Wow, this is going to be fun. We have almost an entire year of buzz to build up to the opening night of the $27MM Lord of the Rings Musical.

It's kinda cool that the global debut will be here in Toronto, but I'm a little surprised that everyone keeps saying that it's the first major show to debut outside of the West End or Broadway. What about Kiss of the Spider Woman? Started in Toronto...directed by Hal Prince...won 6 Tonys on Broadway (1993: Musical, Book, Score, Costumes, Actor: Brent Carver; Actress: Chita Rivera; Featured Actor: Anthony Crivello). What about Ragtime? Started in Toronto...won a 4 Tonys on Broadway (1998: Book, Score, Orchestration, Featured Actress: Audra McDonald). Gosh, even Showboat was revived in Toronto, and then went on to a triumphant North American tour and 5 Tonys (1995: Revival, Costumes, Director: Harold Prince; Choreographer: Susan Stroman; Featured Actress: Gretha Boston). Gee...what did all those shows have in common? Oh yeah...

Still, it seems really unfair to take everything from someone, even the accomplishments of his shows...

Anyway, in today's The Globe And Mail James Adams Weekend Diary (sadly hidden behind a "premium content" wall...and no New York Times-style blog appropriate Link Generator...sorry) was a bit of an homage from my post from Thursday. James said:

"It's been said that the Rings will owe less to the conventions of musical theatre and more to the sweep of opera and epic movies, while drawing on "ethnic traditions." I think this could be a mistake. If I want opera, I can walk the few blocks from the Princess of Wales to the new home of the Canadian Opera Company to see the complete Ring cycle by Wagner. If I want ethnic, I can catch the China National Acrobatic Troupe at the nearby Hummingbird Centre. And if I have a hankering for cinematic scope, well, there are the DVDs of Alexander and Troy, and the three Rings movies for that matter.

In short, The Lord of the Rings musical should not try to exempt itself from one of the fundaments of the hit musical, which is to leave the audience with a snappily titled, hummable melody or two reverberating in their skulls as they exit the theatre. To spark this kind of thinking, I hereby offer the show's creators these (possible) song titles:

Give My Regards To Mordor;
Hobbitually Devoted To You;
Careful With That Axe, Grimli;
Ring-toss Wizard;
I've Grown Accustomed To Those Orcs;
Let Elvish Rule;
Gandalf, I'm Only Dancing."

I'm still partial to my "Second Breakfast At Tiffany's" and from Brighterbuc:

You're getting to be a Hobbit with me?
'Swonderful, 'smarvelous, 'smeagle should be with me...
It's Gandalf Night for Singing
One (Ring that's a sensation)
Ma, he's making Eye at me!