Goodman Theatre has put together a mean game of pinball for this summer’s production of THE WHO’S TOMMY. This is an unadulterated musical theater spectacle with a massive cast, exquisite production design, and fantastic sound. It’s a reflection on surviving after trauma, and the dangers of blind obedience to figureheads and cultural institutions. All these themes are treated broadly in Pete Townshend’s music and lyrics and book by director Des McAnuff and Townshend, but they provide some thematic color to this immense sensory experience. 

Though sonically it has nothing in common with either HAMILTON or SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, TOMMY is in a similar structural vein. By which I mean it’s roughly 90% sung-through with a few brief passages of dialogue (Townshend and McAnuff co-wrote the book). It’s also an incredibly tight show. It’s exhilarating to watch from start to finish, and the musical doesn’t have any slack. That doesn’t necessarily mean it all totally hangs together given its concept album roots, but it means the show moves swiftly and easily held my attention the entire time. 

I didn’t see the original Broadway production of TOMMY and I wasn’t yet born when The Who released the original concept album so this story was new to me. While evidently the World War II setting into the 1960s means that TOMMY is reflective of its time, I was struck by how the show is also a reflection of our time. TOMMY follows the titular young boy who becomes blind and deaf as a trauma response after he witnesses his father return from the war and shoot his mother’s lover right in front of him. In fact, Tommy seemingly loses his senses of sight and hearing at the behest of his parents, who implore that he didn’t see or hear anything — plausible deniability. Alas, Tommy’s blindness and deafness leave him vulnerable to a host of further abuses—but he finds solace in his uncanny talent for pinball. He’s a pinball wizard, indeed. 

In the second act, Tommy’s sight and sound are restored, and due to his knack for pinball and his miraculous recovery, he gains a cult-like following. The hoards of fans that then follow Tommy around certainly echo celebrity culture in 2023. The blind obedience of Tommy’s fans mirror the present obsessive clinging to celebrities and the absurd fascination with other cultural phenomena (among those phenomena, content about cults themselves). While the album debuted in 1969 and the musical in 1994, TOMMY’s message about the perils of blind obedience and the abandonment of one’s own identity in search of a supposed higher power rings loud and clear. 

Goodman Theatre’s cast and production are spectacular. This musical needs powerful singers to make it work, and the Goodman’s leads find the necessary balance between Broadway belt and rock and roll powerhouse. Ali Louis Bourzgui is a triumph as Tommy; he easily adapts to the rocker sensibilities of his vocal part, but his singing is also crystal clear. Bourzgui is a remarkably elastic performer, quickly shifting from Narrator Tommy to a Tommy who is still blind and deaf. He can change all of his mannerisms on a dime. He also has charisma for days, which then makes it easy for audiences to understand precisely why Tommy gathers such a fervent following. Bourzgui absolutely crushes Tommy’s big numbers “See Me, Feel Me,” “Sensation,” “Amazing Journey,” and “I’m Free,” among others. 

Adam Jacobs and Alison Luff are every bit Bourzgui’s equal as Tommy’s parents Captain and Mrs. Walker. I last saw Jacobs play the title role in ALADDIN, and this is an entirely different beast. While Captain Walker isn’t the most fleshed out in the book, Jacobs’s captivating and precise vocals make it a performance to watch. Luff has a clarion voice with tons of power, and she makes all of Mrs. Walker’s vocal feats appear effortless. Other standouts include John Ambrosino as Tommy’s lecherous Uncle Ernie, Bobby Conte as ultimate bully Uncle Kevin, Christina Sajous as the magical Acid Queen (and she completely brings down the house with her titular song), and Haley Gustafson as Sally Simpson, one of Tommy’s superfans. Presley Rose Jones and Annabel Finch are also great as Tommy, Age 4 and Tommy, Age 10 (They alternate with Ava Rose Doty and Ezekiel Ruiz, respectively).

These actors are joined by a terrific ensemble, who make the music come to life and execute Lorin Latarro’s choreography beautifully. Latarro’s choreography has a sensibility all its own and an expressive language that mirrors the frantic obsessiveness and darkness of the show. The movement patterns are often exaggerated, frantic, and slightly distorted; the dance vocabulary is an ideal fit for TOMMY. 

The production design is likewise expansive and captivating. David Korins’s set is quite literally gigantic, full of clean lines and bright lights (lighting by Amanda Zieve and projections by Peter Nigrini). Goodman’s production has many moving parts, and it all went off without a hitch on opening night. The production is an interesting divide between clean, sparse visuals and sensory overload, a fitting mirror to Tommy’s character arc. It also has some touches of whimsy, particularly in all of the yellow accents in Sarafina Bush’s costume designs — a tribute to the show’s signature color. 

The Goodman’s TOMMY is electrifying. With Bourzgui leading the way as Tommy, it’s easy to root for this pinball wizard, and the whole production is likewise a “Sensation.”

THE WHO’S TOMMY plays the Albert Theatre at Goodman Theatre, 170 North Dearborn, through August 6, 2023. Tickets are $30-$85. Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Tommy.

Photo Credit: Liz Lauren

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