BWW Interviews: Holly Shepherd Stars as Mrs. Walker in TOMMY IN CONCERT at Street Theatre Company

The Who's Tommy in Concert is the next offering from Street Theatre Company, continuing the sold-out success of its In Concert series, running for six performances February 22-26. STC's 2011 In Concert offerings-Chess in Concert and Ragtime in Concert-were both included in First Night's Top 11 of 2011 Outstanding Theatrical Events.

STC artistic director Cathy Street directs a cast that includes Michael Holder as Tommy, Holly Shepherd as Mrs. Walker and Ben Van Diepen as Captain Walker.

Pete Townshend's tale of a young boy's journey from pain to triumph is a night of rock and roll musical theatre not to be missed. After witnessing the accidental murder of his mother's lover by his father, Tommy is traumatized into catatonia, and as the boy grows, he suffers abuse at the hands of his sadistic relatives and neighbors.

As an adolescent, Tommy is discovered to have an uncanny knack for playing pinball, and when his mother finally breaks through his catatonia, he becomes an international pinball superstar. The exhilarating score is timeless in its youthful appeal, giving the show a cross-generational appeal that has made it a smash-hit around the world.

The production team, led by director Cathy Street, is "putting a hip new spin on the production, placing it in a neo-apocalyptic/steampunk arena," she explains.

 "I had always been thinking that this show needed a hip, rock vibe," Street says, "and when steampunk was brought to my attention, it seemed like a great fit. With the show taking place in 1940s wartime but also being very modern rock and roll, we also thought it would be really neat to emphasize those conflicting elements by making it a visual journey in time travel, as well."

In the days before Tommy in Concert bows at STC's venue (conveniently located at  1933 Elm Hill Pike), we'll introduce you to the principals who weigh in with their takes on the production. First up: Holly Shepherd, a Nashville stage favorite making her STC debut which follows her recent one-woman show that wowed sold-out crowds and her First Night's Top 11 of 2011-honored performance as Miss Hannigan in Annie at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre…

What character do you play? Mrs. Walker, Tommy's Mommy.

What's the most challenging aspect of this concert version? Some soloists having to pick up hand held mics is a bit tedious.

What's your earliest memory of Tommy? This will date me...(I'm already one of the oldest ones there but...) I remember The Who as a child and the smashing of the guitars. And, I always loved Ann-Margret's[who played Tommy's mommy in the film version] crazy dance...and, of course, her costumes!

What was your most recent Nashville stage role before Tommy? Miss Hannigan in Annie at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, directed by Martha Wilkinson (who will be directing STC's upcoming Avenue Q).

What was your first Nashville stage role? One of my favorite roles is still Sheila in A Chorus Line at Tennessee Rep, directed by Mac Pirkle. And I loved playing Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly at Chaffin's Barn, directed by Martha Wilkinson. Oh, there are so many!

Have you ever played pinball or are you strictly a video game kind of girl? Ha! Well, my parents have a pinball machine in their house...so, we played some as kids. But, I used to really love Frogger!

Why should people come see Tommy in Concert? Because it is really good...some INCREDIBLE voices, the theme is really funky and cool, live rock band...and the show is just too weird not to see!

Tommy in Concert features many new faces to the STC stage including Holly Shepherd as Mrs. Walker and Ben Van Diepen as Captain Walker, with Michael Holder (acclaimed for his performance in Altar Boyz at STC as part of First Night's Top 11 of 2011) stars as Tommy. The show also features a cast of over 20 singers including Saaneah Jamison (last seen in STC's Hairspray) as the Acid Queen.

Tommy in Concert is presented for one weekend only. Performances are February 22-26, with shows Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, at 8  p.m., Saturday at 2  p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 5 p.m. Tickets are $16 and $14 and are available online at www.streettheatrecompany.org. Performances are at Street Theatre, 1933 Elm Hill Pike, just off the Briley Parkway. For more information, call (615) 554-7414.