The Who's TOMMY! Comes To The Gallery Players 5/2-5/24

The Gallery Players' dream team from Urinetown! The Musical (2007 NYIT Award: Outstanding Production of a Musical) rocks the house this spring with The Who's Tommy! Astoria Performing Arts Center's Artistic Director and The Gallery Players veteran Tom Wojtunik directs the five-time 1993 Tony Award winning rock musical May 2-24, 2009.

Pete Townshend's tale of a young boy's journey from pain to triumph is the most electrifying evening of rock and roll ever to play in a theatre! The classic '60s rock opera by The Who was translated to the stage by theatrical wizard Des McAnuff into a high-energy, one-of-a-kind theatrical event. The exhilarating score is timeless in its youthful appeal, giving the show a cross-generational appeal that has made it a smash-hit around the world. The Who's Tommy's 1993 Broadway debut garnered five Tony Awards, including Best Original Score.

Director Tom Wojtunik may be a veteran of The Gallery Players, but this production of the classic rock musical is all new: "It's very different from the material I've worked on at The Gallery Players in the past. At its heart, The Who's Tommy is a coming of age story, and rock music from its inception has always been about that defining moment in our lives when we break away from our parents and face the world on our own-the elation and fear of this moment has always thrilled me about this story. Our production of The Who's Tommy will employ a number of technical elements to help tell the story and do justice to Townshend's terrific rock score-most importantly an elaborate sound and projection design. The Who's music still retains such invigorating power, it's hard to believe the original album was released forty years ago. We're looking forward to blowing the roof off the theatre with a cast of talented signers and a rocking band led by musical director Paul Seiz."

The Gallery Players production of The Who's Tommy features a gifted ensemble of 20 rocking singer/actors, featuring: Nathan Brisby, John Ashley Brown*, Kennen Butler*, Alexis DeDonato, Hayley Driscoll, Tommy Foster*, Marcie Henderson*, Tyson Jennette*, Anna Lise Jensen*, Daniel Henri Luttway, Blair Moore, Alex Pearlman, Jan-Peter Pedross*, David Perlman*, Anthony Pierini, Mia Romero, Chloe Sabin, Mitchell Scott Shapiro, Ryan Bruiser Stone and featuring newcomer Brett Travis in his New York debut as Tommy. *appearing courtesy of Actor's Equity Association.

The Who's Tommy is produced by Katie Adams for The Gallery Players and directed by Tom Wojtunik: the production team of 2007's Urinetown! The Musical, (2007 NYIT Award: Outstanding Production of a Musical). They lead an accomplished creative team: music director: Paul Seiz, production stage manager: Lara Terrell, choreographer: Christine O'Grady (Broadway's HAIR, Asst. Choreographer), set designer: Michael P. Kramer (three-time nominee, NYIT Award: Outstanding Set Design), lighting designer: Chris Walsh, costume designer: Hunter Kaczorowski, sound designer: Kate Foretek and projection designer: Ron Amato (projection team, Broadway's Grey Gardens).

The Who's Tommy at The Gallery Players opens May 2, 2009 and runs Thursdays, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm and Sundays at 3pm through May 24, 2009. The Press is invited to all performances.

Tickets to The Who's Tommy are $18, $14 for Senior Citizens and children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased by calling TheaterMania at (212) 352-3101, or online at www.galleryplayers.com. The Gallery Players is located at 199 14th St., between 4th and 5th Aves. in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Take the F Train to 4th Ave. or the R Train to 9th Street. By car: BQE to Hamilton Avenue to 14th Street.

A New York institution since 1967, The Gallery Players has served actors and audiences alike for more than 4 decades by showcasing burgeoning new talent and offering a home base for theater professionals. Its eclectic programming of intimate revivals and ambitious new work in inventive productions has earned it the reputation of "New York's Best Kept Secret." The Gallery Players is the recipient of the Off-Off Broadway Review's 2000 Award for Lifetime Achievement and was the recipient of New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical in both 2007 & 2008 for their productions of Urinetown! the musical and Yank! A New Musical. Among its famous alumni are founding member Harvey Fierstein; Broadway regulars Nancy Anderson, Jeffry Denman and Diedre Goodwin; New York theater personality Seth Rudetsky and many others.

Coming up this summer at The Gallery Players: The 12th Annual Black Box New Play Festival June 4-28 and The Peanut Gallery, A Musical Theatre Summer Adventure Camp for kids July 6 - 31.

 

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