Alison Luff, Adam Jacobs, John Ambrosino, Bobby Conte, and Christina Sajous Join THE WHO'S TOMMY on Broadway

Producers Stephen Gabriel and Ira Pittelman have announced full principal casting for the newly reimagined Broadway production of The Who’s TOMMY.  Preview performances will begin March 8, 2024 at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street), with opening night on March 28, 2024. 

Reprising their roles from The Goodman Theatre in Chicago are 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. They join previously announced Ali Louis Bourzgui as Tommy Walker, also reprising his Jeff Award-winning role from the Goodman. 

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 (book, direction) have reunited to bring the story of Tommy Walker to today’s audiences.

The new production of The Who’s TOMMY premiered this past Summer at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago where Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune said “Tommy explodes with life – it’s a truly ready-for prime-time stunner. Broadway has nothing else like this wizardry going on.” Jones named it #1 on his Best of Chicago Theater of 2023 list. Check out what the critics had to say.

Additional casting for The Who’s TOMMY on Broadway will be announced soon.

With music and lyrics by Pete Townshend and book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, The Who’s TOMMY is directed by Des McAnuff.

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); musical direction and additional orchestrations by Rick Fox (Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar); 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. 

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 Goodman production of The Who’s TOMMY recently 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).

BIOGRAPHIES

Ali Louis Bourzgui (Tommy) appeared in The Goodman Theatre’s production of The Who’s Tommy this past Summer. He is currently appearing as Paul in the North American tour of Company. He was seen as Young Mazin/Yousif in Layalina at The Goodman Theatre, the Broadway National Tour of The Band’s Visit (Haled). Regional highlights include Fun Home (Theaterworks, Hartford); West Side Story, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Shakespeare in Love (Hope Rep); Spring Awakening and The Tempest (Ghostlit Rep). Voiceover credits include Quiet Part Loud (Jordan Peele/Gimlet). He holds a BFA from Ithaca College.

 

Alison Luff (Mrs. Walker) Broadway: Waitress (Jenna); Escape to Margaritaville (Rachel); Les Misérables (Fantine); Matilda (Ms. Honey); Ghost; Scandalous and Mamma Mia. National Tour: Wicked (Elphaba). Regional: Nell Gwynn (Folger Theatre, Helen Hayes Award for Best Actress in a Play). Mrs. Walker in The Who’s Tommy (The Goodman) TV: Currently starring in “Heels” (Starz); “Power Book II: Ghost” (Starz); “New Amsterdam” (NBC) and “FBI” (CBS). Luff's band Big Sur Bound is available on all streaming platforms. @bigsurboundofficial @alisonLuff

Adam Jacobs (Captain Walker) originated the role of “Aladdin” in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway (Drama Desk & Grammy nomination). He was also seen on Broadway as “Simba” in The Lion King and “Marius" in Les Miserables. He has starred in 5 Broadway National Touring productions, and has performed with symphonies in Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and internationally in Vienna, Dubai, and Japan.  Regionally, he’s starred in The King and I (Drury Lane), Zorro (Alliance Theatre- Suzi nomination), Something Rotten (Marriott Theatre).  TV: Chicago Med, Soundtrack, The Bachelorette.  Jacobs' soaring solo album, Right Where I Belong, features unique renditions of musical hits by legendary songwriter Alan Menken.  @AdamJacobsNYC 

John Ambrosino (Uncle Ernie) National Tours: Les Misérables (Bamatabois, u/s Thenardier) Las Vegas: Jersey Boys (Bob Crewe), Jersey Boys (Billy Dixon) Regional: The Who’s TOMMY at the Goodman Theater (Uncle Ernie); Company (Bobby), Into the Woods (Baker), On the Town (Gabey) at Lyric Stage Company; Rent (Mark) at New Repertory Theatre; Pageant (Miss Deep South) at Stoneham Theater Company; The Wild Party (Oscar D’Armano) at The Provincetown Theater. Producer of Trevor the musical, Writers Theater, Off Broadway and streaming on Disney +

Bobby Conte (Cousin Kevin) reprises his performance from The Goodman Theatre’s 30th anniversary production. Broadway: Company (dir. Marianne Elliott); A Bronx Tale (dirs. Robert De Niro & Jerry Zaks). Select theatre: 50th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass at the Kennedy Center; My Fair Lady (dir. Michael Arden); A Funny Thing… Forum (dir. Jessica Stone); Starting Here, Starting Now (dir. Richard Maltby, Jr.); world premiere of Ken Ludwig's A Comedy of Tenors; three seasons at The Muny. Film/TV: If Beale Street Could Talk; Intervenors; “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”; “Madam Secretary”; “The Code”. Solo album: Along the Way. Training: University of Michigan; RADA. @bobby_conte

Christina Sajous (Acid Queen) Broadway: SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical; Spider Man: Turn off the Dark; American Idiot; Baby It’s You! and Tupac Shakur’s: Holler If Ya Hear Me. TV: “SpongeBob SquarePants Live on Stage!” as Sandy Cheeks (Nickelodeon); “Run the World” (Starz); “Kevin Can F Himself” (AMC); “Chicago Med” (NBC); “Blue Bloods” (CBS); “Jesus Christ Superstar Live” (NBC). Recently, she worked with director, Christopher Renshaw, as the Associate Director for the World Premier of A Wonderful World about Jazz Legend Louis Armstrong. Sajous attended NYU Tisch School of the Arts and the International Theatre Wing in Amsterdam. @csajous

 

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