Beren and Luthien Scenes 1-5

Author's Note: Recently in my town, The Hobbit was performed as a youth play and was a big sucess. So, taking one of Tolkien's best stories, I'm turning it into a play! Once it is big enough to show the potential of it, I'm going to send it into to theater and see if it could become a real play. Wish me luck! But keep in mind when you read it, it's meant to be performed by kids.

Another Note: I plan to suggest a style of resuing actors, just changing costumes, and play all the regular knights, orcs, werewolves, ect. So if you see (a.k.a. Soldier #1), that is one of 10 soldiers used for whatever unnamed troop.

Scene 1

Gandalf enters, slowly.

A young Frodo dashes in.

Frodo: It's Gandalf! Come on Uncle Bilbo, Gandalf's here!

Bilbo comes along slower.

Bilbo: Slow down lad, I'm not that young anymore!

Gandalf: Hello Frodo. Hello Bilbo. I'm glad to see everything is going happily. Frodo, where are your parents?

Frodo: Out fishing. They'll be back early tonight.

They all take a seat.

Frodo: Can you tell me a story? Please?

Gandalf: Which one?

Frodo: Ummmm.... How about the one about Beren and Luthien?

Gandalf: You mean The Lay of Leithian? That's a very long story Frodo; the only longer one is The Children of Hurin. Something like that can't be finished before tonight.

Frodo: Can you just tell me the short version?

Bilbo: Yes, Gandalf. I loved that story back when I was a young hobbit.

Gandalf: Okay, but just the short version. So, it all began...

Darkens, Frodo and Bilbo leave.

Scene 2:

Gandalf: Long ago, thousands of years, there was the Dark Lord: Morgoth. He hated all things good, and tried to ruin the vast, wonderful land of Beleriand. There, there were many kingdoms of Men, Elves, and Dwarves. But from his dark fortress of Angband in the north, he fought a brutal war against them all.

Throughout this, Morgoth stands still and intimidating.

Gandalf: There was a kingdom of Men called Dorthonion. The land was overrun by vicious Orcs, and all its cities burned. Soon, all that was left were twelve valiant knights. They were led by King Barahir (a.k.a. Soldier #1), and his son, Prince Beren.

Morgoth leaves, but Beren, Barahir and co.(a.k.a. Soldiers) come with swords, striking a heroic pose, Barahir at front, Beren at his right side.

Gandalf: For a year the twelve Outlaws struck the orcs wherever they could, always retreating to the forest and could never be caught, until one day...

Scene 3

Gorlim (a.k.a. Soldier #1) with bow creeps across. Midway across, Sauron and werewolves(a.k.a. soldiers 2-6) jump out from all sides.

Sauron: So finally I have one of you. I am Sauron, the right-hand man to Morgoth. Tell me - where is your king?!

Gorlim: I'll never betray King Barahir!

Sauron pauses for a moment.

Sauron: I have Eilinel, you wife, locked in the pits of Angband. I can free her, and you will be brought togother.

Gorlim: (mutters) ...south shore of Lake Naugrim...

Sauron: I will keep my promise. She is dead.

Sauron kills Gorlim, werewolves pounce on him.

Sauron: Now you are together.

Scene 4

Beren: Father! There's a huge troop of werewolves, I found their footprints! Father?

Light shines on the knights all laying dead on the ground.

Beren: I will find the orcs that did this to you and avenge your death, and all the deaths of the men of Dorthonion! But where is... the ring! That ring was given to us by the King of Elves, Finrod Felagund! It was stolen! That ring proves that we are friends of the elves! I need it, that was given to my great-great-great grandfather, Beor! He was the first Man to ever come to Beleriand! I will find those orcs!

Scene 5

Beren crouches behind a rock, eavesdropping on two orcs trying to light a fire. The other 8 orcs (soldiers) are off to the left, doing whatever, like poking each other.

Orc #1 (a.k.a. Soldier #1): Put up a good fight, that King Barahir did! He knocked the sword out of my hand and nearly stuck my through! But he couldn't get ME! I yanked him down, and he fell on his own sword!

Throughout this, the orc makes exaggerated movements of the fight.

Orc #2 (a.k.a. Soldier #2): No you didn't! How could he fall on his own sword when he's about to stab you!?

Orc #1: Are you calln' me a liar!?

Orc #2: Yes I am!

Both draw swords and begin to snarl at each other.

Suddenly, Orc #1 stops and sneers.

Orc #1: Well, I've got something to prove it! I took this ring from his body!

Orc pulls out the ring.

Beren: *gasp* The Ring! For Dorthonion!

Beren leaps onto the terrified orcs, slaying them both.

Orc #3 (a.k.a. Soldier #3): Ahhh!!! We're under attack!

Orcs (soldiers) charge in unorganized, Beren dodges imaginary arrows and escapes.

Thanks for reading!