This post was originally published on Playbill - News
Written by: Logan Culwell-Block, Meg Masseron
Broadway Says Goodbye to The Who’s Tommy July 21. Ali Louis Bourzgui, Alison Luff, and Adam Jacobs lead the reimagined revival of the 1993 musical and 1969 album.
Ali Louis Bourzgui and company of The Who’s Tommy. (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
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.
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.
