Aug 2, 2024 - Culture

"Lord of the Rings" sings into Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Monica Eng

two actors on stage — Spencer Davis Milford as Frodo and Tom Amandes as Gandalf in Chicago Shakespeare Theater's U.S. premiere of "The Lord of the Rings." Photo: Courtesy of Liz Lauren

"The Lord of the Rings" musical has made its U.S. premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater with an ambitious three-hour production.

Why it matters: The show offers yet another way for fans to enjoy J.R.R. Tolkien's 1,149-page novel, but this time it's with songs by Bollywood composer A.R. Rahman and Finnish folk group Värttinä in a show that was first mounted in Toronto in 2006 and reworked in London.

Between the lines: The production has earned mixed reviews with some theatergoers lamenting lost emotional resonance amid the show's fast pace and penchant for spectacle.

The scope of the show also requires some actors to double as musicians and vice versa, which can test their artistic range.

Yes, but: The production features some fine actors, terrifying puppetry and innovative stagecraft likely to delight Tolkien superfans.

The intrigue: Patrons have been regularly arriving in Lord of the Rings-themed outfits, which theater officials welcome.

But the theater prohibits large props that could block the aisles, as well as real and replica weapons.

If you go: Tickets cost $41 to $108, and the show runs through Sept. 1.

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"Lord of the Rings" sings into Chicago Shakespeare Theater

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