First Stage presents: THE HOBBIT

By Mary Boyle
 
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, written in 1937 by the great J. R. R. Tolkien, is one of the most beloved fantasy stories of all time.  The novel is not very long; in fact, if you try hard, you can read it in a day.  When I was a child, I adored the 1977 animated film by Rankin/Bass (of stop-motion holiday specials fame), which was all of 78 minutes.  Most people today, of course, are familiar with Peter Jackson’s live-action version of the story, which he divided into three full-length films:  An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) which, in total, run 474 minutes (532 if you watch the extended version).  Don’t have time for all of that?  Not to worry!  First Stage in Milwaukee is offering a brilliant little production of THE HOBBIT, performed by just 6 actors and told in just 90 minutes, that brings the story back to its simple and classic form.

The hobbit the tale is named for is, of course, Bilbo Baggins (double cast as Angel Rivera and Leo Madson), who is visited one day by a wizard named Gandalf (Shammen McCune) and asked if he’d like to go on an adventure.  Bilbo politely declines but, later that evening, his home is overrun by a small horde of dwarves led by their King, Thorin Oakenshield (Matt Daniels), followed by Gandalf, who insists that he has found the 14th member of their party and burglar for their quest to return to the dwarves’ ancestral homeland, the Lonely Mountain, and recover their gold, which has been guarded by the dragon, Smaug, for many years.  The burglar Gandalf had in mind was Bilbo and, though he didn’t want to leave the comforts of his little Hobbit home, had no experience with adventures or burglary, and was terribly frightened of all that might come, he finds his courage and rises to the challenge that Gandalf is certain he is meant for.  Along the way, he makes mistakes, comes to the rescue, finds a magic ring, and proves that little people can do great things.

Directed by Jeff Frank, The Hobbit takes place in the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center’s new Goodman Mainstage Hall, which is a fantastic little theater-in-the-round.  The set looks like the burned ruins of an old office and the play feels like a bunch of (really talented) kids telling this epic tale in a junkyard, despite the fact that Bilbo is the only young performer in this production.  They make a book into a dragon, umbrellas into giant spiders, a mop into a wizard’s staff, and sticks into bows and arrows and swords, yet it isn’t silly at all.  In fact, it has an almost primal, rustic charm and a strong heart that will speak to audience members of all ages. Just four actors play a multitude of characters, from dwarves to goblins and elves to trolls; they do it seamlessly and in such a way that speeds the story along without losing the impact of it.

What I love most about the production is the live music.  Music Director Natalie Ford spends the entirety of the play on a small balcony, singing and playing guitar, and only briefly being an actual part of the story. The other five actors also contribute to the music with a banjo, ukelele, mandolin, tambourine, and spoons to great effect.  I saw Angel Rivera of the Journey Cast, who was fabulous as Bilbo Baggins.  Shammen McCune, who played Gandalf, Gollum, and several other characters, was remarkable in her ability to morph into her various roles and give them each distinction.  Milwaukee’s own Matt Daniels did credit to the Dwarf King and First Stage favorite Elyse Edelman was as solid as Balin and others.  I saw the understudy for Jamey Feshold, Jake Badovski, as Kili and other characters.  Jake is a First Stage kid I have watched for years in both main stage productions and with the First Stage Young Company; it was truly a bit of a homecoming to watch him return to the stage as an adult actor who I am sure will go on to do Milwaukee proud.

First Stage does theatre for young children and their families better than anyone, but I urge you to consider this production even if you don’t have a kid to take with you, especially if you are a Tolkien fan.  One of the audience members actually wore a wizard hat to the show and I could not have been more delighted by it – bring on the cosplay, I say!  That being said, this is also the perfect way to introduce this beloved classic to younger generations, so get your tickets while you can.
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THE HOBBIT runs through March 5th at the Goodman Mainstage Hall inside the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, located at 325 W. Walnut Street in Milwaukee.  Tickets may be purchased at online at firststage.org or through the First Stage Box Office at (414) 267-2961.
 
Special events for THE HOBBIT 
Pay What You Choose Performance: Friday, February 10, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. 
Pay What You Choose tickets are available on a first come, first served basis with a minimum suggested donation of $5 per person. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. on the day of the performance. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early. Tickets may also be reserved in advance by phone at (414) 267-2961, weekdays 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information, please visit: firststage.org/events-tickets/tickets-offers/pay-what-you-choose/ 
Sensory Friendly Performance: Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.  
A Sensory Friendly Performance with accommodations for families with children on the autism spectrum will take place on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. Sensory accommodations include a quiet area staffed by an experienced educator, lower sound, house lights up and more. Tickets for Sensory Friendly Performances are $10. Order online or by phone at (414) 267-2961, weekdays 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. to reserve tickets. To learn more visit: firststage.org/plan-your-visit/sensory-friendly-performances/.  
ASL Interpreted Performance: Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. 
This performance will be sign language interpreted for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Assistive listening devices are also available at the Todd Wehr Theater. To learn more, please visit: firststage.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility/sign-language-interpreted-performances/ 
 
About First Stage 
Founded in 1987, First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families, and a driving force behind the creation of the best and most innovative plays for family audiences, theater training programs for young people and education initiatives for its schools and community. First Stage ensures that all programming is not only accessible to its community but that it is reflective of the community it serves.  First Stage produces plays that honor the young person’s point of view, include diverse and traditionally underrepresented voices and inspire meaningful conversations. First Stage has presented more than 70 world premiere productions that address important subject matters relevant to today’s youth. The Theater Academy is one of the nation’s largest high-impact theater training programs for young people (3-18 years old). Through a challenging curriculum taught by professional teaching artists, the Academy nurtures life skills through stage skills and includes the Next Steps Program that tailors Theater Academy classes to the needs of young people on the autism spectrum and with other developmental disabilities. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education Programs cleverly blend theater activities with standard curriculum – allowing more than 10,000 students annually to learn traditional academic subjects through creativity and self-expression.   
First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). Learn more at firststage.org