The Goodman Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of “The Who’s Tommy” is heading to Broadway, it was announced Thursday.
The musical, based on Pete Townshend’s 1969 seminal rock opera double-album, enjoyed an eight-week, sold-out run in a “re-imagined” world premiere production directed by Des McAnuff earlier this year in Chicago, with music and lyrics by Townshend and a book by Townshend and McAnuff. ‘Tommy’ became the highest-grossing show in the history of the Goodman.
The show is set to open March 28, 2024, at New York’s Nederlander Theatre.
Casting for the Broadway production has not been announced.
The creative team for the Chicago production — including choreographer Lorin Latarro, set designer David Korins, projection designer Peter Nigrini, music supervisor and director Ron Melrose and costumer Sarafina Bush — will remain with the show.
The original production of the stage musical debuted on Broadway in 1993, also directed by McAnuff.
“In 1969, when I originally wrote ‘Tommy’ with The Who, nobody had ever written popular music songs about trauma, nobody talked about bullying, domestic sexual abuse was a subject that was virtually censored,” said Pete Townshend in a statement. “Then, in 1993, working with Des on the staged theater piece, we broke the established rules for a musical show. Now, the current generation is breaking all of those rules again — and what Des has achieved with this incredible new production honors them and their courage and audacity.”
“Tommy” recently picked up nine Jeff Awards for excellence in Equity theater in Chicago, including best production of a musical (large theater), McAnuff for best direction of a musical (large), Ali Louis Bourzgui (as Tommy) for best performer in a principal role, and Latarro for best choreography.
