KDLG Student Reporter Connor tells us about this spring's musical theater in Dillingham.
Remember the smashing success of last year's local performance of The Wizard of Oz? Who could forget, right? Well, another theatrical performance is in the works for spring '13, and it seems sure to delight.
"It's the musical version of The Hobbit written by J.R.R. Tolkien," says Pat Engan, this year's director. "It's a good story, and is the prelude to The Lord of the Rings trilogy that everyone is probably familiar with. And yes, the movie version of The Hobbit did just come out recently."
So, even we poor souls so very far from a movie theater can be transported to "a time between the dawn of the Faerie and the dominion of men," where hobbits, goblins, dragons and giants roam.
Sets are being built, and the cast has been selected. Bryan Porter, a teacher at BBNA's Head Start program, has the lead role of Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit.
I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. There is little or no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it). J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
August Shade is cast as Gandolf, Dagan Nelson as Thorin Oakenshield, and Taylor Underwood as Gollum. There is also a small army of dwarves, hobbits, goblins, trolls and spiders taking part in this community-theater production.
"We have a lot of lines yet to learn, and songs too," says Engan, with a laugh.
The Hobbit opens on Friday, April 19, with a second performance on Saturday, April 21st.