TOMMY

Barnaby12345 Profile Photo
Barnaby12345
#0TOMMY
Posted: 1/15/05 at 6:33pm

I don't think I've ever heard anyone on this board talk about the rock-musical Tommy. Who has seen it/ performed in it, and how do you like it?

I was just in it in High School and I think the musical is great!

GirlforTartaglia Profile Photo
GirlforTartaglia
#1re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/15/05 at 6:42pm

I've never done it, but I know Roger Bart was in it!

I'd like to see some kind of production of it because the movie looked pretty interesting.


And the other thing about the Phantom Lady was, Bert, she realized, in the city that never sleeps... What did she realize, Kitten? That all the songs she'd listened to, all the love songs, that they were only songs. What's wrong with that? Nothing, if you don't believe in them. But she did, you see. She believed in enchanted evenings, and she believed that a small cloud passed overhead and cried down on a flower bed, and she even believed there was breakfast to be had... Where? On Pluto. The mysterious, icy wastes of Pluto.

liotte Profile Photo
liotte
#2re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/15/05 at 7:20pm

I saw it back in the spring of 95, I loved the show and immediately bought the CD and listened to it for a month straight. It was loud, bright lights, fun sets, and the music was very enjoyable. Bring it back!

maybethistime
#3re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/15/05 at 7:28pm

I've never really enjoyed it hugely, but the production I saw (the same one liotte is refering to to) was very nicely designed. The lighting surprises w/ special gobos and inteligent lights, etc were really cool and added to it. It sets and costumes were good as well. The score is pretty much your typical "Who"-like 70's/disco-ish music: loud and esily stuck-in-your-head. Beware: the movie doesn't do it justice.

sweeedboy
#4re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/15/05 at 7:32pm

I played captain walker about three years ago and thought the show was incredible. The movie is completely different then the musical and while the second act of the musical doesn't really make much sense it is still an immensely fun and fast paced show. I would love to be in this show again.

liotte Profile Photo
liotte
#5re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/15/05 at 7:45pm

Oh yeah- I forgot to say- The movie is a horrible cult 70s movie and the acting and music and everything in it is terrible. The show is definitely better!

Justice Profile Photo
Justice
#6re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/15/05 at 9:52pm

I saw it 4 times. (Twice on tour with Steve Isaacs and Roger Bart, who I met afterwards, and twice on Broadway) I was in love with it. It was definately one of my fave b'way shows (Although, I don't think I could see any other production, because the technical aspects were my favorite part of the show). It was also the first thing I saw Sherie Renee Scott in.


"Do you know what pledge time is, Andrew"? said the PBS Executive. "Yes", Lloyd Webber replied. "My 50th birthday special must be one program that gets done a lot." "No", mused the man from PBS heedlessy. "Not so much. Our Stephen Sondheim Carnegie Hall concert. That's a big one." Spoons, forks and knives seemed suddenly to suspend their motion in horror, all around the table.

BlueWizard Profile Photo
BlueWizard
#7re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/15/05 at 10:45pm

Dear God, the movie is awful. When the ravioli & macaroni started spewing out of the TV, I gave up and switched channels.


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RumTumTugger22 Profile Photo
RumTumTugger22
#8re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/15/05 at 11:32pm

My High school did it last year. Its a good show, if it's done well. If it is done well its fricking amazing. I loved it, but I am a huge Who fan.


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FabalaCohen
#9re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/16/05 at 12:20am

BlueWizard- That would have been chocolate, beans and soap coming out of the tube.

Have yet to see the stage production, but I love the original album and have seen the film twice (and only because I saw it the first time at like midnight...yeah, if it wasn't so messed up in the first place...). And I'm a BIG fan of the Who.


"During this performance, please feel free to let your cell phones and pagers ring willy-nilly. However, do remember that there are heavily-armed knights on stage and you might well be dragged up and impaled." (Pre-curtain announcement at the new Broadway musical Monty Python's Spamalot)

jmnpublications
#10re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/16/05 at 12:52am

Barnaby,

I reviewed a Boston area production for BWW.com a few months ago. Here's the link. Hope it helps answer questions.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=1200

jmn

Jon
#11re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/16/05 at 1:15am

I loved the show except for the new ending, in which Tommy basically forgives everyone who abused nim and took advantage of him.

VeuveClicquot Profile Photo
VeuveClicquot
#12re: TOMMY
Posted: 1/16/05 at 2:43am

I'm a fan of both Ken Russell's film and the Broadway production of TOMMY.

Yes, the film is over the top. But it's visually thrilling, and Ann-Margaret's scenery-chewing performance is something else.

The Broadway production was a marvel, theatrically speaking. Tommy's first entrance, flipping head over heels on a wire from stage right to stage left was jaw-dropping. There were so many great visual images in the show -- the "smash the mirror" sequence, Sally Simpson's stiff scarf as she rode away on the motorcycle, the doctor's office. Great stuff.


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