The Hobbit

In light of Fayette County Public School’s recent decision to move to a mask optional policy we wanted to let you know that masks are still required of everyone entering the Lexington Children’s Theatre building at this time. We plan to maintain our mask policy through the end of the run of The Hobbit and then reassess at that point.

To ensure the best quality experience for our audiences, our young performers will not be wearing masks while performing and the show does require them to use the aisles during the performances. If this is a concern for your group and you would like to be seated away from the aisles please reach out to the Box Office and we can move your seats.

Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you all at the show! For more information about our safety procedures for performances, visit https://www.lctonstage.org/covid19-safety/.

The Hobbit by Patricia Gray is based on the classic epic tale by J.R.R. Tolkien. In this story, a company of dwarves enlist a wizard (Gandalf) and a hobbit (Bilbo Baggins) to travel to a far-off mountain and defeat a dragon in order to regain their rightful home. This story includes fantastical themes including magic, monsters, and quests.

Their quest does have many challenges along the way – they encounter a group of trolls that wants to cook them all for dinner, they are captured by elves and taken to their dungeons, and are threatened by a dark city of goblins. While in the goblins’ caves, the company is forced to fight and slay their enemies. This scene includes sword fighting and a clear sense of danger for our heroes. All stage combat you see has been carefully choreographed and practiced before each show so it is 100% safe for the actors and 110% believable for the audience!

While in the caves, Bilbo also gets separated from the group and finds himself lost in a cold and dark cave with a creepy character named Gollum. The two interact through riddles, and Bilbo uses his wit and cleverness to avoid being eaten by the creature. Later, as the group comes head-to-head with the Lonely Mountain and Smaug, the powerful dragon that inhabits it, Bilbo is challenged with outsmarting the terrifying great dragon as well.

This play is a great way to spark conversations about friendship, teamwork, and how being different makes us stronger. Bilbo, Gandalf, and each of the dwarves are all very different people, but throughout their journey they each find ways to help each other, and eventually realize that they need all of their unique skills to come out victorious in the end. Throughout the story, they also approach and overcome many different challenges, learning more about each other in the process. In The Hobbit, the dwarves realize that they couldn’t defeat Smaug on their own, and they have to be courageous and seek help. There are times when you cannot do it all on your own and deciding to ask for help can be the strongest thing you can do. At LCT, we know that work is better with a team – and more fun!

We love this story because it is a classic adventure story that so many of us know and love, and it all started with a story J.R.R. Tolkien used to tell his children before bed! This is a story that inspires imagination and empowers us to take on our own challenges with determination. In life, it is inevitable that we will face hardship, but what is important is how we approach it and learn from it. We hope this story inspires you to outwit your own dragons, treasure the companions who stick with you, and enjoy this fantastical adventure we call life.