Hickory – In The Hobbit, coming March 9th to the Hickory Community Theatre, the two major characters who drive the plot are Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield. In the Hickory production these roles are played by actors from Caldwell County.

Jordan A. Randall, a resident of Granite Falls, has the role of Gandalf, the wizard who persuades Bilbo Baggins to take an unexpected and perilous journey. Randall is a professional singer who studied theatre performance at Appalachian State University and has been a featured entertainer and actor at Tweetsie Railroad since 2013. Some of his favorite theatre roles are Jesus in The Darkest Side of Midnight, Poseidon in The Trojan Women and being part of Ensemble Christmas with Ensemble Stage for three consecutive seasons.

Thorin, the exiled ruler of the kingdom of dwarves, is played by Jill Roberts. She commutes from Lenoir where she works as a medical office assistant at Granite Falls Family Medical Care Center. This is her second season at HCT and her first leading role. Last year she was Marcellus and the Player Queen in Hamlet and a member of the ensemble for Rent. Her favorite roles with other theatres include Sister Aloysius in Doubt, Jean Louise Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird and Mrs. Pearce in Pygmalion.

HCT’s production of The Hobbit is a stage adaptation of the famous story that has enthralled millions of readers the world over. It’s the tale of a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, who goes on a grand adventure with the powerful wizard Gandalf, and a band of unruly dwarves who want to reclaim their home from a fearsome dragon.

Performances of The Hobbit are Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm (Mar 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 & 24); Thursdays at 7:30pm (Mar 15 & 22); and Sundays at 2:30pm (Mar 18 & 25.)

All seats are $18, seniors age 60+ are $16 and tickets for students and youth 18 and under are $10. On Thursday nights all adults and seniors are $14. Tickets are now on sale online at www.hickorytheatre.org or through the Theatre box office, in person or by phone at 828-328-2283. Box office hours are 12-5 Wednesday through Friday.

HCT is a Funded Affiliate of the United Arts Council of Catawba County. The 2017-2018 Season is sponsored by Paramount Automotive and A Cleaner World. The Hobbit is produced by Robert Abbey, Inc. and Sunbelt Furniture Xpress.

Photo: Jill Roberts is Thorin Oakenshield and Jordan A. Randall is Gandalf in The Hobbit at the Hickory Community Theatre. Performances begin on March 9th in the Jeffers Theatre. Click www.hickorytheatre.org or call (828) 328-2283 for tickets and information. Photo by John Koval.