The theater industry is no stranger to stage play adaptations of popular media, and it seems that The Hobbit is the next franchise to get that treatment.
An off-Broadway production of The Hobbit has been picking up steam from the theater community, while there have been many variations of productions in the past. A recent one, produced by Dobama Theater, is getting a boost in holiday coverage.
The play follows the timeless tale of the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins as he is whisked off into an adventure alongside the Wizard Gandalf to reclaim treasure from the nefarious dragon Smaug. J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit have been a central point in the modern Western fantasy genre for so long that their influence can be felt across drastically different media.
While Tolkien’s books have gotten multiple well-received animated and theatrical adaptations, they have yet to receive an official one for a stage play. Again, that isn’t to say no one has tried; many off-Broadway stage plays exist from grade school to professional local theaters.
So, if smaller venues are able to make these productions happen, what is stopping theater industry giants from attempting their hand at it? Unfortunately, the hurdles towards an official stage adaptation of The Hobbit are hard to ignore.
The Hobbit is far from a simple story, design-wise. An official Broadway production would likely go all the way in making the world of Middle-earth come to life, meaning the sets would be large and elaborate, and so would be the costs.
It could easily be one of the most expensive stage plays to ever exist, and not to mention the runtime of the play. The Hobbit’s theater adaptation had to be split into three separate movies. A stage play would have to massively condense the story, and while 5-hour plays do exist, only the most dedicated fans would stick around to watch it all the way through, even with intermissions.
Regardless, there is an audience for it. If a Broadway production of The Hobbit were to be released, the theater industry would definitely draw more new audiences.
