Jewelle Blackman News

The third rock musical produced by the Festival in recent years, Tommy will be the biggest musical ever staged at Stratford. The show features massive LED screens and extraordinary automated set pieces that light up, explode, spin and tilt - get a first look below!

Based on The Who's 1969 concept album of the same name, Tommy tells the story of a young man who, despite having lost the faculties of speech, sight and hearing, becomes a pinball virtuoso - and the centre of a celebrity cult. In a new production helmed by its original Tony Award-winning director, Des McAnuff (who co-wrote the show with The Who's Pete Townshend), the explosive rock opera features such unforgettable hits as 'Pinball Wizard,' 'See Me, Feel Me,' 'Acid Queen' and 'We're Not Gonna Take It.'

Based on The Who's 1969 concept album of the same name, Tommy tells the story of a young man who, despite having lost the faculties of speech, sight and hearing, becomes a pinball virtuoso - and the centre of a celebrity cult. In a new production helmed by its original Tony Award-winning director, Des McAnuff (who co-wrote the show with The Who's Pete Townshend), the explosive rock opera features such unforgettable hits as 'Pinball Wizard,' 'See Me, Feel Me,' 'Acid Queen' and 'We're Not Gonna Take It.' The production features Robert Markus as Tommy, Jewelle Blackman as the Gypsy, Kira Guloien as Mrs. Walker, Jeremy Kushnier as Captain Walker, Paul Nolan as Cousin Kevin and Steve Ross as Uncle Ernie. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the cast in action below!

Calling all pinball wizards! The Stratford Festival invites you to be a part of history. Today, May 16, the Festival will be in Toronto to host Pinballapalooza, an exciting event to celebrate the opening of its much-anticipated rock musical, Tommy.

Twenty years after its Broadway premiere, Tommy returns to the stage in a new production helmed by its co-creator and original director, Des McAnuff. The spectacular musical that swept the Tony Awards in 1993 starts previews on Saturday, May 4, at the Avon Theatre.

Calling all pinball wizards! The Stratford Festival invites you to be a part of history. On Thursday, May 16, the Festival will be in Toronto to host Pinballapalooza, an exciting event to celebrate the opening of its much-anticipated rock musical, Tommy.

A Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Obie award-winning musical, Caroline, or Change mixes fact and fantasy, symbolism and reality, plus a wide variety of musical styles to tell the story of an African-American maid in a South Jewish household during the Civil Rights Movement.

A Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Obie award-winning musical, Caroline, or Change mixes fact and fantasy, symbolism and reality, plus a wide variety of musical styles to tell the story of an African-American maid in a South Jewish household during the Civil Rights Movement.

A Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Obie award-winning musical, Caroline, or Change mixes fact and fantasy, symbolism and reality, plus a wide variety of musical styles to tell the story of an African-American maid in a South Jewish household during the Civil Rights Movement.

On Sunday night the stars of Toronto's musical theatre scene came out to pay tribute to Des McAnuff as he received an honourary doctorate from Ryerson University for his contribution to the arts over the last few decades. Including cast members from the original Toronto production of Jersey Boys and the current Stratford Festival production of Jesus Christ Superstar, the evening was filled with good music and fantastic tales from Des' extraordinary life. BWW was on hand to bring its readers exclusive photos from the performances and the after party.

On Sunday October 23rd the Ryerson Theatre School is holding a special one night only concert at Koerner Hall to celebrate the achievements of Tony Award Winning director Des McAnuff. It has been a banner year for McAnuff, with his production of Jesus Christ Superstar a runaway hit at the Stratford Festival and bound for Broadway in March of 2012. The concert will feature songs from many of Des' shows, as well as cast members from Jesus Christ Superstar, Toronto's Jersey Boys and more. BWW spoke to Peggy Shannon, Chair of the Ryerson Theatre School, on what we can expect at the event and on the new scholarship the school is offering in Des' honour.

Tony Award winner Brent Carver is set to star in JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival beginning May 14. The musical revue features the songs of Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. This production will be directed by Stafford Arima. JACQUES BREL will begin previews on May 14 and will officially open on June 11 and is set to close on September 25.

David and Ed Mirvish have announced the complete all-Canadian cast of We Will Rock You.