Video: THE WHO'S TOMMY Sets Record as the Most Successful Production in Goodman Theatre History

The Goodman’s must-see musical The Who’s Tommy smashed box office records, officially becoming the highest-grossing production in the 98-year history of Chicago’s largest not-for-profit theater company.

The acclaimed, twice-extended production “went clean” in the 856-seat Albert Theatre selling a record number of single tickets and selling out 36 performances. Audiences attending hailed from all 50 United States, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as 21 other countries as far away as New Zealand, with many patrons attending multiple performances. Based on The Who’s original 1969 rock opera, The Who’s Tommy is the story of Tommy Walker reimagined for 2023 by its original Tony Award winning co-creators—music and lyrics by Pete Townshend and book by Townshend and Des McAnuff, who also directs—featuring a cast of 29 accompanied by a nine-piece orchestra.

On closing weekend (August 5 and 6), the original Tony Award-winning creators brought the sold-out, standing-room-only crowd to their feet when they joined the company on stage for curtain call and bow.

In a joint statement, Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director/CEO Roche Schulfer said, “The Who’s Tommy at the Goodman is, to borrow a phrase, a ‘sensation’—an aural and visual feast of the fullest imagination, a production of the highest quality and an unprecedented technical achievement that will remain indelibly with all who experienced it for years to come. We are most grateful to Des McAnuff and Pete Townshend, along with our cast, musicians, creative team and crew for their enormous talent and hard work on stage, and behind the scenes, every night. We thank our sponsors, Northern Trust (Lead Corporate Sponsor), Winston & Strawn LLP (Major Corporate Sponsor) and Shure (Technical Supporter). And sincerely thank our audience for being part of this ‘amazing journey’—and for supporting Chicago theater as we continue to rebound following the pandemic shut-down.”

Myth and spectacle combine in this 2023 reimagining of The Who’s 1969 rock concept album, 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. 

A cast of 29 and a nine-piece band performs the classic songs in an exciting new staging. In title role of Tommy Walker is Ali Louis Bourzgui (Layalina, The Band’s Visit national tour), with Adam Jacobs (Aladdin, Les Misérables 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. The cast also includes John Ambrosino (Les Misérables 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.

The cast also includes 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, Nathe Rowbotham, 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).

ABOUT THE CREATORS

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.