TOLKIEN’S CLASSIC QUEST BECOMES
INVENTIVE ENSEMBLE STORYTELLING

A clever, resourceful adaptation that turns
theatrical minimalism into maximum adventure.
Taking you “There and Back Again” in the best
possible way, this sparkling production is a delight.

The first thing that hits you when you walk into the upstairs theater at the Greenhouse is Jacqueline Penrod’s gorgeous, minimal, and expressionistic set of the shire. The outer door frame of the hobbit hole sits at the center. Radiating out from it are wood beams and platforms in natural stains. In the distance, purple mountains loom. The light is soft and bucolic, the air hushed. Stage center by the door is a worn wingback chair with an afghan draped over it, and a well-worn book rests on its seat. The stage is set for the Young People’s Theatre of Chicago’s production of The Hobbit, adapted by Greg Banks from the classic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien.

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”

That hobbit is Bilbo Baggins. And as this tale opens, Bilbo has nothing more on his mind than tea, and perhaps a light snack to go with it. But his simple life is about to be upended. Soon comes knocking Gandalf the Grey, a wizard who has volunteered Bilbo, much against his will, to be the burglar in a party of adventurers. Bilbo will accompany thirteen dwarves on a dangerous journey to the Lonely Mountain, in the bowels of which lies a great treasure, guarded by a ferocious fire-breathing (are there any other kind?) dragon called Smaug.

Along the way he will encounter trolls, goblins, spiders, a Gollum, elves, and humans. He’ll be captured, almost eaten several times, mocked and ridiculed, but like in the best of all sagas, Bilbo will come out on the other side of the story having discovered something about himself that hitherto had been kept hidden.

The Hobbit is one of the gold standards in both fantasy and young adult literature which makes any attempt at adaptation to another art form fraught with peril. Not only is the book rife with episodic incident set in wildly disparate settings, but it also comes along with a multi-generational army of fans who will bay for blood if anything is done incorrectly. The approach taken by Greg Banks is to go in the opposite direction, stripping the book down to its essentials. I was a bit skeptical of this approach to begin with, especially when I saw the size of the cast—five, with four of the actors playing every Middle Earth race encountered through the book—but I was wrong; and quite happy to be wrong. Director Randy White and his splendid production team have everything under control. Aided by a top-notch ensemble, this Hobbit works beautifully.

Teddy Gales makes for a charming Bilbo, flustered and frazzled at the start and rising to the occasion when needed. His transformation from frightened hobbit to the de facto leader of the pack is subtle but enormously effective so that when he challenges the dragon at the end, his speech rings true:

“I came from the end of bag, but no bag went over me. I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles. I am Ring-winner and Luckwearer; and I am Barrel-rider.”

And then there’s that ensemble: Dakota Hughes, Genevieve Corkery, Alex Benito Rodriguez, and Travis Ascione all play dwarves; three play trolls. Another plays Gandalf and the King of Elves. Then there are goblins; men; and a dragon—a beautiful bit of puppetry, manipulated by all four and voiced by Corkery, who also makes for a fantastic Gollum in the best scene of the show. But really, all four are brilliant.

The transitions as the ensemble shifts between characters showcase every element of the production working in concert. Bridget Williams’ lighting design creates deep pools of shadow where transformations occur seamlessly without leaving the stage; Cindy Moon’s clever costumes shift from dwarf hoods to troll humps (to name just one example); White’s inventive blocking plays with audience perspective; and Zach Stinnett’s sound design envelops the entire process. If any one of these elements were to falter, the production might well collapse. Fortunately, not a single one does.

I adored YPT’s Year with Frog and Toad, but The Hobbit takes their skills to another level altogether, producing a show that manages to strip down a classic work of literature to its essentials, never lose its spirit or message, and give us a cracking good time in the bargain. I know this is officially “young people’s theatre” but given the face-splitting smiles I observed on the parents in the audience, I can’t imagine any Tolkien fan not enjoying this—two days later, I’m still grinning. And if you’re new to the Tolkien club, you’ll be a member soon after.

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photos by Steven Townshend | Distant Era

The Hobbit
Young People’s Theatre of Chicago
Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.
Saturdays at 11am; Sun at 11am and 1:30pm
85 minutes, no intermission
ends on March 1, 2026
for tickets ($21.50-$32.50, visit https://yptchi.org

for more shows, visit Theatre in Chicago

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