Pete Townshend to Introduce THE WHO'S TOMMY Performance on the 2024 Tony Awards

The cast of the Tony Award-nominated production of The Who’s TOMMY will perform on the 2024 Tony Awards broadcast on June 16 on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus. Introducing the number will be Tony and Grammy Award-winner and rock legend Pete Townshend of The Who, who wrote the music, and co-wrote the book of the musical along with Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff who also directs. The Who’s TOMMY opened to rave reviews on March 28, 2024 and is now playing at the Nederlander Theatre.
 
Three decades after the epic pop-culture musical theatre sensation first bowed on Broadway, original Tony Award-winning creators Pete Townshend (music, lyrics, book) and Des McAnuff (direction, book) have reunited to bring the story of Tommy Walker to today’s audiences.
 
The cast of The Who’s TOMMY features Ali Louis Bourzgui as Tommy, Alison Luff as Mrs. Walker, Adam Jacobs as Captain Walker, John Ambrosino as Uncle Ernie, Bobby Conte as Cousin Kevin, and Christina Sajous as The Acid Queen. Completing the cast are Haley Gustafson, Jeremiah Alsop, Ronnie S. Bowman Jr., Mike Cannon, Tyler James Eisenreich, Sheldon Henry, Afra Hines, Aliah James, David Paul Kidder, Tassy Kirbas, Lily Kren, Quinten Kusheba, Reese Levine, Brett Michael Lockley, Nathan Lucrezio, Alexandra Matteo, Mark Mitrano, Reagan Pender, Cecilia Ann Popp, Daniel Quadrino, Olive Ross-Kline, Jenna Nicole Schoen, Dee Tomasetta, and Andrew Tufano.
 
Myth and spectacle combine in The Who’s exhilarating 1969 rock opera, TOMMY—including the unforgettable anthems “I’m Free,” “See Me, Feel Me,” “Sensation” and “Pinball Wizard.” After witnessing his father shoot his rival, the young Tommy Walker is lost in the universe, endlessly and obsessively staring into the mirror. An innate knack for pinball catapults him from reticent adolescent to celebrity savior. 
 
The Who’s TOMMY creative team includes choreographer Lorin Latarro (Into the Woods, Mrs. Doubtfire and Waitress); music supervision and additional arrangements by Ron Melrose (Jersey Boys on Broadway, London and National Tour); music direction and additional orchestrations by Rick Fox (Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar); orchestrations by Steve Margoshes (Newsies, Aida); set design by David Korins (Hamilton, Beetlejuice, Here Lies Love ); projection design by Peter Nigrini (Here Lies Love, MJ and Dear Evan Hansen); costume design by Sarafina Bush (for colored girls..., Pass Over on Broadway); lighting design by Amanda Zieve (Broadway associate on Escape to Margaritaville and Allegiance); sound design by Gareth Owen (Back to the Future, & Juliet and MJ); and wig and hair design by Charles LaPointe (Hamilton, Beautiful). Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting/Merri Sugarman, CSA. Additional Chicago Casting by Lauren Port, CSA and Rachael Jimenez, CSA. Tripp Phillips is the Production Stage Manager and Bespoke Theatricals is General Manager. 
 
The Who’s TOMMY is produced on Broadway by Stephen Gabriel and Ira Pittelman. Co-Producers include Sue Gilad & Larry Rogowsky, Mary Maggio & Scott Abrams, Tom Tuft and Glenn Fuhrman, Batman Harris/Elliott Cornelious, Laura Matalon/Spencer Waller, Richard Winkler, Sheldon Stone, Firemused Productions/Stone Arch Theatricals, LeonoffFedermanWolofsky Productions/Koenigsberg Batchelder, Roy Putrino/Narang Moran, Rich Martino, Aged in Wood/Lee Sachs, Paul and Margaret Liljenquist, R and R Productions, Marla McNally Phillips, Merrie Robin, O'Neill Snow, Work Light Productions, Nederlander Presentations, Independent Presenters Network, John Gore Organization, Palomino Performing Arts, Wavelength Productions, Robert Nederlander, Jr., Botwin Ignal Dawson, Jamie deRoy, Betsy Dollinger, Stacey Woolf Feinberg, Gold Weinstein, Tyce Green, Jenen Rubin, Jim Kierstead, Marco Santarelli, Nancy Timmers, Thomas B. McGrath, Olympus Theatricals, and Goodman Theatre.
 
The Goodman production of The Who’s TOMMY won 9 Joseph Jefferson “Jeff” Awards, the most for any show this season, including Best Director for Des McAnuff and Best Production.
 
Pete Townshend’s prior awards for The Who’s TOMMY include a Grammy Award (1993) for the Original Broadway Cast Recording, Tony Award for Best Score (1993), Toronto’s Dora Mavor Moore Award (1995) and the UK’s Olivier Award (1997). For directing The Who’s TOMMY, Des McAnuff received previously, the Tony and Drama Desk Awards (1993), Toronto’s Dora Mavor Moore Award (1995) and the UK’s Olivier Award (1997).