Q: You also told me in our 2007 interview: “I was very unhappy that ‘Tommy’ on Broadway was called ‘The Who’s Tommy’.” From an authorial point of view, ‘Tommy’ is my story, no one else’s.” How easy, or difficult, was it to let Des (McAnuff or anyone else involved, for that matter) help re-shape “Tommy” for the musical stage? And how much were you willing to change your vision of “Tommy” to help it best adapt to the Playhouse stage and then on Broadway?Ī: Even the producer of the original “Tommy” album, Kit Lambert, tried to add shades to “Tommy” that I felt were unnecessary. For New York, I wrote “I Believe My Own Eyes” to explain the breakdown of the marriage of Tommy’s parents. We only added one new piece of music to the La Jolla production, a short piece where Sally Simpson tries to engage Tommy in conversation, to no avail. These were pretty much all dropped for La Jolla.
The (1973 “Tommy”) film by Ken Russell had taken several swerves and added sequences that were not on the album. We also had the services of the truly great dramaturge Robert Blacker (who sadly passed away a few weeks ago). It took me some time to get used to making so much money without having to stand on a stage myself I went a bit crazy.” What specifically did Des bring to the equation that made it special and different from your previous theater experiences?Ī: He worked as a dramaturge, digging into the surface of the story and using what was there without unnecessary embellishment. Commercially the success of “Tommy” changed my life, and not entirely for the better. ISABEL MARIE GILL, RUSSELL B.Q: In our 2007 interview, you told me: “I had worked in theater before I worked with Des (McAnuff), but my experience with him was special. JAY BOUGHNER, JUDAH CALLAHAN, EMILY CONTI, TONYA DUUS, LARRY EMERY, GIOVANNA ABUCEJO, BEN ARRINGTON, JACKSON BIRD, Originally Produced on Broadway by Pace Theatrical Group and Dodger Productions with Kardana Productions.Additional Music and Lyrics by John Entwhistle and Keith Moon.The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. The Who’s Tommy is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, Inc. (MTI). It may not be suitable for young children. The Rock Opera Tommy, which was first performed by The Who in 1969, was originally conceived by Peter Townshend and Kit Lambert with contributions to the development by John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Roger Daltrey.ĪUDIENCE ADVISORY: The Who’s Tommy contains strong language and sexual situations. As an adolescent, he's discovered to have an uncanny knack for playing pinball and, when his mother finally breaks through his catatonia, he becomes an international pinball superstar.
This five-time Tony Award-winning musical is a high-energy, one-of-a-kind theatrical event.Īfter witnessing the accidental murder of his mother's lover by his father, Tommy is traumatized into catatonia and, as the boy grows, he suffers abuse at the hands of his sadistic relatives and neighbors. The story of the pinball-playing, deaf, dumb and blind boy who triumphs over his adversities has inspired, amazed and puzzled audiences for more than 40 years. A deaf, dumb and blind boy's journey from pain to triumph is a sensory-defying rock and roll experience.īased on the iconic 1969 rock concept album, The Who's Tommy is an exhilarating story of hope, healing and the human spirit.
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