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Haymarket Theatre to present rock opera `Tommy' 
BY JEFF KORBELIK / Lincoln Journal Star

At first glance, the news of rock legend Pete
Townshend's arrest appeared to be bad news for the
Haymarket Theatre. 

London police arrested Townshend last week on
suspicion of possessing indecent images of children. 
He was released, but still could be charged. 
 
Townshend, 57, the former guitarist of the rock band
The Who, penned several of the group's hits, including
the 1969 rock opera "Tommy." 

"The Who's Tommy" begins an 11-performance run
Thursday at the Haymarket Theatre. 

Theater director Fred Stuart has followed the case
closely. 

He said the arrest puts the spotlight on the important
issue of child abuse, which is a major part of the
musical. 

"In every story I've read, it goes right to the plot
line of `Tommy,'" Stuart said. 

In a statement, Townshend said he is not a pedophile. 

He said he used a credit card one time to enter an
Internet site advertising child pornography as
research for an autobiography dealing with his own
suspected childhood sexual abuse. 

Townshend said he believes he was sexually abused as a
young boy, while in the care of his mentally ill
grandmother. 

"I cannot remember clearly what happened, but my
creative work tends to throw up nasty shadows --
particularly in `Tommy," he said in the statement. 

"Some of the things I have seen on the Internet have
informed my book, which I hope will be published later
this year," he added. 

The title character in "Tommy" -- a deaf, dumb and
blind pinball wizard is sexually abused by an uncle. 

Stuart believes Townshend's statement. 

"What happens to Tommy is what happened to him when he
was 5," Stuart said. "How else can a person explain
the psychotic plot line?" 

Stuart's goal with the Haymarket Theatre's production
is to make people more cognizant of the story. 

Most already are aware of the rock opera's music,
which includes the hits "Pinball Wizard," "See Me,
Feel Me" and "Listening to You." 

"We're going to try to bring the focus back on Tommy,"
Stuart said. 

The director has a history with the show. 

He played the then-legal concert versions in bar bands
in the late 1980s. 

When the rights became available, he directed and
starred in Townshend's stage version in 1996 for the
Chico City Light Opera in Chico, Calif. 

Stuart has again cast himself in the title role for
the Haymarket Theatre production. 

He knows casting himself may raise a few eyebrows, and
he's sensitive to it. But he said he couldn't pass it
up because he's so fond of the show. 

Plus, he didn't raise anybody's hopes because he
didn't hold auditions for any of the roles. 

Joining Stuart will be Vince Learned and Mandy Murphy
as Capt. and Mrs. Walker, respectively. Paul Pearson
is the Acid Queen, Rick Endacott is Uncle Ernie, and
Jenny Atwood is Sally Simpson. 

The younger Tommys will be played by Chris Creveling,
Kassidy Kesselring and Claire Hawkins. 

The rock band will feature Gary Hall (guitar), Randy
Snyder (bass), Jan Malone (keyboards), Linda Leslie
(keyboards) and Clay Stryker (drums). 

The technical crew includes Learned (music), Courtney
Piccoli (choreographer) and Sean Strough (special
effects and lighting). 


=====
-Brian in Atlanta
The Who This Month!
http://www.thewhothismonth.com
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