The Who's Tommy finishes its run at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre July 21. The Tony-nominated revival began previews March 8 and officially opened March 28—read the reviews here. The reimagined revival was helmed by the musical's original director and co-book writer, Des McAnuff.
Ali Louis Bourzgui leads the cast in the title role, opposite Alison Luff as Mrs. Walker, Adam Jacobs as Captain Walker, John Ambrosino as Uncle Ernie, Bobby Conte as Cousin Kevin, and Christina Sajous as The Acid Queen. Sharing the role of Tommy, age four, are Cecilia Ann Popp and Olive Ross-Kline. Tommy, age 10, is shared by Quinten Kusheba and Reese Levine.
The ensemble features Jeremiah Alsop, Ronnie S. Bowman Jr., Mike Cannon, Tyler James Eisenreich, Haley Gustafson, Sheldon Henry, Aliah James, Tassy Kirbas, Lily Kren, Nathan Lucrezio, Alexandra Matteo, Mark Mitrano, Reagan Pender, Daniel Quadrino, Jenna Nicole Schoen, and Andrew Tufano. Rounding out the company as swings are Afra Hines, David Paul Kidder, Brett Michael Lockley, and Dee Tomasetta.
Based on The Who's 1969 rock opera Tommy, the musical follows the young Tommy Walker. After witnessing his father shoot his rival, Tommy is emotionally lost, and spends his time staring endlessly into the mirror. Then, an innate knack for pinball catapults him into celebrity status.
The work originally opened on Broadway in 1993, with a book by McAnuff and Pete Townshend of The Who, music and lyrics by Townshend, and direction by McAnuff. The pair reunited to reimagine the story, with McAnuff returning to direct this new production, which played a run at Chicago's Goodman Theatre prior to the Broadway bow. Much of the cast, including the complete principal cast, reprised their performances from that engagement.
The creative team also includes choreographer Lorin Latarro (Into the Woods), music supervisor Ron Melrose (Jersey Boys), musical director Rick Fox (Rent), set designer David Korins (Hamilton), projection designer Peter Nigrini (Here Lies Love), costume designer Sarafina Bush (for colored girls...), lighting designer Amanda Zieve (Escape to Margaritaville), sound designer Gareth Owen (Back to the Future), and wig and hair designer Charles G. LaPointe (Hamilton). The production also features orchestrations by Steve Margoshes, additional music arrangements by Melrose, and additional orchestrations by Fox. Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting's Merri Sugarman with additional Chicago casting by Lauren Port and Rachael Jimenez. Tripp Phillips is the production stage manager, and Bespoke Theatricals is general manager.
The original Broadway production of The Who's Tommy opened April 22, 1993, at the St. James Theatre, after beginning previews March 29. McAnuff had first staged the work in 1992 at California's La Jolla Playhouse, where he was artistic director, before the production moved to Broadway the following year. Prior to the Broadway version, an early stage adaptation of Tommy premiered in 1971 in Seattle featuring Bette Midler as both the Acid Queen and Mrs. Walker. A screen version followed in 1975.
Stephen Gabriel and Ira Pittelman led the producing team, joined by co-producers Sue Gilad & Larry Rogowsky, Mary Maggio & Scott Abrams, Tom Tuft and Glenn Fuhrman, Batman Harris/Elliott Cornelious, Laura Matalon/Spencer Waller, Richard Winkler, Sheldon Stone, Firemused Productions/Stone Arch Theatricals, LeonoffFedermanWolofsky Productions/Koenigsberg Batchelder, Roy Putrino/Narang Moran, Rich Martino, Aged in Wood/Lee Sachs, Paul and Margaret Liljenquist, R & R Productions, Marla McNally Phillips, Merrie Robin, O’Neill Snow, Work Light Productions, Nederlander Presentations, Independent Presenters Network, John Gore Organization, Palomino Performing Arts, Wavelength Productions, Robert Nederlander, Jr., Botwin Ignal Dawson, Jamie deRoy, Betsy Dollinger, Stacey Woolf Feinberg, Gold Weinstein, Tyce Green, Jenen Rubin, Jim Kierstead, Marco Santarelli, Nancy Timmers, Thomas B. McGrath, Olympus Theatricals, and Goodman Theatre.
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