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LOTR The Musical!

Blue Stone writes "The Lord of The Rings, is to become a musical, to be staged in London's West End, in 2005, on the book's 50th anniversary. The £8m (US$12m) production has lyrics by Shaun McKenna and music by Stephen Keeling and Bernd Stromberger, while Matthew Warchus will direct." If they can get Leonard Nimoy to sing the Bilbo Baggins song on stage, I'd go ;)

225 comments

  1. Real Midgets! by tomakaan · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's see them actually use some real height challenged people. Stupid camera tricks!

    1. Re:Real Midgets! by Devil+Ducky · · Score: 3, Funny

      Think Dorf. All the hobbits have to walk on their knees... Just like Tolkien imagined.

      Personally I wonder how well Lothlorien will be shown with a matte painting. Ahh the beautiful two dimensional woods, the home of the two dimensional elfs.

      --

      Devil Ducky
      MY peers would get out of jury duty.
    2. Re:Real Midgets! by euxneks · · Score: 3, Funny

      tricksey fat jacksonsesss! He stole it from uss! Parts in the moviessss... and we wantss it backs!

      --
      in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
    3. Re:Real Midgets! by deathcow · · Score: 1

      Maybe not real midgets, but definitely stubby people -- please keep this under wraps:

      Word is, the "Star Wars Kid", Ghyslain, will perform as Sauroman in the energetic staff battle
      with Gandalf.

    4. Re:Real Midgets! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Midgets, while once politically correct and even the "medical-ese" term for short stature, is now offensive and outdated - it conjurs up images of days when the short statured could not work anywhere except show business.

      May I suggest as alternatives, "the short statured", "dwarfs" (as in dwarfism, the current medical term, or "Little Person" (capitalized)? These are the current acceptable terms. If you want to learn more, check out LPA (Little People of America) at www.lpaonline.org.

      Note: I am myself a dwarf, being 3 feet exactly at my adult height.

    5. Re:Real Midgets! by MrBlint · · Score: 1

      According to Tom Sharp the correct term is Person Of Restricted Growth or PORG

      --
      That's very perceptive of you Mr Stapleton and rather unexpected in a G Major
    6. Re:Real Midgets! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, is it true about the women? Do they have beards too?

    7. Re:Real Midgets! by GiMP · · Score: 2, Informative

      Many people feel that the proper name for those who are genetically inclined towards dwarfism are dwarfs and those who are simply very short due to medical reasons (via disease or medical treatment) are midgets.

      Shame, that education on dwarfs and midgets in the USA is based mostly on the Howard Stern Show.

    8. Re:Real Midgets! by stanmann · · Score: 1

      And here I thought the only appropriate term these days was "Vertically Challenged". Guess I'll have to go back to dwarf.

      --
      Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
    9. Re:Real Midgets! by Conspiracy_Of_Doves · · Score: 1

      I think Harlan Ellison put it best when he said "I'm five foot five. I am a little person. YOU are a midget." Personally, I think the term 'little person' is more demeaning.

    10. Re:Real Midgets! by xanadu-xtroot.com · · Score: 1

      Think Dorf. All the hobbits have to walk on their knees...

      YOGURT!
      Who hasn't heard of Yogurt?!? Yogurt the Wise! Yogurt the All Powerful! Yogurt the Magnificent!


      Please, please, don't make a fuse. I'm just plain Yogurt.

      Heh... a classic.

      --
      I'm not a prophet or a stone-age man,
      I'm just a mortal with potential of a super man.
    11. Re:Real Midgets! by zimus · · Score: 1

      Um, Smeagol...

      --
      Is your terror cell living in terror? Is your safe-house not so safe? If so, read the New York Times, the jihad journal.
    12. Re:Real Midgets! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Many people feel that the proper name for those who are genetically inclined towards dwarfism are dwarfs and those who are simply very short due to medical reasons (via disease or medical treatment) are midgets. Shame, that education on dwarfs and midgets in the USA is based mostly on the Howard Stern Show.

      Who's the crack smoking moderator that put this one down?!? (I'm not saying I'm perfect when I have points, but geesh...). Not only is this informative, he does make a good point. Beetle Juice and others display the diference between a Dwarf and a "Midget" (or Little Person, if I have to be Politically Correct...).

      OK, I'll get modded into obvlian for this, but who cares, my opinion is out there.

    13. Re:Real Midgets! by Idarubicin · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Personally, I think the term 'little person' is more demeaning.

      No doubt it depends a great deal on context--and it probably has also evolved significantly over time. It's like the term 'geek'. Earlier in this century, a geek was "a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake."

      Later the definition was expanded to include a more general class of social misfits, eventually coming to mean those socially awkward individuals with a strong intellectual bent.

      Now, the name 'geek' has been claimed as almost a badge of honour for members of that misfit intellectual community. In some circles (I'm looking at you, gentle reader), there is no stigma attached to being considered a 'geek'. The term has been picked up by mainstream marketers (ie ThinkGeek) who probably see it as a valuable demographic.

      --
      ~Idarubicin
    14. Re:Real Midgets! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How do you feel about the term "shortarse"?

    15. Re:Real Midgets! by Bob+Uhl · · Score: 1

      IIRC `midget' and `dwarf' apply to different maladies. One is a fully-scaled miniature (rarer than the other, perhaps?), while the other has a normal sized head, smaller torso and very small arms and legs (a lot of the folks in Willow were of that type, I believe). I forget which is which, though. Perhaps you know?

    16. Re:Real Midgets! by Estevan · · Score: 1

      "Go shawty
      It's your birthday
      We gon' party like it's yo birthday"

    17. Re:Real Midgets! by foxtrot · · Score: 1

      May I suggest as alternatives, "the short statured", "dwarfs"

      While I understand your concern, please note that we're talking about Lord of the Rings here. We can't go casting "dwarfs" as hobbits.

    18. Re:Real Midgets! by FurryFeet · · Score: 1

      Dude, words are just words. Lighten up.
      (What? I just insulted fat people? What do you mean now they'r 'gravitationally handicapped? Gee...)

    19. Re:Real Midgets! by Dylan+Zimmerman · · Score: 1

      Actually, both of what you described are forms of dwarfism. The first is Pseudoachondroplasia (pronounced like sue-d'oh-a-kon-dro-plays-ya) and results in almost normal proportions for the head, face, and trunk, but slightly short and stubby hands, arms, and legs.

      The second form that you described more closely resembles Achondroplasia (same as above minus sue-d'oh). "Affected patients have short limbs (rhizomelic micromelia) and stubby, trident hands. Radiographic findings include a large cranium with a small foramen magnum."

      For more information check these two sites:

      http://www.amershamhealth.com/medcyclopaedia/Vol um e%20III%201/Pseudoachondroplasia.asp

      http://www.amershamhealth.com/medcyclopaedia/Vol um e%20III%201/achondroplasia.asp

    20. Re:Real Midgets! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ahh, but in LOTR they're "dwarves." Tolkien was the first to use "dwarves" as a plural for "dwarf."

  2. i can hear it now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I can already hear one of hte songs: "We threw this love story in just for the girls"

  3. holy bombadil! by m1chael · · Score: 1

    this has the potential to beat down the lion king, frodo.

    --
    I know you are psychotic, but please make an effort.
  4. All together now by martinthebrit · · Score: 4, Funny

    We're off to see the wizard.....

  5. Should be funny by l2718 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Fitting all six books into a reasonably long show will be hilarious. Think "Reduced Shakespeare Company". I'm all for it.

    Lior

    1. Re:Should be funny by SkArcher · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Now THAT I would pay to see. The Reduced Shakespeare co make some damn funny work (The Bible: The complete word of God(abridged) being, IMHO, better than the complete works of the Bard)

      After all, the major complaint EVER about LOTR is that it is waaaaaay too long and has to much descriptive rubbish in it.

      A RSC version may actually be watchable :)

      --

      An infinite number of monkeys will eventually come up with the complete works of /.
    2. Re:Should be funny by astro-g · · Score: 1

      I seem to remember an interview of christopher tolkien, where he recounts something to the effect of "I like it dady, but its not long enough".....

    3. Re:Should be funny by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, most people (who read more than just comics) think the book is too short, and if I recall correctly Tolkien himself noted that complain somewhere.
      If you don't like that 'descriptive rubbish' then go read a plot description, here goes one: Big baddie makes ring, loses it and small goodie finds it, then they all fight and the good guys win. Oh, and they smoke a lot of weed.

    4. Re:Should be funny by IpsissimusMarr · · Score: 1

      That was his responce... but about the "Hobbit".

      Tolkien ended up expanding the Hobbit a tad :). Not neccessarily just for his son.

      --
      "Engineers do the work of man, Physicists do the work of God"
    5. Re:Should be funny by RoadkillBunny · · Score: 1

      Since it's the 50th anneversary, it should be more by the book... Since a movie was 3h with half the stuff left out then a complete musical would be, musicals have a lot of music without acting, about 6h per book... WHOA

      --
      Cheers,
      RoadkillBunny
    6. Re:Should be funny by spudgun · · Score: 1

      Death by Musical

      I'd knaw my arm off after 30 minutes to escape, Guess I'm not a musical fan....

      --
      Type unto others as you would have them type unto you.
    7. Re:Should be funny by ldzpn23 · · Score: 1

      The Lord of the Rings trilogy began as a 6 book set, and was revised to become the three book trilogy that it is. Personally, I find that reading The Lord of the Rings is not complete until you have read The Silmarillion (in short description: everything that happens before The Hobbit) and then The Hobbit.

      I agree, many who have read Tolkien's work, believe the work is too short. Actually "too short" may not be the write term to use, but I know what you are trying to say.

      As for the musical, this may be interesting. It most likely will be based directly off Tolkien's work. I doubt I would go see it though, even if I had the chance.

  6. I only say this: by minghe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Papier Mache Balrog.

    I think I'll pass.

    --
    ...um...like...a sig...
    1. Re:I only say this: by terrab0t · · Score: 1

      With £8m, I would assume they'll have something a bit more impressive. Foam rubber at the least.

      Although with that kind of funding and a bit more time, they could probably breed a Balrog from laboratory Newts.

  7. Casting by djward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "We will search far and wide to find our Frodo."

    Send forth the Casting Nasgûl!

  8. Link to referred song.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://homepage.mac.com/evanbaumgardner/iMovieThea ter6.html

  9. First in line for the auditions... by ayjay29 · · Score: 4, Funny

    This guy.

    No, no, awfully sorry that's not quite what were looking for, NEXT!

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    1. Re:First in line for the auditions... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That was very, VERY scary.

    2. Re:First in line for the auditions... by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

      Ahhh! Your given me nightmares man.

      That was truly awefull!

      I thought this was bad but I take it all back now.

    3. Re:First in line for the auditions... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ARRG!

      I think I may have to add this to my firewall rules table with goatse.cx and tubgirl. shudder.

    4. Re:First in line for the auditions... by corebreech · · Score: 2, Funny

      An excellent example of how two rights make a wrong.

      Combine Star Trek with Tolkien and get... ohmigod!!!

    5. Re:First in line for the auditions... by CoolVibe · · Score: 2, Funny
      Combine Star Trek with Tolkien and get...

      Stormtrooper elfs?

    6. Re:First in line for the auditions... by p3d0 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Dude, that's Star Wars.

      --
      Patrick Doyle
      I mod down every jackass who puts his moderation policy in his sig. Oh, wait a sec....
    7. Re:First in line for the auditions... by CoolVibe · · Score: 1

      Doh! I need more coffee...

  10. Continued... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You can find more information regarding this at http://www.planet-tolkien.com

  11. Only one word describes this idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Incredibad

  12. Der Ring des Nibelungen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think the original musical version is better.

    1. Re:Der Ring des Nibelungen by Jonathan · · Score: 2, Informative

      his would only make sense since an influence of LOTR was Wagner's opera Ring Cycle. Both are based on Norse mythology

      Well, the latter part is certainly true -- they are based on the same myths. But according to a biography of Tolkien that I've read, he detested Wagner's works as a betrayal of the meaning of the legends.

    2. Re:Der Ring des Nibelungen by albryant · · Score: 1

      I too thought of Der Ring when I spotted this post. However, Wagner's music alone for his Ring epic covers nearly 16 hours. Der Ring is usually presented in a series of 4 operas over as many evenings, each one having intermissions (excepting Das Rheingold which is one act and sometimes performed without intermission).

      Peter Jackson's films (even if we go with the "extended" versions) would cover some 10 hours, but I suspect you'd need a really dedicated audience to make a go of a 3-evening musical.

    3. Re:Der Ring des Nibelungen by dspfreak · · Score: 1

      I was thinking it would be pretty cool if they put themes from Wagner in the score for the LOTR musical (in a very subtle way of course).

      --
      "Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions." -- G. K. Chesterton
    4. Re: Der Ring des Nibelungen by Noren · · Score: 1

      The really unfortunate part is, to cut Der Ring das Nibelungen down to only nine hours, Peter Jackson cut out most of the valkyrie scenes- including the critical scene where Tom Bombadil and Brunnhilde meet. Also, the characterization of Alberich(or, as Jackson calls him, 'Gollum') is way off.

  13. Call me a Heathen... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    ...but I am severely not interested in this. LOTR the book is a verbose baroque mess (page upon page of overly flowery descriptions of nothing much).

    The film is overhyped and not actually as good as everyone makes out. I can't see the musical making much difference, more it will just give an excuse for people to sing in elvish. Woo. Hold me back.

    This has been posted anonymously because I really don't feel like taking the Karma burn from Tolkien Fanboys who won't bother to understand that, yes, I have read/seen them all and the above is a rational (and very bored) assessment of same.

  14. From Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z by Kris_J · · Score: 5, Funny

    You'll never make a monkey out of me...

  15. perfect background music for by Savatte · · Score: 4, Funny

    the fight between Sauroman and Gandalf would be dueling banjos. Hell, maybe they could even have an air guitar contest using their staffs.

    1. Re:perfect background music for by krist0 · · Score: 1, Funny

      Monkey island references are golden....

      i think they should insult swordfight.

      "You fight like a dairy farmer"

      "How appropriate, you fight like a COW!"

      heh

      --
      all you are, is all you are, i'm so sorry for you.
    2. Re:perfect background music for by aralin · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I hate to disappoint, there was no fight between Saruman and Gandalf, providing you meant Saruman with 'Sauroman' :) In case you meant Sauron, he never even got close to Gandalf. Read the book, man :)

      All the fight between Saruman and Gandalf happened at the end of second book with Gandalf standing outside Orthanc, while Saruman being inside. It consisted from one staff being broken and one palantir thrown :))

      --
      If programs would be read like poetry, most programmers would be Vogons.
    3. Re:perfect background music for by mccalli · · Score: 3, Insightful
      I hate to disappoint, there was no fight between Saruman and Gandalf

      You think Gandalf allowed himself to imprisoned on the roof of Orthanc voluntarily?

      There was no pseudo-kung fu staff fight as per the film, true, but there was a struggle. It just isn't described in detail in the book.

      Cheers,
      Ian

    4. Re:perfect background music for by zebs · · Score: 1

      Noo, thats not fair you're using the SwordMasters insults!

    5. Re:perfect background music for by zhrike · · Score: 1

      There was no pseudo-kung fu staff fight as per the film, true, but there was a struggle. It just isn't described in detail in the book.

      There was no struggle. Gandalf was no match for Saruman and he knew it.

      It's in the book.

    6. Re:perfect background music for by Drakkar · · Score: 1

      Gandalf didn't fight at that time since he knew he would be beaten.

    7. Re:perfect background music for by driverEight · · Score: 1
      the fight between Sauroman and Gandalf would be dueling banjos

      Sauroman could start off something like this:

      The devil opened up his case and he said,
      "I'll start this show."
      And fire flew from his fingertips
      As he rosined up his bow
      And he pulled the bow across the strings
      And it made an evil hiss
      Then a band of demons joined in
      And it sounded something like this

      -The Devil Went Down To Georgia
      Original Performer: Charlie Daniels Band

      --

      It's not the size of your .sig that matters, it's how you use it.

    8. Re:perfect background music for by aralin · · Score: 1

      Actually yes. The book does not describe any fight and the whole scene ends by Gandalf saying he knew, his words of resistance had no power. I don't have the original book in english to quote, though. The next he says is describing he was carried on the top of Orthanc. And he says 'They carried me', which would imply things.

      --
      If programs would be read like poetry, most programmers would be Vogons.
    9. Re:perfect background music for by Poeir · · Score: 1

      I always envisioned Orthanc turning into a kind of weird disco, with a bunch of floating lights around and Gandalf yelling, "Aruman!"

      --
      Sigs are like bumper stickers.
  16. �8m by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    £8m.. isnt that like almost a billion US$ by now?

  17. what's better? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    (a) a LOTR musical

    or

    (b) sex with a mare?
  18. Where's there a whip... there's a way by zakezuke · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Hey, it worked for the cartoon "The Hobbit" and "Return of the King".

    An epic saga that is much akin to human growth, the adventure of youth and the burdon of responcibility over back drop of middle earth dragons and wizards is the perfect musical material, in the same sorta way that Les Miserables works. Les Mis sorta takes place in a romantised volitile time in French history, people vs the establishment, rocks and baracades. Not everyone's glass of tea, but it's something I enjoyed, even if it's a bit over the top. One thing that is considered a mark of good litature is something that can be enjoyed by all audiances... and The Lord of the Rings is something that can be read a child and read as an adult and still be enjoyed.

    But to this day I still remember the edition of "Return of the King" cartoon, with the Orcs in Mordor chanting, "Where there's a whip, there's a way". While it was a sorta cheezy dumbed up cartoon, that is just classic.

    --
    There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
    1. Re:Where's there a whip... there's a way by Mike610544 · · Score: 1

      Hey, it worked for the cartoon "The Hobbit" and "Return of the King". No it didn't.

      --
      ... also, I can kill you with my brain.
    2. Re:Where's there a whip... there's a way by hey! · · Score: 1

      Le Miz?

      Le Miz was like a classic comix version of the book, without the literary seriousness of the comic.

      If you look at it as an evenings entertainment, like an Indiana Jones movie, it's OK. But if you loved the book, probably none of the reasons you loved it were in the opera (let's call a spade a spade).

      Basically the philosophical and social seriousness of the book was ripped out and what we are left with is a highly amplified, sentimental melodrama. If LOTR gets the LeMiz treatment, then there's going to be a lot of angry fans.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    3. Re:Where's there a whip... there's a way by FredKiesche · · Score: 1

      My wife's highschool class did "Lord" as a musical play around 1976. So I'm sure there have been dozens of musicals by now... Fred Kiesche

      --
      "Ah Mr. Gibbon, another damned, fat, square book. Always, scribble, scribble, scribble, eh?" (The Duke of Gloucester, o
  19. The Hobbit as ballet by trikberg · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's not that novel an idea. A few years ago the Finnish National Opera had a ballet version of The Hobbit for quite a while. Proof

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    This post is free (as in cheese in a mousetrap).
    1. Re:The Hobbit as ballet by trikberg · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well, that's one thing I never expected: being moderated to +5, Informative for my knowledge of opera. I guess anything is possible on /. =)

      --
      This post is free (as in cheese in a mousetrap).
    2. Re:The Hobbit as ballet by th3space · · Score: 1

      and people say there's nothing new under the sun...well, you sir have proven them all wrong. :)

      --
      "How like you to drag your keyboard to a gun fight." - Aaron Bedard (BANE)
    3. Re:The Hobbit as ballet by zakezuke · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's nothing, the idea was probally inspired by the book's popularity during the 1960s, taking too much LSD waiting around for Frank Mills and people saw little round men in leotards in front of the Waverly.

      For our next theatrical production... It's Beavis and Butthead do Les Miserabls... with the voices of James Earl Jones, "that would suck" as Butt head / Jean val Jean and Gilbert Godfreed as Bevis / Javare "yea well...."

      "I met a chick, she's a protitute, she's got no hair, she's cool"

      "I am the great corn holio, I need freedom for my bunghole"

      "Shut up buttmunch, no posers in our revolution"

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
    4. Re:The Hobbit as ballet by Mika_Lindman · · Score: 1

      There was also finnish play version of the Lord Of The Rings (Taru Sormusten Herrasta). Proof only in finnish though. I missed it on tv, saw some clips though and remember that it was quite enchanting. But I was quite small then (small as in Frodo size), maybe some finnish /.er has seen the actual play?

    5. Re:The Hobbit as ballet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I saw it, I was hobbit-sized myself then but I remember it being very good. Suomenlinna provided pretty good backdrops for the whole thing.

    6. Re:The Hobbit as ballet by TopShelf · · Score: 1

      Butler University in Indianapolis was also going to stage a ballet written around the story of Beren and Luthien (perfect material for a ballet, if you ask me). Unfortunately, they cancelled the performance due to copyright and trademark concerns that were brought up. A perfect example of IP law stifling artistic expression...

      --
      Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
    7. Re:The Hobbit as ballet by danila · · Score: 1

      And there was Russian play in 1980s that was shown on TV, which was great. Then there are many other plays and even a radio play on Echo of Moscow.

      --
      Future Wiki -- If you don't think about the future, you cannot have one.
  20. Oh, sweet Jebus. by nurightshu · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is horrible. No, really horrible. Gouge-out-your-eyes and jam-hot-Q-tips-into-your-eardrums horrible.

    I have these visions of Erik Estrada playing Aragorn and Bernadette Peters playing Aruwen and singing "Endless Love" while stagehands softly wave the fake plastic tree branches.

    Once more, I'm left stunned that anyone can still believe in the existence of God.

    --
    They that would sacrifice their .sig space for that cliched Franklin quote deserve neither.
    1. Re:Oh, sweet Jebus. by zakezuke · · Score: 1

      I don't mind buying lemmas waffers when they're only two gold piece. You might call it decicance, but when their onsale for 1/2... i'll buy two bag.... i'll buy too bags... yea!

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
    2. Re:Oh, sweet Jebus. by yomegaman · · Score: 1

      Oh dear, how can you say that? Bernadette Peters is da bomb. If she were in it I'd go see it for sure, no matter how horrid the rest of it was.

      --
      ...wearing a skin-tight topless leather jumpsuit, with cutaway buttocks and transparent crotch panel.
  21. Re:Could it be?!?! by twinkyminator · · Score: 1

    A musical that the creators can make even more money on! That's the way I see it, and that's sad, they're just out to get every last pence out of the LOTR concept, and they didn't even write the books themselves!

  22. Troy not available by stardeep · · Score: 3, Informative

    > Is Troy McClure available?

    Sadly, no. Phil Hartman, who did Troy's voice, was shot to death by his wife in 1998. :(

    --
    Sentimentality is merely the Bank Holiday of cynicism.
    - Oscar Wilde
    1. Re:Troy not available by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sadly, no. Phil Hartman, who did Troy's voice, was shot to death by his wife in 1998. :(


      HA HAH!

  23. I bet.... by jabbadabbadoo · · Score: 1

    ...they can't do the fireworks.

  24. Next on slashdot: by DeBeuk · · Score: 3, Funny

    Huge burning lidless paper-mache eye burns down west-end theater.
    Sauron states he is pleased.

    --
    Reality has a notoriously liberal bias -- Stephen Colbert
  25. I think I'm dyslexic by KurdtX · · Score: 1


    Seriously, I read the story title as: ROTFL The Musical!

    Well, maybe it was a bit of me picturing energetic hobbits singing and leaping around the stage. Or perhaps Gandalf doing the Riverdance?

    --

    Kurdt
    I'm not anti-social. Just pro-technology.
  26. Erik Estrada? by MrHyd3 · · Score: 0

    Oh my...seeing him again would bring back those cheezy CHiPS episodes in my head that I've tried supressing.....

    --
    -------- Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most. --Ozzy
  27. McKellen's golden opportunity! by stardeep · · Score: 2, Funny

    This may be Ian McKellen's one shot to become a musical star. I can hear him now: "Woops, I did it again - I 0wn3riz3d the balrog!"

    --
    Sentimentality is merely the Bank Holiday of cynicism.
    - Oscar Wilde
  28. Hrmm... not entirely insane... maybe by Lucretian · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well... the first intro that I had to the world of hobbits was from a musical version of The Hobbit that I saw as a kid at a local community theatre that my friend was involved in. This sparked both my interest in theatre, and also my interest in the world of Tolkein. Following this performance, I went on to read all of the books, etc... Anyway, My biggest concern of this new musical is how the hell do you shrink it into a length that people will sit though. I fear this will be a mighty big challenge and that the results might not be so pretty... Time will tell I guess!

    1. Re:Hrmm... not entirely insane... maybe by ItaliaMatt · · Score: 1

      I actually performed in the musical "The Hobbit" when I was younger. It made me want to learn more about Tolkein and his works as well. It also made me NEVER want to do a musical again. :) I do have to give "big ups" to the Comstock Community Theatre company in Peoria, Illinois. My love and appreciation for the theatre and performing arts started there.

  29. This means there is not much left by Fuzuli · · Score: 3, Funny

    for us to see the porno version. Sauron will "really" make the middle earth suffer...

    1. Re:This means there is not much left by GejTOO · · Score: 1, Funny
      You asked for it, you got it : the always opportunistic porn industry released last year "Lord of the G-Strings : The Femaleship of the String".

      /. Poll idea :
      Favorite LOTR version?
      • the book
      • the cartoon
      • the movies
      • the pr0n
      • the musical
      • [can't find a CowBoyNeal joke here...]
      G.
    2. Re:This means there is not much left by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't forget the symphony!

    3. Re:This means there is not much left by GiMP · · Score: 0

      * Cowboyneal dressed as a hobbit waving his 'sword'.
      * Cowboyneal hates LOTR.
      * Cowboyneal is not an option because he put on the ring and we can't find him.
      * Cowboyneal is my personal hobbit.

  30. JIT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...for Longhorn....wheeeee!

  31. It's official by Ed+Avis · · Score: 4, Funny

    Lord of the Rings has now officially jumped the shark - musical episode. Next expect to see Frodo's long-lost cousin Bodo and his hip new catchprase 'it's bodocious'!. They tell me that Will Smith will be making a guest appearance as Sauron's evil twin.

    --
    -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
  32. Tolkien Rolling by BelDurnik · · Score: 2, Informative

    I feel that J.R.R. Tolkien is not rolling in his grave over this. It seems to go against what he or his family would have wanted to have done with his works. I thank Christopher Tolkien for editing a lot of his fathers works so that we can all learn more. Are there that many money problems in this family? I would have thought that Peter Jackson helped them out a bit.

    Though I wouldn't mind hearing an opera in Ent that is about the Entwives.

    1. Re:Tolkien Rolling by bad_fx · · Score: 2, Informative

      Not rolling in his grave? Judging by the rest of your post I assume you mean he is rolling in his grave about this.. But I don't see why. Sure there's a lot of negative stigma attached to musicals these days, but have another look at the books... There's a lot of singing in there. Not much of it made it into the movies, for obvious reasons I guess. But done right I don't see why this'd have the professor "rolling in his grave," he obviously enjoyed adding a musical touch to his books.

      Having said that, I can see it all going hideously wrong... *shudder* Just have to wait and see I guess

    2. Re:Tolkien Rolling by BelDurnik · · Score: 1

      Alright I admit that I posted it without a preview and I stated "awe crap".

      I think that my displeasure about this is due to the fact that though I have seen a few musicals I have never seen one done right. To top that I hold all of Tolkien's works in very high regard. I don't see them doing the languages that tolkien created. If they did I think that only the hardcore Tolkien fans would be there.

      If they are going to do a musical it should be something that is more focused. Such titles might be:
      Songs from the Men of Middle Earth
      Bilbo's Last Song
      Hark! I hear the halls of Dwarves
      Happy birthday Bilbo, Songs from the Shire

    3. Re:Tolkien Rolling by bad_fx · · Score: 1

      Alright I admit that I posted it without a preview and I stated "awe crap".

      Heh, my reaction was much the same, then I started thinking about the large amount of music in the books already. A bit of googling and I got a couple of pretty good links which give a good idea of what's already in the books for them to work with:

      About the Songs and Poems in the Lord of the Rings
      Music in Middle Earth

      Which I'd say is a fairly good starting point.

    4. Re:Tolkien Rolling by BelDurnik · · Score: 1

      To go back to my first post to make my point a little bit more clear. I think that Tolkien most likely would roll in his grave if any of his main work would be performed as a musical. I refrance the quote from one of your links "He had heard it differently in his mind, he said, and hummed a Gregorian chant."[Music in Middle Earth] I can see a collection of the songs but nothing that could be thrown together with enough of a plot to be called a musical. Just a collection of songs that would not be concidered mainstream. I would like to hear them perfomed though.

    5. Re:Tolkien Rolling by sfsp · · Score: 1
      Though I wouldn't mind hearing an opera in Ent that is about the Entwives.

      Do you have ANY idea how long that opera would be? I think the Ents would think Wagner's Ring cycle a bit, hoom, hom, well, hasty. Most of the audience would die of hunger by the end of the opening number. Only the Ents can dig deep.

      Besides, the Entwives live in the moors north of the Shire. In FOTR, Samwise Gamgee mentions a cousin who saw what looked like an elm tree walking across the moors. Pity Tolkien never connected those dots explicitly--it would have been nice for the Ents and Entwives to get back together.

  33. I'd produce a slightly different reaction... by shivianzealot · · Score: 4, Funny

    If they can get Leonard Nimoy to sing the Bilbo Baggins song on stage, I'd go ;)

    If they can get Leonard Nimoy to sing the Bilbo Baggins song on stage, I'd strangle him with my own severed wind pipe as I flood the assembly room in tears...

    --

    Bored with karma, be a fan/freak

    1. Re:I'd produce a slightly different reaction... by stanmann · · Score: 1

      As horrible as that song is, it has an odd appeal, like crack. I would be willing to pay for a decent quality version of the video(640x480) and one of these months, I should hunt up a copy of the Audio on CD or vinyl.

      --
      Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
  34. Not the first one by xTina · · Score: 4, Informative

    There was a Lord of the Rings musical in Berlin around 1999, played in a circus tent. A couple of pix can be found on this website: http://www.bnoack.com/pict/herr-der-ringe.html

    1. Re:Not the first one by mseeger · · Score: 1
      It was named "Lord of the rings" but based on the content of "The Hobbit". The quality was good, but it went bankrupt soon. They had a lot of bad luck.

      Yours, Martin

  35. It's not so crazy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What a lot of people seem to be missing is the fact that the original books were very musical to begin with. There's scores of songs in there.

    At Slashdot, I would've expected more people to know the books, rather than just the movies.

    1. Re:It's not so crazy by mholt108 · · Score: 1

      yeh - but really - those songs were awful enough on paper - i really hope they are not inflicted on use in "the real"

  36. Re:Star Wars Opera? by Timesprout · · Score: 2, Funny

    Several plans have been mooted but it is felt that creating some of the proper environments for a space based show (ie a vacuum) may be detrimental to the health of the audience. Promoters were concerned that killing the audience may harm ticket sales and impact mechandising and so are unlike ly to proceed.

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  37. Re:Could it be?!?! by Phroggy · · Score: 1

    A musical that the creators can make even more money on! That's the way I see it, and that's sad, they're just out to get every last pence out of the LOTR concept, and they didn't even write the books themselves!

    Um, Peter Jackson didn't write the books either, and he's making a hell of a lot of money on the movies. The creators of the musical will be making money (assuming it does well) on the musical, not the books.

    --
    $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
    $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
  38. Re:Obligatory Simpsons Quote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    OH! Hahahaha! A Simpsons quote! I get it! HAHAHAHAH! That's wonderful! How clever! A quote from the Simpsons! OH HAHAHAHA! I get it! How outrageously funny! HAHAHAHAHA! Oh!

  39. Not such a bad idea.... by GozerBrothers · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is not such a bad idea -- it might actually work out. The Beatles considered doing a musical adaptation of the LOTR many years ago.

    As conceived, John Lennon would have played Gollum, Paul McCartney would have played Frodo, George Harrison would have played Gandalf, and Ringo Starr would have played Sam.

    http://www.hellomagazine.com/2002/03/29/beatles/ has more information (and proves that I'm no troll...)

    If well executed, a LOTR musical *could* be quite enjoyable.

    1. Re:Not such a bad idea.... by mav[LAG] · · Score: 1

      Brian Epstein could have played Boromir...

      --
      --- Hot Shot City is particularly good.
    2. Re:Not such a bad idea.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yoko Ono would have played Golum...

    3. Re:Not such a bad idea.... by j0hnfr0g · · Score: 1

      And Yoko could play Sauron...

    4. Re:Not such a bad idea.... by lindsayt · · Score: 1

      Ummm...

      Did you notice the date of that article? It's the APRIL FOOLS edition last year of Hello Magazine. I think you've been had.

      --
      I did not design this game/I did not name the stakes/I just happen to like apples/And I am not afraid of snakes-AniD
    5. Re:Not such a bad idea.... by GozerBrothers · · Score: 1

      Lindsayt,

      I didn't notice the date, but I'd heard that story before, and it is confirmed elsewhere online.

      "It is not the first time film makers have tried to bring the Lord of the Rings to the screen. The Beatles were desperate to do a movie of the book, with Paul playing Frodo, Ringo as Sam, John as Gollum and George as Gandalf, but the rights were bought up for what became Ralph Bakshi's disastrous 70s cartoon version, which ended halfway through the story when the producers ran out of money." -- http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Guardian/0,4 029,333863,00.html

      and
      " The Fellowship of the Fab Four? According to an interview given by director Peter Jackson to the Wellington, New Zealand "Evening Post", the Beatles wanted to film "The Lord of the Rings." "It was something John Lennon was driving and JRR Tolkien still had the film rights at that stage, but he didn't like the idea of the Beatles doing it, so he killed it," Jackson told the "Evening Post". In the Beatles version, John would have played Gollum, with George Harrison as Gandalf, Paul McCartney as Frodo, and Ringo Starr as Frodo's best friend, Sam." -- http://www.zap2it.com/movies/details/1,1295,28574, 00.html

      Among other sources.

      I think it's legit.

  40. Tolkien would have hated the idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    This is really a great misunderstanding - putting the LOTR on stage. Tolkien himself thought that his stories never would or should work on theater since the creatures of his realm would just look ridiculous on stage.

    I even think he would disagree to putting his stories on film but at least film can create a belivable illusion.

    1. Re:Tolkien would have hated the idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ummm...I'm pretty sure he was still alive when the screen rights to his work were sold. Furthermore, it doesn't really matter what he wanted.

  41. Re:Let me be the first to say... by hplasm · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Also: Aaaaaaarrrrrggggghhh!

    --
    ...and he grinned, like a fox eating shit out of a wire brush.
  42. Re:Could it be?!?! by Timesprout · · Score: 1

    Whats wrong with making a musical of it. The books are generally regarded as classic so why not bring the concept to as wide an audience as possible through different media. I enjoyed the books, loved the movies and see no reason why a musical of the story would not be entertaining enough for a night out.

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  43. No seems to have by katalyst · · Score: 3, Informative

    posted the official home page. It can be found here
    They're interesting in hiring, and apparantly the show will be staged only in 2005, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the trilogy..

    --
    |/________
    |\A|ALYS|
  44. Next: Matrix: The Musical. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Keanau: "WHOA!"

    Welsh Choir: "WHOA!" "WHOA!"

  45. Silmarillion opera by OldBus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm not convinced by 'LOTR: The Musical', but I think some of the stories in the Silmarillion are very suitable for opera. For example, Beren & Luthien and a cut-down version of Turin Turamber. They are short stories with lots of drama & emotion and, of course, plenty of tragedy.

    1. Re:Silmarillion opera by stewate4 · · Score: 1

      I can't see the Musical version working either, but I agree that all of Tolkien Middle Earth mythology could provide inspiration for all sorts of classical music, not just opera. In a similar way Celtic mythology has provided inspiration for many classical composers, most importantly Arnold Bax's Tone poems. I know that a Canadian composer called Glenn Buhr has composed some pieces based around the Beren & Luthien stories, though I haven't heard them. It would be interesting to know what else there is out there.

    2. Re:Silmarillion opera by Arandir · · Score: 1

      For example, Beren & Luthien

      It ain't over until the fat elf sings.

      --
      A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
  46. Divorce Rate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anyone see a parallel between throwing the one ring into the fire and divorce?

    Ok, ok, not a very good analogy. Guess you can see I've been thinking about marriage. Guess I'll sign this post.. anonymous coward.

  47. Der Ring des Nibelungen by atomicdragon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This would only make sense since an influence of LOTR was Wagner's opera Ring Cycle with a summary here . Both are based on Norse mythology and there are many similarities including both deal with the destruction of a powerful,cursed ring that everyone wants. The linked website lists some more similarities. The LOTR musical has the possibility of being good, but I doubt it will rival the original.

  48. Lyrics and jobs well done by tmarsh-porta · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Anyone remember the 1976 animated Hobbit? As I remember from my youth, they had actually produced a decent number of songs with music set to the original lyrics for the songs/poems in the text. It was kind of a shame that they couldn't do the same for LoTR, and instead resorted to that horrid soundtrack.

    Part of what made the Hobbit work was that the music conceivably corresponded to the "time period" of the story - a sort of renaissance style music in some cases. And the orcs had a downright thrilling chorus. Very well done. I can't really imagine a musical with a score along the lines of current broadway offerings. It certainly sounds bad to me.

    1. Re:Lyrics and jobs well done by CableModemSniper · · Score: 1

      Are you kidding? I hated the way they intepreted those songs, especially the orcs. They were all way too cheery when they said stuff like "Yo Ho my Lad" it was very odd. You half expected the Dwarves to join in.

      --
      Why not fork?
  49. Lord of the Rings Symphony by oever · · Score: 2, Informative

    Check out the excellent symphony by Johan de Meij.

    Here's an amateur performance of it.

    --
    DNA is the ultimate spaghetti code.
  50. too bad by dolson · · Score: 1, Funny

    LOTR as a musical? Who wants to see that?

    Now if this were Monty Python and the Holy Grail as a musical, *that* would be different.

    1. Re:too bad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *that* would be different.

      yes... completely.

    2. Re:too bad by Trurl's+Machine · · Score: 1

      LOTR as a musical? Who wants to see that?

      Is it a musical? Is it on the London West End? Then the answer is obvious: Japanese tourists.

  51. i wonder by bongobongo · · Score: 1

    i wonder how they'll pull off smaug, the octopus-like beast in the lake, the balrog, the giant spider, and uhhh all the other crazy stuff.

    seems too challenging to be possible on a stage... why don't they just make a LOTR musical made for tv movie? err nahh.

    i'm sticking to the movies though (and the books *cough*)

    1. Re:i wonder by astro-g · · Score: 1

      When I was very young I went to a preformance of peter and the wolf, where the wolf was played by a large, bright steel wheeled robot wolf, complete with electric motors, glowing eyes, and flaming/smoking mouth. It actuall cariied quite well, (but then, as a 5 year old, I wasnt a verry descerning critic) What I want to see is how they pull off the ring/invisible/other realm effect vanishing actors, and ream shifting the entire stage, etc

  52. Re:Could it be?!?! by twinkyminator · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Hm, seems like you misunderstood me, it's probably because of my bad english.

    What I think I ment was (afterwards I don't remeber what my first reaction about the musical was): If you make money out of something, let's say a movie, I think that you should at least have written the story that the movie are based on yourself, using others creations and make money out of it feels not that good imho, especially when the writer of the LOTR books is dead. And the way the people who own the rights to LOTR are driving it makes me sick, first the movies, that's okay, then the game, which was just another way to earn more money and now the musical, do they only think about profit?

    _IF_ JRR Tolkien was alive, and accepted all this crap they're making (toys, games etc) it would have been more OK, but far from good.

    Ofcourse you could go see the musical just because you like it, but I think this media-created hysteria about LOTR is way to far gone.

    note: I liked the movies a _lot_, and I like the books (I'm reading the book about bilbo, the one they haven't made a movie of, right now). So that's not the issue, what I don't like is the people in tie sitting on their fat asses only thinking about profit.

    btw: who is Peter Jackson?

    (comment posted by a 14 y/o swedish kid, that probably explains the lack of english skills)

  53. Read the books (again)... by Trillan · · Score: 1

    The books are probably better suited to a musical adaptation than a movie.

    Though I doubt it could be done properly in less than twice the time of the trilogy...

  54. Re:Casting (*SPOILER*) by GQuon · · Score: 1

    "We will search far and wide to find our Frodo."

    Send forth the Casting Nasgûl!


    It was cast in he fires of Mount Doom.

    (Well, it was really forged in the fires of Mout Doom, but the agents of the Treasury Department reacted badly to that wording.)

    --
    Irene KHAAAAAAN!
  55. Unbelievable by pguerra1 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What a sad day for Tolkien fans. This is a farce on the order of the Simpsons: "Stop this Planet Of the Apes I want to get off!" "I hate every ape I see, From Chimpan A to Chimpan Z, Now you finally made a monkey out of me."

    --

    "And I for one welcome our new insect overlords."
  56. Hobbit: The Musical by Traderdot · · Score: 1

    I seem to remember there being a Hobbit musical or play, not sure which. I watched it a while ago. It wasn't very good. Hopefully a LOTR musical will be better.

  57. If I Had A War Hammer by RedSynapse · · Score: 1

    I'd hammer in the morning,
    I'd hammer in the evening,
    All over this a land.

    I'd hammer out danger,
    I'd hammer out a warning,
    I'd hammer out love between Dwarves and Elves
    All over this land!

  58. The Ballard of Bilbo Baggins by mraymer · · Score: 2, Informative
    Here it is... the infamous Ballard of Bilbo Baggins, performed by Leonard Nimoy. Here's where I found it, plus my mirror. It's in QuickTime, and a mere 4MB. The video has Nimoy singing with a bunch of women dancing around him. Heh...

    http://www.ussjoshua.org/bbaggins.mov

    my mirror (same file, zipped)

    --

    "To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit." -Stephen Hawking

  59. Re:Obligatory Simpsons Quote by AgentSmith1000 · · Score: 0

    Don't be sarcastic. All the programs in the Matrix thought it was funny. Especially the Agents.

    Laugh now meat thing.
  60. FILK - the musical by hrieke · · Score: 3, Funny

    Here ya all go

    RING TIME FOR FRODO
    Lyrics (C) 2001 by Terence Chua
    (to the tune of "Springtime for Hitler" by Mel Brooks)

    Middle Earth was having trouble
    When we start our story
    Sauron had awakened
    To restore his former glory
    So in Hobbiton
    We looked there and found
    The way to stop that evil sod
    That wants to grind us down
    And now it's

    Ring time for Frodo and Company
    We're setting out on the march
    Journeying through perpetual gloom
    Seeking to find the Cracks of Doom!

    Ring time for Frodo and Company
    Ring wraiths are hot on our tails
    Ring time for Frodo and Company
    Watch out Mordor, we're hitting the trail!

    (spoken)
    Just a word of sage advice - bashing Balrogs isn't nice!
    Life in darkness can't be finer - when you are a Nazgul rider!

    (cue dance number)

    Ring time for Frodo and Company
    (sound of bells ringing)
    Questing's the best thing for fun
    (sound of hoofbeats and clashing of swords)
    Searching through dark and dusty tombs
    (sound of screams falling into a dark abyss)
    Finding our way through Khazad-dum!

    Ring time for Frodo and Company
    New friends to meet on our way
    Ring time for Frodo and Company
    And soon we'll be saving
    We're gonna be saving
    You know we'll be saving the day!

    --------

    Don't hurt me.

    ----------
    Terence Chua khaos@tim.org
    WWW: http://www.khaosworks.org
    KhaOS@TinyTIM: telnet://yay.tim.org:5440
    "The meek shall inherit the earth. The rest of us will go to the stars."

    --
    III.IIVIVIXIIVIVIIIVVIIIIXVIIIXIIIIIIIIVIIIIVVIIIV IIVIIIIIIVIII...
  61. Re:Let me be the first to say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This big steaming turd will close after one performance on broadway.

  62. Comes out in 2005... by illumina+us · · Score: 1

    ... comes to Dayton, OH in 2010.

    --
    -illumina+us "I put on my robe and wizard hat..."
    1. Re:Comes out in 2005... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sweet, I'll get my ticket now!

  63. Respect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If they can get Leonard Nimoy to sing the Bilbo Baggins song on stage, I'd go ;)

    So you'd consider flitting across the atlantic to witness a multi-million production, with a huge amount of talented people being involved, if a retired actor would cameo?

    Clearly you have no respect for theatre.

  64. Prancing Balrogs & Dancing Cave Trolls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'd like to see a Balrog don a top hat and do some soft shoe action.. like the WB Frog!

    Oh yes!!

  65. What about the musical score? by MacGod · · Score: 1
    Will this be added to the musical score! Maybe they can even get Leonard Nimoy to sing it!

    --
    "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one " -Albert Einstein
  66. They should get these guys... by X86Daddy · · Score: 2, Informative

    The Lords of the Rhymes do a good Hobbit Gangsta Rap routine. Watch their video; I'm not kidding.

  67. Biblo Baggins Song... the remix by Ingolfke · · Score: 1

    {dancing girls queued}
    Bilbo... Bilbo Baggins... the greatest little hobbit of them all! {repeat until nauseous}

    !! For fun an flavor throw in a lil ole skool hip hop, yo!!

    duh-de-duh-de-DOOooo

    I said a hip hop a hippity hop a hip hop hippity do!

  68. Not aimed at /. by grantsellis · · Score: 3, Interesting

    About a third the comments seem to be "that's good," LOTR has music in it.

    No! This is the musical genre. Think Gilbert and Sulivan, Oklahoma and, at its most serious, Les Miserables.

    Musical is not serious music. That is reserved for Opera. That is why you have people dying all over the place and 6 hour playing times for opera.

    I know people have said, "LOTR has music in it. Now we'll hear it." Forget it. Think of the practical reasons against it. They'll be taking the 6 hour plot of the movie and chopping it down to two hours, music included. Chances are it will be the Cats treatment.

    This is not to say it will be bad, but fans of the book are definitely not its intended audience. Fans of the movie are probably its intended audience.

    The earlier posts were right. Simirilion and LOTR need opera. They're serious and deserve a serious genre.

    Never mind. Forget that. I want to see Pippin get a girlfriend (musical comedy), Sauron (played by a baritone wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with a red eye) howl out an opening solo, and who could miss the Nazgul chorus?

    Good heavens! The article mentions The Graduate as one of the songwriters' credits. "Here's to you Frodo Baggin's sir ..."

  69. Re:Star Wars Opera? by Darby · · Score: 1

    Promoters were concerned that killing the audience may harm ticket sales and impact mechandising and so are unlike ly to proceed.

    Seriously, there's no reason to suspect that ticket sales would be affected.
    Now repeat sales on the other hand...

  70. Over to you, Taco by jpetts · · Score: 1

    If they can get Leonard Nimoy to sing the Bilbo Baggins song on stage, I'd go ;)

    With a big fuck-off gun, I hope...

    --
    Call me old fashioned, but I like a dump to be as memorable as it is devastating - Bender
  71. Re:Could it be?!?! by stanmann · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So, no one should be allowed to generate derivatives of Shakespeare? Or just that it should be verboten to sell tickets?? How about Dante's Inferno???

    Are you a future member of the RIAA?? Seriously, the purpose of the "public domain" is to allow people other than the original creator to profit from performing or displaying "useful" entertaining works.

    --
    Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
  72. I will see it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Paper Mache Balrog...on fire !

  73. A few song lyrics by nightsweat · · Score: 3, Funny
    Allright let's hear them. Who's got some proposed songs for the show?

    Who can burn the Shire, fill us all with fear?
    Burn down all the villages and then pee in our beer?
    The Saru-man can. Yes, the Saru-man can.

    The Saru-man can 'cause he mixes it with mud and makes an army of orcs.

    --

    the major advances in civilization are processes which all but wreck the societies in which they occur - A.N. White
    1. Re:A few song lyrics by Myrke · · Score: 1
      I have heard that some of song titles have already been released, like:

      "The Elf is a Babe"
      "Frodo (Wah Wah Wah)"
      "Gandalf Thuggin'"
      "Do the Dwarf Dance"

      Sounds like a real mix.

      There's even going to be a solo by Gollum, though I am not sure what the song title will be.

    2. Re:A few song lyrics by admiralh · · Score: 1

      Why it'd be "My Precious", of course.

      Next!

      --
      Hopelessly pedantic since 1963.
  74. stop this! by teemu.s · · Score: 1

    how would dancing trees look like?

  75. ...Alright. You're a heathen. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Even though I agree with you about the book - it is very long. And this is from someone who is used to reading long books (eg the wheel of time series from start to... as far as it gets, among others - note this is also long but somehow flows better).

    The films are better though IMHO. They have most of the plot and instead of 50 pages of description about trees and grasslands and mountains and and and... you get about 50 seconds of cameras panning across vistas.

    Also posted anonymously for the same reasons ;)

  76. "The Hobbit" stage play: a warning by superflippy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Around Christmas of 2000, I went to go see a stage production of "The Hobbit" in London. It was one of the worst plays I've ever seen. I think their mistake was trying to portray the entire journey as literally as possible on the stage. The actors were running around like crazy, trying to keep up with the moving scenery and costume changes. As a result, most of their lines were shouted so you could hear them as they dashed from place to place. If I hadn't known the story well beforehand, I would've had no idea who the characters were, what they were doing, and why.

    During intermission, I asked a couple of locals (I'm not from England) whether this was one of the "pantomime" plays I'd heard so much about. They laughed and said no, but it might as well be.

    Having seen this bomb, I am skeptical that a quality stage version of LOTR can be done. The only way it's going to work is if they pick a part of the story to tell rather than the whole thing, and let the characters really shine through instead of being held hostage to the costumes and scenery.

    --
    Your fantasies contain the seeds of important concepts.
  77. Unlikely but true by RoboSchro · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I must admit I'm not looking forward to this one... but what do I know? I saw a musical version of Plan Nine From Outer Space in Kansas City, and that was bloody brilliant. Had an actor hiding his face a la Bela Lugosi and everything.

  78. Nathan Lane as Aaragorn by doublem · · Score: 1

    He IS about the right age...

    And it would add a whole new level of plausibility to the whole "Pervy Hobbit Fancier" theme that surfaced in their online diaries.

    --
    "Live Free or Die." Don't like it? Then keep out of the USA
  79. 8 hour movie too short by peter303 · · Score: 1

    Its difficult to cram the novel into the eight hour theatrical release. What can they do in a three hour play?

  80. Leonard Nimoy is dead, sorry/ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Leonard Nimoy is dead, sorry/

  81. There is something seriously wrong... by !Xabbu · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...with creating a musical from LOTR. How can you put a very dark and dire storyline to music?? Sure it will be very much like Opera, but my god. Its just... wrong...

    --

    - Jimbob
  82. Re:Should be funny - doesn't have to be by Malfourmed · · Score: 3, Insightful

    They turned the 5-part, 1200-page Les Miserables into a serious three hour show which many think is one of the best musicals ever.

  83. someone has to say it: by MORTAR_COMBAT! · · Score: 2, Funny

    Me: "Honey, you know how you're always saying that I never take you to musicals?"

    My wife: "Uh... yeah... I guess so..."

    Me: "Well to show you how much I love you, I bought us two tickets to a musical tonight."

    My wife: "You're so wonderful!"

    Me: "OK. Instead of your normal evening attire, but on this cloak..."

    --
    MORTAR COMBAT!
  84. Kill the Wabitttt! by Vinnie_333 · · Score: 1
    Why am I reminded of "What's Opera Doc?"?

    Kill the hobbits, kill the HOBbits, kill the HOBbitssss!

    --

    "We shall party like the Greeks of old! You know the ones I mean." - HedonismBot
  85. Springtime for Sauron and Saruman! by hndrcks · · Score: 1

    Winter for Celeborn and Ents!

    (with apologies to Mel Brooks)

    --
    Everyone will start to cheer when you put on your sailin' shoes.
  86. Of course... by battery841 · · Score: 1

    it's going to be based on The Hobbit. My lord, you ever read it? There's enough songs in there to make a musical.

  87. Lyrics??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The £8m (US$12m) production has lyrics by Shaun McKenna... *WTF?*

    I would have thought that J.R.R. Tolkien would be credited with writing the words for this one.

    *RTFB*

  88. The Hobbit has certainly been done by blancolioni · · Score: 1

    Yours truly played Gandalf in a musical production of The Hobbit for primary school. It had its moments, though they gave most of Gandalf's action scenes to Bilbo, who also managed to kill Smaug as I recall. Busy little hobbit.

    Should I have put a spoiler warning there?

  89. Take Action Against the FCC (OT) by syrupMatt · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    This Monday, FCC Chair Michael Powell will hold his vote on media
    consolidation. There's nothing special about that date -- it's totally
    arbitrary. The vote will conclude a process which has shown deliberate
    disregard for the views and opinions of the American
    people. Powell has refused to even release the actual language of
    the rule change -- it won't be known until after the vote. And he's
    only held a single meeting to hear the views of the public. Even when a
    bipartisan group of Senators requested that he give Congress some time
    to discuss the impact of this change, Powell brushed them off.

    Chairman Powell still has the power to delay the rule change and allow
    time to have a democratic debate about its consequences. Please call
    him today and ask him to allow a real public debate on an issue of such
    massive importance.

    You can reach Powell's office at:
    (202) 418-1000

    Once you've made your call, please let us know at:
    http://moveon.org/fcccall.html

    --
    "Moving through the masses like a fish through water." syrup
  90. They should do the "Mad" version by Garg · · Score: 1

    This was done by Mad Magazine in 1979.

    About the only thing I remember from it is (to the tune of Barry Manilow's I Write the Songs):

    "I am Frodo... and I've got the RRRIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!!!!"

    Garg

    --
    Garg
    Alumnus, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
  91. Gyaaa! by Peterus7 · · Score: 1
    If they can get Leonard Nimoy to sing the Bilbo Baggins song on stage, I'd go ;)

    So would I... With a cohort of mobsters. There are some things that should be forgotten.

    Of course you know what this whole thing will do to the rumors of Frodo, Sam, and Gollum's love triangle...

  92. how about munchkin? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    is that a good name or a bad name?

  93. another for fans... _Star Wars: Musical Edition_ by xiphmont · · Score: 1
    For those who didn't know about it, the MIT Musical Theatre Guild staged an original musical version of the Star Wars trilogy. Well, IV through VI are written but we've only staged Episode IV at this point... we're hoping to do Empire in 2005 or 2006. Don't forget to put it on your calendars :-)

    There's not much about it on the main MTG page because it's a past show, but two good reviews appeared in the Cambridge Chronicle and the Boston Phoenix.

    [It was worth nearly all the work just to hear C3PO (Nori Pritchard) get into a rant and call R2D2 an "upstaging little bitch". That wasn't onstage, sadly, 'twas a 'family friendly' show, like the original movie]

    Monty

  94. Evil Dead 1 and 2: the musical also by cryptochrome · · Score: 1

    If you had been reading this article in Ain't It Cool News you would have known that.

    --

    ---If you can't trust a nerd, who can you trust?

  95. egad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    what next a musical about the matrix?

  96. OK, where's the foot? by dacarr · · Score: 1

    This is the funniest bit of LOTR stuff I've seen in a while. So why isn't it listed as being funny?

    --
    This sig no verb.
  97. A Musical? by neo_one · · Score: 1

    Come on. I think that the books are cool and the movies are great but a musical. Lenoard Nimoy better be on board.

  98. Can't be worse than Carrie the Musical by kpayson · · Score: 1

    or can it?

  99. MOD PARENT UP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    funnay...

  100. Re:Could it be?!?! by Phroggy · · Score: 1

    btw: who is Peter Jackson?

    The director of the Lord of the Rings films.

    --
    $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
    $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
  101. LOTR music by Jbrecken · · Score: 1

    Are they going to use any Zeppelin?

    "In the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair, but Gollum and the Evil One crept up and slipped away with her..."

  102. My Contribution by Teckla · · Score: 1

    Pippin: The orcs are very, very frightening me!
    Merry: Oh help my Gandalf!
    Sam: Oh help my Gandalf!
    Frodo: Oh help me Gandalf please, oh please, oh pleeeeeease!
    Gandalf: Oh my little Hobbits, short and stout, please do not worry, please do not shout!
    Gandalf: The orcs we will slay while the company's true!
    Aragorn: Oh Gimli, slay another orc, please do!

    -Teckla

  103. This is horrible! by GnuVince · · Score: 1

    This horrible, horrible, horrible. In the books, I always skipped the singing parts because they were far too boring, and now they want to make a musical? Maybe people who have sleeping troubles will go there, and maybe a couple midgets, but not me, no, not me, NO, NOT ME, *NO*, *NOT*ME*, _*NO*_, _*NOT*_*_*ME*_!!!!!!!!!!

  104. Great by Kelz · · Score: 1

    Just what we need, singing and dancing midgets

  105. Lord of the Rings-- On Ice! by Esion+Modnar · · Score: 1
    Reservoir Dogs-- On Ice!
    The Godfather-- On Ice!
    Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid-- On Ice!
    Tango & Cash-- On Ice!
    Willow-- On Ice!
    The Iceman...

    ahh, I got nothing.

    --

    They say the first thing to go is your penis. Well, it's either that or your brain. I forget which...
  106. OT: Geeks (was Re:Real Midgets!) by goliard · · Score: 1
    No doubt it depends a great deal on context--and it probably has also evolved significantly over time. It's like the term 'geek'. Earlier in this century, a geek was "a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake."

    So, there I was, with some other technologist acquaintances, and I made passing referrence to being "geeks". One archly sniffed and said, "You bite the heads off live chickens?" To which I replied, of course, "Don't be silly; these days we bite heads off live users."

    --
    -*- Any technology indistinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced -*-
  107. Real medical terms by minh7749 · · Score: 1

    Achondroplasia is the name of the most common type of drawfism. However, there are a lot more. Drawfism may be a secondary characteristic of other genetic disorders. For more types of dwarfism, see: http://www.sltrib.com/2003/May/05302003/friday/614 12.asp

  108. LOTR already is a musical by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

    The books are already a musical. Every so often for no apparent reason that has anything to do with the plot, the characters break out into song. The reason I usually got bored at these parts is that seing lyrics written down with no reference to what the song actually sounds like just makes it look like bad poetry. (and the songs are always about things from the past that aren't really part of the story so I didn't care.)

    A musical might actually work. I think the bigger problem is trying to do the visuals in the limits of a stage setting. There's no way to make the mines of Moria look huge when it has to fit on stage. And a flying Nazguul on wires will look truly silly.

    --

    Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

  109. The Bridge of Khazad-dum by esampson · · Score: 1

    (to the tune of 'Stars' from Les Miserables)

    Here,
    down in the darkness,
    a Balrog is coming.
    A shadowy shape
    A shadowy shape.
    Glamdring's my witness
    I never shall yield
    'til the hobbits escape
    'til the hobbits escape
    Frodo carries the ring
    through the dark mines he flees
    to Mount Doom's furnace he goes
    he's the fellowship's key
    and if he fails then the ring that he bears
    the Nazgul will seize

    Go,
    follow Aragorn
    flee from the Balrog
    I'll guard your retreating
    on Khazad-dum's bridge
    I'll block the way now
    keeping you safe
    So you all can break free
    So you all can break free
    Here I make my last stand
    with my staff in my hand
    I'll challenge the sword and the whip
    of this creature of flame
    and though I fall to my death from this bridge
    you'll see me again

    For this is my quest
    and this is my test
    so now fly and escape from here
    I will now stand here and guard your lives
    so have no fear.

    I am a servant
    of secret fire
    Gandalf the Gray
    I'll never yield
    Get back, you dark flame
    YOU SHALL NOT PASS!

  110. Yup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Biiilllbo! Bilbo Baggins! He's oon-ly 3 feet tuuulllll!
    Biiilllbo! Bilbo Baggins! The greatest little hobbit of them all!

  111. John Stewert is the gayest gay of all gays by scrubadub · · Score: 0

    just when i don't think it can be any gayer they supprise me (quote off the daily show)

  112. Lord of the Rings Rap by core_dump_0 · · Score: 1

    Yo what up this is the rapper named Frodo
    From the gang called Hobbitz Wit Attitude

    Straight outta Mordor...

  113. I have seen a LOTR play before... by JFMulder · · Score: 1

    ... and it was kinda nice. Instead of telling the whole story, they concentrated their efforts on following The One Ring and Frodo. We didn't get a shot at helm deep, or Ents (besides, it was a play done by students at my University, and no one had a background in theater), but it was still pretty good.

  114. Ask Shorty by ringbarer · · Score: 1

    So how do your parents feel to know that they've produced genetically inferior offspring?

    --
    "Why did they cancel my favorite Sci-Fi show? I downloaded ALL the episodes!"
  115. Re:Real Dwarfs! by tomakaan · · Score: 1

    I do apologize for using the term midgets. It seems I'm a little behind in times. It wasn't meant to offend anybody, and I've taken note that "the short statured" and "dwarfs" are the preferred terminology (though I won't be using "Little People" as, IMO, it implies less of a person).

    Thanks a lot for the heads up!