Seacoast Rep Announces THE WHO'S TOMMY

Portsmouth-area theater audiences will get a chance to see, feel and hear one of the most-loved and influential rock musicals of all time, when the Seacoast Repertory Theatre kicks off its summer season with The Who's Tommy.

The show, which opens June 29, will feature direction and design by the Seacoast Rep's "The Mad Men of Oopsy Daisy Inc!", a live band on stage, and choreography by award-winner Bethany Cassidy.

"Pretty much every sense that you can experience will be titillated," said Brandon James, half of the Mad Men duo that has stamped its riotous aesthetic on Seacoast Rep productions including Reefer Madness, Avenue Q and last year's metal-rock musical Rock of Ages.

The Who's Tommy represents the full realization of what began as a concept album in 1969. The story tells of a traumatized youth unable to speak, hear, or see, but who nonetheless becomes a pinball champion. The story depicts how he comes to terms with his celebrity status and his relationship with fans.

"My task is to be a rock star, and be a sign for these people of hope," said Jason Faria, who plays Tommy in the show and is now in his fourth season at the Seacoast Rep. "It's the awakening of one's self. I have to unashamedly present exactly what I am on stage, to strip down all barriers. I just have to be completely me."

Tommy the album was hailed at its release as a culturally transforming rock opera. The Who performed it on tour in 1969-1970, including at the Woodstock rock festival. A 1975 movie version starred Tina Turner, Ann-Margret and Elton John.

The stage musical was created in 1992 when The Beatles producer Sir George Martin teamed with The Who's Pete Townsend. It has won major theater awards on both sides of the Atlantic.

The musical differs from the movie in several ways, James said. Nevertheless, he said, "It's still at its heart the same Tommy that everyone loves, maybe even more so," due to Townshend's role in revising the work for stage.

Classic songs from the album and the musical include "Pinball Wizard," "See Me, Feel Me," "The Acid Queen" and "I'm Free."

"Every time we say 'Tommy' in this area, everybody knows Tommy and everybody loves Tommy. There is still a huge following for the musical. It really is a sort of sacred piece of music and art, and we know how much people love it," said Ben Hart, the other half of the Mad Men team.

A full band will be performing the songs on stage, amid sets that evoke arcade dazzle and the eye-popping art of the 1960s.

"We want you to feel like you are inside a pinball machine the whole show," James said.

Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein - whose work exaggerated the graphic techniques and boldness of comic books -- was a key influence in the sets and costuming. "Everybody's gotten sort of a Roy Lichtenstein look," Hart said.

The dance-heavy production marks Cassidy's return to a partnership with the Mad Men after a long hiatus and several years' work in New York as a dancer and teacher. "A lot of the choreography has incorporated these pinball machine elements," James said. "The use of the set is kind of sexy, a little dangerous. She's really pulling out all the stops."

Adding to the pinball theme, Seacoast Rep's lobby will be converted to a miniature pinball arcade, with a variety of machines available to play before shows or any time the lobby is open. A pinball tournament will occur near opening night, complete with prizes.

For cast of Tommy, the show is only the first of three productions members will performing in together, as the Seacoast Rep casts its summer season as a traditional repertory theater. The other productions are the 1980s roller-disco send-up "Xanadu," in August, and the campy-classic "Rocky Horror Show," a late-night July and August offering.

"We're all doing all three shows, so we're pretty much rehearsing from morning to night," James said. "We feel like we're running the Olympics right now. It's really exciting."

The Who's Tommy runs June 29-July 29. Show times are Thursdays at 7:30, Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets are available through the Seacoast Rep box office at 603-433-4472, or online at www.seacoastrep.org/tickets. For student discounts, call the box office. Tommy is sponsored by Mr. Electric of Southeast New Hampshire, DECK, Charles Schwab and Shaheen & Gordon. The Seacoast Repertory Theatre's 2018 season is sponsored in part by Bondgarden Farms, Portsmouth Public Media, MacEdge and the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel.

The Seacoast Repertory Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit theatre committed to providing a variety of programming for the community. The Rep presents professional programming through its Mainstage, alternative programming through its Red Light Series and also offers a variety of programs for youth and seniors. For more information, or to schedule an interview, please call Director of Marketing Brian Kelly at 603-785-2782 or at marketing@seacoastrep.org.

The Seacoast Repertory Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit theatre committed to providing a variety of programming for the community. The Rep presents professional programming through its Mainstage, alternative programming through its Red Light Series and also offers a variety of programs for youth and seniors.

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