Video: Des McAnuff Gives a Speech Following Final Performance of THE WHO'S TOMMY

The critically acclaimed production of The Who’s TOMMY played its final performance on Broadway yesterday, Sunday, July 21. As BroadwayWorld previously announced, a National Tour will launch at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) in Providence, RI in the Fall of 2025.

Following the musical's final performance last night, members of the team took the stage, including Des McAnuff, to give a speech. The audience also got a message from Pete Townshend himself. Watch the full speech below:

The Who’s TOMMY opened on March 28, 2024 (previews began March 8, 2024), and as of July 21, played 20 previews and 132 regular performances at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street).

Three decades after the epic pop-culture musical theatre sensation first bowed on Broadway, original Tony Award®-winning creators Pete Townshend (music, lyrics, book) and Des McAnuff (direction, book) have reunited to bring the story of Tommy Walker to today’s audiences.

The cast of The Who’s TOMMY featured Ali Louis Bourzgui as Tommy, Alison Luff as Mrs. Walker, Adam Jacobs as Captain Walker, John Ambrosino as Uncle Ernie, Bobby Conte as Cousin Kevin, and Christina Sajous as The Acid Queen. Completing the cast are Haley Gustafson, Jeremiah Alsop, Ronnie S. Bowman Jr., Mike Cannon, Tyler James Eisenreich, Sheldon Henry, Afra Hines, Aliah James, David Paul Kidder, Tassy Kirbas, Lily Kren, Quinten Kusheba, Reese Levine, Brett Michael Lockley, Nathan Lucrezio, Alexandra Matteo, Mark Mitrano, Reagan Pender, Cecilia Ann Popp, Daniel Quadrino, Olive Ross-Kline, Jenna Nicole Schoen, Dee Tomasetta, and Andrew Tufano.

Myth and spectacle combine in The Who’s exhilarating 1969 rock opera, TOMMY—including the unforgettable anthems “I’m Free,” “See Me, Feel Me,” “Sensation” and “Pinball Wizard.” After witnessing his father shoot his rival, the young Tommy Walker is lost in the universe, endlessly and obsessively staring into the mirror. An innate knack for pinball catapults him from reticent adolescent to celebrity savior. 

In addition to Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, The Who’s TOMMY creative team includes choreographer Lorin Latarro, music supervision and additional arrangements by Ron Melrose, music direction set design by David Korins, projection design by Peter Nigrini, costume design by Sarafina Bush, lighting design by Amanda Zieve, sound design by Gareth Owen, additional orchestrations by Rick Fox, orchestrations by Steve Margoshes, and wig and hair design by Charles LaPointe. Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting/Merri Sugarman, CSA. Additional Chicago Casting by Lauren Port, CSA and Rachael Jimenez, CSA. Tripp Phillips is the Production Stage Manager and Bespoke Theatricals is General Manager. 

The Who’s TOMMY is produced on Broadway by Stephen Gabriel and Ira Pittelman. Co-Producers include Sue Gilad & Larry Rogowsky, Mary Maggio & Scott Abrams, Tom Tuft and Glenn Fuhrman, Batman Harris/Elliott Cornelious, Laura Matalon/Spencer Waller, Richard Winkler, Sheldon Stone, FireMused Productions/Stone Arch Theatricals, LeonoffFedermanWolofsky Productions/Koenigsberg Batchelder, Roy Putrino/Narang Moran, Rich Martino, Aged in Wood/Lee Sachs, Paul and Margaret Liljenquist, R and R Productions, Marla McNally Phillips, Merrie Robin, O'Neill Snow, Work Light Productions, Nederlander Presentations, Independent Presenters Network, John Gore Organization, Palomino Performing Arts, Wavelength Productions, Robert Nederlander, Jr., Botwin Ignal Dawson, Jamie deRoy, Betsy Dollinger, Stacey Woolf Feinberg, Gold Weinstein, Tyce Green, Jenen Rubin, Jim Kierstead, Marco Santarelli, Nancy Timmers, Thomas B. McGrath, Olympus Theatricals, and Goodman Theatre.