India’s premier airline Jet Airways announced their sponsorship worth 15 million rupees for The Lord of the Rings London original cast album that is currently being recorded for a 21 January 2008 release. The hit show The Lord of the Rings, which is now booking until 27 September 2008, opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Tuesday 19 June this year.
As part of the deal, which is worth 15 million rupees, the CD will be made available in the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from December and on general release from 21 January. Jet Airways passengers will be among the first to hear the new recording onboard Jet Airway flights from January.
The album will feature the voices of the 52-strong cast including Malcolm Storry as ‘Gandalf’, James Loye as ‘Frodo Baggins’, Laura Michelle Kelly as ‘Galadriel’, Michael Therriault ‘Gollum’, Peter Howe ‘Sam’, Jérôme Pradon ‘Aragorn’, Brian Protheroe ‘Saruman’, Richard Henders ‘Merry’, Owen Sharpe ‘Pippin’, Michael Rouse ‘Legolas’, Sévan Stephan ‘Gimli’, Steven Miller ‘Boromir’ and Rosalie Craig ‘Arwen’, with Andrew Jarvis as ‘Elrond’, Terence Frisch ‘Bilbo’, Tim Morgan ‘The Steward of the Lands of Men’ and Kirsty Malpass ‘Rosie’.
As India’s premier airline that embraces the spirit of India, Jet Airways found a synergy between themselves and the high quality production — The Lord of the Rings, which takes theatregoers on a musical, mysterious and adventurous journey.
The Lord of the Rings is an amazing live event, filled with jaw-dropping theatricality that transports you to Middle-earth as breathtaking special effects, thrilling music and dazzling performances fill the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
The first major stage adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic, The Lord of the Rings has now been seen by over 300,000 people in London.
The reviews said “This show is a wonder. Go with an open heart, wide-open eyes, and prepare for enchantment” (The Times); “You’ve never seen spectacle like it” The Sun; “Theatrical magic —astonishing” (Sunday Times); “A hugely impressive production” The Guardian.
Seventy years after J.R.R. Tolkien created hobbits all his amazing characters come vividly to life on stage including Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin and Bilbo, as well as the now legendary characters of The Lord of the Rings Gandalf, Galadriel, Aragorn, Arwen, Legolas and Boromir.
Shelob the Spider, an army of orcs and Saruman’s black riders (ringwraiths) take over the Theatre Royal Drury Lane 8 times a week as The Fellowship undertake their adventure through Middle-earth to destroy the one ring.
The production has book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna & Matthew Warchus and music by India’s renowned composer A.R. Rahman & Finland’s celebrated Värttinä with Christopher Nightingale. The show is directed by Matthew Warchus, with choreography by Peter Darling and set and costume design by Rob Howell. Lighting is by Paul Pyant, sound design by Simon Baker for Autograph, moving image direction by The Gray Circle, literary consultancy by Laurie Battle, special effects design by Gregory Meeh, illusions and magic effects by Paul Kieve, circus skills by Alex Frith and musical direction by Richard Brown.
Performance times at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for The Lord of the Rings, which runs at 2 hours and 40 minutes plus interval, are Mondays at 7.00pm and Tuesdays-Saturdays at 7.30pm, with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.00pm.
Audiences have commented how The Lord of the Rings looks amazing from the upper levels of the theatre, making all ticket prices – from £15.00 – fantastic value.
Tickets, priced from £15.00 – £60.00, are available from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane Box Office on 0870 890 6002 or at www.lotr.com.
The Kevin Wallace Limited production of The Lord of the Rings is presented by Kevin Wallace and Saul Zaentz.
Source: http://www.lotr.com/press_releases/pr_jet_airways.php