Written by orange• April 25, 2025• 6:06 am• fullerton, Maverick Theatre, Musical, Uncategorized

Fellowship! @ Maverick Theater – Review

photo credit: Austin Bauman

Written by Daniella Litvak

The immortality of stories is a major theme in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. At one point during The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo Baggins says, “Someone else always has to carry on the story.” How prophetic Tolkein’s words were about his own works. His books have become movies, have become tv shows, and have become Fellowship! – a musical parody of The Lord of the Rings, currently being performed on the Maverick Stage.

Story:

Wisely, Fellowship! does not try to adapt the entirety of The Lord of the Rings but wisely sticks to the events of The Fellowship of the Ring.[1] In realm of Middle Earth the Dark Lord Sauron forged “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them….”[2] The One Ring fell into the possession of a hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Jonathan Haidl). After his 111th birthday party, Bilbo decides to leave his home in the Shire and passes the One Ring to his heir, Frodo Baggins (Steven Alcantar). Unfortunately, Gandalf (Brian Cook), a wizard and friend to Bilbo and Frodo, discovers Sauron has returned and is looking to reclaim the One Ring. It is up to Frodo, Gandalf, and the fellowship they assemble to destroy the One Ring.

Fellowship! is a lot of fun. There is a clear affection for its source material. It included some deeper cuts – like a Tom Bombadil reference. It was not afraid to poke fun at plot points or the character dynamics, such as the relationships between Frodo and Sam (Enrique Munoz Jr.) and Legolas (Samantha Green) and Gimli (Ashton Haugen). The show could have pushed the envelope further, but it was still funny.

Acting/Set Design/Costumes:

The cast, many of them playing multiple parts, performed well. Kyle Slayton gave a standout performance as Merry, a character no one else seemed to remember. Sergio Lobito will have you seeing the Balrog in a whole new light. Justyn Gonzales (Aragorn) and Samantha Green (Arwen) were fantastic together. Their 80s power ballad duet, “One Moment (With You),” was an absolute delight.

The deliberately low-tech effects and props provided much of the show’s humor. Can a wizard battle be epic if it is done with dolls? Yes, yes, it can. The set design was also effective at showcasing dramatic moments, particularly when Sauron was featured.

The costumes are reminiscent of those in the film, but are not identical. Like the set design, the costuming adds a lot of visual humor to the show. My favorite look was the Balrog’s costume. Even if you were unaware of the Balrog’s role in the story, one look at the character immediately lets you know he’s a big deal.

Now, while one may not simply walk into Mordor (the land where Sauron dwells), Fellowship! proves you can sing and dance your way to it.

[1] This does mean not everyone’s favorite character will be featured — sorry, Gollum fans. However, Brian Cook does a great impression.

[2] J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring