Adam Jacobs, Alison Luff, Bobby Conte & More Will Lead Reimagined THE WHO'S TOMMY at Chicago's Goodman Theatre

The Pinball Wizard is back! This summer, Chicago will be first to experience a reimagined production of The Who's Tommy when the original creators reunite at Goodman Theatre. Tony Award winners Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, nearly 30 years after their epic pop-culture musical theater sensation first bowed on Broadway, have reconvened to tell the story of Tommy Walker for 2023 audiences. Rehearsals are underway for the summer musical, which begins previews June 13.

"It's at once an honor and a joy to again collaborate with Pete to realize the power and pertinence of The Who's Tommy today," said director Des McAnuff, who originated the acclaimed production at La Jolla Playhouse followed by its long-running Broadway engagement (1993-1995). "While the music remains as glorious as ever, our world years later is unimaginably and irrevocably changed. As a result, there's so much more we all can recognize-and celebrate-in our protagonist's evolution, as a collective deeper understanding of mental health has sharpened our lens. Tommy Walker's triumph over devastating childhood trauma, to enlightened leadership, to ultimately recognizing the folly in which he's surrounded himself is an Amazing Journey to discover anew."

A cast of 28 and a nine-piece band performs the classic songs from The Who's exhilarating 1969 rock concept album, Tommy, in an exciting new staging. Cast in the title role of Tommy Walker is Ali Louis Bourzgui (Layalina, The Band's Visit national tour), with Adam Jacobs (Aladdin, Les Miserables and The Lion King on Broadway) as his father, Captain Walker and Alison Luff (Escape to Margaritaville, Waitress and Matilda on Broadway) as his mother, Mrs. Walker. Joining them are John Ambrosino (Les Miserables on Broadway) as Uncle Ernie; Bobby Conte (Company, A Bronx Tale The Musical on Broadway) as Cousin Kevin; and Christina Sajous (SpongeBob SquarePants and Holler If Ya Hear Me on Broadway) as the Acid Queen.

Also joining the cast are Jeremiah Alsop, Stephen Brower, Haley Gustafson, Sheldon Henry, Aliah James, Gabriel Kearns, Tassy Kirbas Lily Kren, Nathan Lucrezio, Alexandra Matteo, Morgan McGhee, Mark Mitrano, Reagan Pender, Daniel Quadrino , Jenna Nicole Schoen, Zach Sorrow, Ayana Strutz and Andrew Tufano. Young Tommy is played as a child and a pre-adolescent by the following actors in rotation: Ava Rose Doty, Presley Rose Jones, Annabel Finch and Ezekiel Ruiz.

The creative team includes choreography by Lorin Latarro (Into the Woods, Mrs. Doubtfire and Waitress on Broadway); music supervision and additional arrangements by Ron Melrose (Jersey Boys on Broadway, London and national tour); set design by David Korins (Hamilton, Beetlejuice, Here Lies Love on Broadway); costume design by Sarafina Bush (for colored girls... Pass Over on Broadway); lighting design by Amanda Zieve (Broadway associate on Escape to Margaritaville and Allegiance); sound design by Gareth Owen (Back to the Future, & Juliet and MJ The Musical on Broadway); and projection design by Peter Nigrini (MJ: The Musical and Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway). Casting is by Lauren Port, CSA and Rachael Jimenez, CSA. New York casting by Tara Rubin Casting/Merri Sugarman, CSA. Tripp Phillips is the Production Stage Manager and Nikki Blue and Jason Hindelang are the Stage Managers.

A nine-piece band performs the Tony Award-winning original score, featuring Rick Fox (Keyboard/Conductor), Valerie Gebert (Keyboard/Associate Conductor), Bobby Everson (Percussion), Chris Forte (Guitar), Jeremiah Frederick (Horn), Larry Kohut (Bass), Felton Offard (Guitar), Rose Snyder (Keyboard) and Jim Widlowski (Drums).

The Who's Tommy appears at Goodman Theatre June 13 - July 23 (Opening Night is Monday, June 26) in the 856-seat Albert Theatre; for tickets ($30 - $160) call 312.443.3800, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Tommy or purchase in-person at the Goodman Box Office at 170 N. Dearborn (12 noon - 5pm). Northern Trust is the Lead Corporate Sponsor and Winston & Strawn LLP is the Major Corporate Sponsor.

Pete Townshend is known principally as the lead guitarist and composer for The Who, as well as for his own solo career. His career with The Who spans over fifty years, during which time Townshend wrote well over a hundred songs for The Who's eleven studio albums, including the rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia and the well-regarded rock radio staple Who's Next. From early classic singles, such as 'My Generation' and 'Substitute' to 'Tommy', 'Lifehouse' and 'Quadrophenia', Townshend has always been at the forefront of his profession. Though known mainly as a guitarist, he is an accomplished singer and keyboard player, and has played many other instruments (banjo, accordion, synthesizer, piano, bass guitar and drums) on his solo albums and on certain Who albums. As an author, he has written Horse's Neck, a collection of short stories (Faber & Faber, 1985); Who I Am, a memoir (Harper Collins, 2012) and his latest artistic project, The Age of Anxiety, is simultaneously a novel and a rock opera about passion and ambition, good drugs and bad drugs, and loves lost and found (the novel was published by Hodder & Stoughton, 2019). His numerous awards for The Who's Tommy include a Grammy Award (1993), Tony Award for Best score (1993), Dora Mavor Moore Award (1994) and Olivier Award (1997). Other awards include Classic Rock Award (2011); Ivor Novello Award (1981); British Phonographic Industry Lifetime Achievement Award (1983); BRIT Award for contribution to British Music (1988); Living Legend Award, International Rock Awards (1991); Q Lifetime Achievement Award (1997); Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award (2001); Kennedy Center Honor, John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts (jointly with Roger Daltrey, 2008); Rock Honor, VH1 (2008); Honorary Doctorate West London University (2010); Les Paul Award, TEC Foundation (2012). The most recent Who album, WHO, was released on December 6, 2019.

Des McAnuff is a two-time Tony Award-winning director and former artistic director of Canada's Stratford Festival. He is also director emeritus of La Jolla Playhouse, where he staged over 30 productions of classics, new plays and musicals as artistic director. He's co-founder of Broadway's Dodgers. Broadway credits include Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations; Summer: The Donna Summer Musical; Doctor Zhivago; Jesus Christ Superstar; Guys and Dolls; Aaron Sorkin's The Farnsworth Invention; Jersey Boys (Tony and Olivier awards: Best Musical); Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays (Tony Award: Best Special Theatrical Event); Dracula the Musical; How to Succeed...; The Who' s Tommy (Tony and Olivier awards: Best Director); A Walk in the Woods and Big River (Tony awards: Best Director, Best Musical). Selected New York credits include Fetch Clay, Make Man (NYTW); multiple productions at The Public and BAM. Stratford highlights include: A Word or Two; Caesar and Cleopatra and The Tempest (all with Christopher Plummer). Opera credits include Faust (The Met, ENO). TV and film credits include 700 Sundays (HBO); Cousin Bette (with Jessica Lange, director); The Iron Giant (producer, BAFTA Award) and Quills (executive producer). In 2011, he was honored with a doctorate from Ryerson University where he attended theater school. In 2012, he was awarded Canada's Governor General' s National Arts Center Award and the Order of Canada.