Pete Townshend’s masterpiece, Tommy just made its return to the stage of Broadway this month.
According to CBS News, The Who’s original rock opera about a “Pinball Wizard” has been adapted for a 2024 re-make.
However, it would still remain one of those rare and popular Broadway shows where the audience would already know the words to just about every song of the musical.
The Broadway special, Tommy, revolves around the character of a young Tommy Walker, who shuts down emotionally and becomes “deaf, dumb and blind.”
He turns into a pinball prodigy and heals his trauma of witnessing a murder, by looking at his reflection in a mirror.
Pete Townshend wrote the story in the late 60’s which was made into a 1975 movie, starring The Who, and a who’s-who of entertainment, including Elton John, Tina Turner, Jack Nicholson and Ann-Margret.
In 1993, the director, Des McAnuff convinced Townshend to take it to Broadway, where it won five Tony Awards.
Pete Townshend and McAnuff are together again, for the 2024 Broadway endeavor, with Tommy being more relevant than ever in today’s era.