you read it?

[Elbereth]

no, didn't know you could read it...where?

[HOBBIT]

Sheesh, why bother posting badmouthing the play if you haven't even read it????? In some other topic, people were asking questions that could be EASILY ANSWERED by reading the One ring musical site first. I even posted a link.
It is hosted by the Tolkien Trail - you know big link from main page. I wouldn't think to look there. :D

The One Ring Musical (http://www.tolkientrail.com/theoneringmusical/)

Sorry if I seem harsh, but If I were Hama I'd be ticked off if people were posting that "no good could come from the play" if they hadn't even read it! Read it, then decide. :)

[Galenavar]

Hello there. This is only my second time posting in Entmoot, but I saw this discussion and had to know more. I have read the script, and I think that this is terrific! I'm really into musical theatre and I think that deciding to do this after the fashion of Les Miserable or Miss Saigon is the perfect idea. The editing out of some characters was understandable and the right decisions were made, in my humble opinion. Also, nothing extra was added. That is good. My compliments to hama1! :D

[hama1]

To Hobbit, Galenavar and all others...

First to Hobbit, I appreciate your eloquent words in my defence. I have spent three years of my life writing, re writing and re writing the book lyrics and music for this project and thus perhaps it is not unreasonable to expect someone to spend 30 minutes reading the synopsis and the first act of the script. But then Elbereth didn't know that these things were available on the Tolkien Trail. Now he/she does and I welcome his/her comments/critisms/suggestions. (Actually I think I have been helped a great deal by such feedback in the past.)

As far as getting ticked off, I am still so grateful to Ben and Tolkien Trail giving The One Ring a home, and recognizing that the posters here are members of the Tolkien Trail if I do get ticked off I do my best to not show it.

Finally, a post like the one from Galenavar makes all the trials and tribulations worth it. Understanding that I had to edit out characters and then agreeing with my decisions is incredibly re-affirming. The comments about Les Miserables and Miss Saigon are also appreciated.

Basically, I don't know if someone, anyone should have tried to write a musical adaptation of LotR but I chose to do so and I honestly feel I have done a reasonably good job of it.

Sincerely,

Hama/Brad

[Katt_knome_hobbit]

My friends and I would have given anything to be in it, but we are all the way over here in Washington State. DARN!

Is this going to play on Brodway? Will you be touring? Maybe comming to Seattle?

[hama1]

Seattle or Bust....

I was born and raised in Seattle. My father was on the board of the Seattle Rep...If The One RIng tours it will definietlely come to seattle.

[Katt_knome_hobbit]

Yay! It sounds great! :D

[hama1]

Well keep your fingers crossed for us!

[azalea]

I have a question: since the movie has had so much success, if you found a backer tomorrow, how long would it take to open? I guess my point is would you mind it opening before all three movies are released, or would you prefer it to open after that to avoid the inevitable comparisons, and comments that might be made about the play being done "because of the movies" or something like that? (I know it's been in the works since long before the movie release, but "the masses" wouldn't know). If it were to open before the release of RotK, would you plan it to be, say, in the spring or summer to avoid it being the same time as the movie opening? Just curious.

[hama1]

azalea...congratulations....I think you have just asked the most intriging question yet. If we found a backer tomorrow my best guess is that it would take 6 months to a year to open the show depending on the availability of a suitably large theatre. My dream is to open the show in London's West End and then transport it to Broadway. As far as openng it before the release of RotK I would love to...it is after all show BUSINESS...Titanic the musical and Titanic the movie opened somewhat contemporaneuosly and I think the musical was helped by the movie release.

The economics are so different for ticket buyers between theater and movies that I don't think the musical would have any effect on the movies. The top ticket price for a Broadway show ranges from $85 to $120 a seat though what drives grosses are group sales at somewhat discounted prices.

If I had a choice as to when the show opened it would be march or april as april is the last month you can open a show and be eligilble for that ears Tony Awards which are given out in June....That way if the show is good, it has a strong "buzz" going into the Tony voting....

[azalea]

Alas, yes, I wish I could afford to see live theater more often! It's been so long since I've been to a musical, and there's nothing like live theater! That's why I'm glad so many musicals have been made into movies -- I get to see them (although they may not be as good as a live performance). Who knows, maybe someday The One Ring will be made into a movie!:)

[Katt_knome_hobbit]

Happy! I am so going to see it when it comes to Seattle. Do you think it will be at the 5th Ave or where? Cuz the 5th Ave is expensive and I would need to prepare. And have a party. And jump and hit my head on the celing. You get the idea.

[Telperion]

I have mixed feelings about this. The script looks GREAT!!! and I would love to see a LOTR musical. On the other hand, I don't think that it would come to Calgary, Canada, and that is pretty much the obly way i'd get to see it and so i kind of feel like, "If i can't see it, i don't want it to exist." Oh well, if they do make a movie out of it I could get that.

[hama1]

Telperion,

I am so glad you like the script. Thank you so much for taking the time to read it. (Reading scripts of plays and musicals can be so tedious.) If this ever gets produced, I am sure it will tour to Seattle or Vancouver....Is that close enough?

Hama