Exciting News: Pete Townshend brings "Tommy" back to Broadway!

Pete Townshend's Legendary Musical "Tommy" Returns to Broadway

The iconic rock opera "Tommy" by The Who's Pete Townshend is making a grand comeback on Broadway in 2024. This reimagined version of the classic tells the story of Tommy Walker, a young boy who withdraws into a world of being "deaf, dumb, and blind" after witnessing a traumatic event, only to emerge as a pinball virtuoso.

Originally penned in the late '60s when Townshend was in his early 20s, "Tommy" has stood the test of time and remains a beloved Broadway production where audiences can sing along to every song.

The rock opera was first adapted into a visually stunning film in 1975, featuring The Who and a star-studded cast including Elton John, Tina Turner, Jack Nicholson, and Ann-Margret. In 1993, director Des McAnuff successfully brought "Tommy" to Broadway, where it garnered five Tony Awards.

Now, Townshend and McAnuff have reunited to present "Tommy" once again, believing that its themes of self-discovery and reflection are more relevant in today's world than ever before.

When asked about concerns of the show being perceived as a mere nostalgia act, McAnuff expressed confidence in the production's ability to resonate with modern audiences.

"Yes, absolutely," he replied, adding, "It was less about, 'Oh, let's, you know, rework it for a modern audience.' It was that everybody's wandering around staring into a mirror trying to escape a hostile universe, albeit it's a black mirror. But it resonates in a new way. There's a pertinence now that we didn't think it necessarily [had] 30 years ago."

In Townshend's original version, Tommy was a rock star. But a friend of Townshend's, who was a critic (and a pinball fanatic), thought that was a tired idea.

So, Townshend came up with a solution overnight: "I said, 'Well, I could change it. So instead of being a rockstar, he was a pinball player. I was clutching at straws! Anyway, so next day I sent him the demo …"

"I'm sorry, next day?" asked Smith. "You just wrote it, 'Pinball Wizard'?"

"Yeah! And he called me on the phone and he said, 'Pete, it's five stars and an extra ball!' Anyway, so he gave it a great review."

Tommy is played by Ali Louis Bourgzui. And talk about a baptism of fire – it's his first Broadway role ever. He admits meeting Townshend was intimidating: "Yeah, I really wanted to make sure that I was doing his piece justice," he said.

It's the same for choreographer Lorin Latarro. There's not much dialogue in "Tommy," so every move is important.

Asked to name her preferred section, she mentioned, "We refer to it as the rubber band section of 'Pinball Wizard,' (when the kids leap off the pinball machines). And some of the guys really get into those pinball machines. It's quite impressive!"

"Tommy" has remained a staple on The Who's setlist for years. However, for Townshend, it has always represented more than just an album. He has been quoted as stating that each rendition of "Tommy" extracts something from him. "Yeah, I can't recall the exact context of the quote, but I've discussed it so much, and at times I discard things just to appear clever," Townshend remarked.

For instance, in 2017, during The Who's performance of "Tommy" at the Royal Albert Hall, Townshend experienced an anxiety attack: "I sing 'Acid Queen' during The Who's performance," he explained. "And I was in the middle of singing 'Acid Queen,' when I recollected a memory that I had never recollected before. When I was a child and I was living with my eccentric grandmother, between the ages of four-and-a-half and six-and-a-half, I was mistreated. And I remembered it. I had never recollected it before. And I almost halted and walked off the stage. So, that kind of thing does occur. The subject matter of 'Tommy' is truly heavy stuff in many ways."

Nevertheless, it is the weightiness – and the music – that strikes a chord with individuals. Consequently, "Tommy" is now resonating with yet another generation.

"When somebody says, 'Oh, you went to see 'Tommy,' what was it like?' It's about conveying the way that you've been affected," Townshend said. "Is it important? Or is it just – dare I say it – is it just ABBA, you know? And the thing about ABBA and their success is just originally the brilliance of the music, and you tend to go no further, and story has been imposed from the outside on the music. In this case, what you actually have is a story that underpins some really great music, rock music, and pop music and a few show tunes, which is worth thinking about."

Smith asked, "So, what are your hopes for 'Tommy' this time around?"

"We just hope that it will dig in for a while," he replied. "Des and I were committed to the idea of bringing the show to Broadway with our fingers crossed, 'cause there's lots of other great things going up. But for me, it was just for the romance."

"The romance? What do you mean?"

"Broadway!" Townshend smiled. "You know, it's just so great to be on Broadway!"

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