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DePauw Theatre Presents The Who's Tommy, April 16 - 19

DePauw Theatre Presents The Who's Tommy, April 16 - 19

April 8, 2009

Tommy_Poster-2009.jpgApril 8, 2009, Greencastle, Ind. — Near the beginning of World War II, Tommy Walker was born into a single parent home in England. His father, an RAF captain, had been declared missing in action, presumed lost forever. When Captain Walker unexpectedly returns four years later he finds his wife with another man and unintentionally kills him. Young Tommy, shocked by the violent scene, closes his eyes and ears to the world becoming “deaf, dumb and blind.”

So begins the story of DePauw Theatre’s final production of the 2008-09 season, The Who’s Tommy, a musical theatre adaptation of the legendary album recorded by the English band. The production opens on Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. and audience members are invited to join the cast and crew for an opening night party following that performance. Additional performances are Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18 at 7:30 and Sunday, April 19 at 2:30 p.m. All performances are in Moore Theatre in the DePauw's Green Center for the Performing Arts. (pictured at right: seated - Calvin Timm [Teenage Tommy]; from left - Camron Parker, Tommy 2009 1.jpgDavid Terry, Beth Tobin, Brandon Piper [local lads])

Tommy, a full-length rock opera released as an album in 1969, was conceived and written by The Who’s lead guitarist, Pete Townshend. The record was an immediate commercial and critical hit, with LIFE magazine noting, "...for sheer power, invention and brilliance of performance, Tommy outstrips anything which has ever come out of a recording studio.” Songs from the double-album set include, “Pinball Wizard,” See Me, Feel Me,” and “Acid Queen.” In 1975, a film adaptation was released that featured Elton John, Ann Margaret, Tina Turner, and Jack Nicholson.

The Who’s Tommy was created for the stage in 1992 by Des McAnuff, at that time the artistic director of the La Jolla Playhouse in California. The production premiered in La Jolla and moved quickly to Broadway in 1993, receiving rave reviews and several Tony and Drama Desk Awards. While changes from the original rock opera are significant -- the songs appear in a different order, solos have becomeTommy 2009 2.jpg duets or choral numbers, Tommys of several ages interact -- the story is still the basic tale of a young boy traumatized into silence who eventually comes alive as a pinball-playing star. (above left: Matt Patterson [Captain Walker], Lauren Palmer [Young Tommy], Julia Rohm-Ensing [Mrs. Walker])

Directed by professor of communication and theatre Steve Timm, the DePauw production features a cast, crew and band of over fifty which includes DePauw students and staff members as well as members of the Putnam County community.

Why Tommy? “I wanted to do a loud show. The last two shows I directed were too quiet, “ says Timm, “also, it's the 40th anniversary of the release of The Who's double-album.” The professor says few of the students involved with the production came to it aware of the cultural significance of Tommy The Who.jpgthe piece. “I've had five old people in the last week tell me they saw The Who perform Tommy live in ’68 or '69, and they talk about specific moments where Townshend's tearing up the guitar and even in the retelling, they're still getting chills.”

This production is recommended for mature audiences.

Tickets are $3 for students and $6 for adults, and are available for purchase at the Green Center for the Performing Arts Center Box Office (open Monday and Wednesday noon to 2 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday 1 – 5 p.m., Friday noon -4 p.m., and one hour prior to show time). Information and reservations are available by calling (765) 658-4827 or emailing greencenter@depauw.edu.

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