BWW Reviews: THE HOBBIT Awakens Imaginations

There are any number of reasons not to mount a stage production of THE HOBBIT: Peter Jackson's wildly successful film series has ingrained interpretations of familiar characters like Gandalf, Bilbo Baggins, and the creature Gollum into popular culture; the design resources needed to portray elves, goblins, trolls, hobbits, and wizards are considerable; the scale of the adventure is almost too grand to imagine. One can hear the cry of the frazzled producer: "And how are we going to get a dragon on stage?!"

Thankfully, the Detroit Actor's Theatre Company ignored those reasons, embraced the challenges, and have dared to craft a uniquely imaginative telling of Bilbo's grand adventure. We follow Mr. Baggins during his stint as a burglar in the employ of Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves as they seek to regain their treasure and mountain stronghold from the terrible dragon Smaug.

Known for producing more adult material, the DATC chose this family-friendly show to build a different relationship with the local community after receiving a number of requests to begin a youth theatre program. Eric Swanson, THE HOBBIT's producer and assistant director, wants this production to awaken a sense of wonder and a desire for adventure in its younger audience members: "A journey of 1000 miles begins with just one step, and adventure can make the world both large and small to anyone, no matter their size or perceived level of 'importance.'"

Commanding the stage as Gandalf is Tim Stone, who portrays the wizard's raw power with endearingly folksy humor. Stephanie Stoiko, a theatre student at Wayne State University, plays a timid Bilbo Baggins who bumbles amusingly, as hobbits are inclined to do, but grows in confidence as the journey continues. A standout performance is delivered by Erykah Bommarito as Bombur, one of the gang of dwarves. Bommarito displays a wonderful sense of comedic timing and is boisterously generous with her energy; her animated gestures garnered much well-deserved laughter.

Mindy Grissom's direction is at times inspired. The show fast-forwards through a segment of the band's journey by briefly displaying a series of hilarious tableaux reminiscent of silly family vacation photos. The dwarves' many plots to escape from the Elven Queen's prison (digging under the cell walls, using Fili as a battering ram) are shown in a series of rapid-fire snippets lasting less than a minute in total that had the audience roiled with laughter. More impressive than these directorial choices, however, is the original music composed by Gerianne Ditto-Harvey, a hidden gem of the Southeast Michigan music community. Mrs. Ditto-Harvey's compositions rival any film score I've heard, especially the piece that underscores the fight scene in the cave of the goblins.

Children and adults alike will find much to love about this staging of THE HOBBIT. Just as Bilbo is ultimately rewarded for accepting adventure despite the risks, so too should the DATC be rewarded with your patronage for taking on this challenging material.

The Detroit Actor's Theatre Company performs in the Social Hall Theatre inside the Ferndale First United Methodist Church at 22331 Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, MI. THE HOBBIT runs April 10-11 and 17-18, with doors opening at 7:30pm and the show beginning at 8:00pm. Tickets are available now and can be purchased by clicking here.

Photo credit: Detroit Actor's Theatre Company, Michael Johns

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