TOMMY Road show in Chicago

[Kyle Ewing <kewing@indy.net>]

I saw Tommy in Chicago at The Auditorium Theater on Friday night and was 
impressed.  This was the first live musical I've seen so my impressions 
might be based on the novelty of it rather than the quality, and it was 
an impressive theater as well whiched added to the experience (but maybe 
not the show).

Overall the music was good, but not great as it lost a lot of its edge.  
The drumming to me was actually annoying.  It seemed to be there only to 
provide a beat.  It wasn't true to Keith's form in the least bit.

To answer someone's question, there were no flying objects, but there 
must've been a trap door as some of Tommy's entrances could not have 
occurred without.

The major castmembers from the stagebill follow.  There 
were a couple of subsitutions announced but I don't remember the names.

Tommy (adult):  Steve Isaacs	Uncle Ernie:  Stephen Lee Anderson
Mrs. Walker:  Christy Tarr	Capt. Walker:  Jordan Leeds
Cousin Kevin:  Michael Arnold	The Gypsy (Acid Queen):  Kennya Ramsey

I see nothing telling me it wasn't directed by Des McAnuff.

<<<I talk about what to me are major changes in the plot below so If you 
are planning on seeing the musical and want to see these for yourself, stop 
reading now>>>

In my eyes the storyline on the live performace was changed significantly 
from the album.  For example, I always thought it was Tommy's father who was 
killed in the beginning and not his step father.  Not so in the play.

I've always thought the rebellion at the end was brought on because 
Tommy's followers realized what he was teaching was B.S. and they didn't 
need it, kind of a rebellion against what was the "in" thing.  In the 
performance, it was Tommy who told his followers that his preaching meant 
nothing and what they had (normal day to day lives) was what life was all 
about.  Those two things will make me listen to the album again closely.

Being a musical, parts 
were a little corny while others were outright funny and at least one of 
the songs written for the musical was disappointing because it was too 
sappy for my taste.  All in all, though, it was well worth the 
experience.  In fact, if Oct. 30 wasn't the last night in Chicago, I 
would be very tempted to see it again.




Kyle Ewing