Pete Townshend News

The Path Fund, Inc. is proud to announce that Academy, Grammy and Golden Globe-Award winning composer Paul Williams (A Star Is Born, The Muppet Movie), and three-time Tony-Award winning composer Rupert Holmes (The Mystery Of Edwin Drood, Curtains) will headline "ROCKERS ON BROADWAY - BEHIND THE MUSIC"; the latest edition of Broadway's favorite Rock and Roll concert series will take place on Monday October 15th at the newly re-designed Cutting Room reopened at its new location (44 East 32nd Street, NYC) at 8:00PM. Proceeds will benefit The ASCAP Foundation's Children Will Listen Program, The Broadway Dreams Foundation and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

ANNIE, the new production of the Tony Award-winning musical, went into rehearsal today in New York City with its full company. The production begins previews October 3, 2012 and opens November 8, 2012 at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). Meet the full cast below!

Palladia, Viacom Media Networks' high-definition music channel, is adding two highly-acclaimed series to its regular line-up. The legendary BBC series 'Later... with Jools Holland' premieres on Palladia on Thursday, September 6 at 10pm ET/PT and born-on-the-internet hit 'Live From Daryl's House' immediately follows, premiering at 11pm ET/PT.

The White Plains Performing Arts Center (WPPAC), a 410-seat professional regional theatre located on the third level of City Center in downtown White Plains; has announced it's 10th Anniversary season consisting of three MAINSTAGE Equity productions and two SPOTLIGHT PRODUCTIONS with all performances held at the White Plains venue.

THE WHO, one of rock's legendary and defining bands, have announced a major North American arena tour where they'll perform their iconic 1973 double album QUADROPHENIA in its entirety, along with a selection of WHO classics. The critically acclaimed QUADROPHENIA marked the British band's second rock opera (after Tommy), raised the bar for rock albums as an art form and hit #2 on the U.S. Billboard album chart. The tour will stop in Las Vegas at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on February 8, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale July 27 at 10 a.m.

The Who, one of rock's legendary and defining bands, have announced a major North American arena tour to include a performance at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday, November 24 at 7:30 p.m. where they'll perform their iconic 1973 double album Quadrophenia in its entirety, along with a selection of Who classics.

THE WHO, one of rock's legendary and defining bands, have announced a major North American arena tour where they'll perform their iconic 1973 double album QUADROPHENIA in its entirety, along with a selection of WHO classics. The critically acclaimed QUADROPHENIA marked the British band's second rock opera (after Tommy), raised the bar for rock albums as an art form and hit #2 on the U.S. Billboard album chart. Founding members ROGER DALTREY and PETE TOWNSHEND will be joined by Zak Starkey (drums), Pino Palladino (bass), Simon Townshend (guitar/backing vocals), Chris Stainton (keyboards), Loren Gold (keyboards/backing vocals) and Frank Simes (musical director, keyboards/backing vocals). **See a Q&A with Pete Townshend near the end of the release.

Antoni Cimolino today announced the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's playbill for 2013, his first season as Artistic Director, and began to outline his vision for the Festival's future during his tenure.

Antoni Cimolino today announced the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's playbill for 2013, his first season as Artistic Director, and began to outline his vision for the Festival's future during his tenure.

Today we are talking to a supremely gifted performer who can be seen eight times a week on Broadway in the currently running Des McAnuff revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Jeremy Kushnier. Tracing his Broadway trajectory from his memorable debut in FOOTLOOSE back in the late 1990s to his impressive regional theatre and concert work - CHESS to The Dream Engine to BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY and beyond - to his success touring in AIDA, RENT and others, up to his most recent gig in JERSEY BOYS, Kushnier opens up about his diverse career thus far and what we can expect from him in the future, near and far. Plus, Kushnier analyzes the five roles he has essayed in the current production of SUPERSTAR so far, since he was first brought into the production as a standby and understudy, after all - Jesus, Judas, Pilate and two different priests - and shares his enthusiasm for the dazzling, Tony Award-nominated production - all of this as he prepares for his long-awaited upcoming solo spotlight concert at Birdland on June 18! Additionally, Kushnier shares plans and wishes for a forthcoming solo album, as well as offers his thoughts on GLEE, SMASH and much, much more!

ANNIE, the new production of the classic Tony Award®-winning musical, goes on sale today to American Express cardholders. For tickets, call 877-250-2929 or visit Ticketmaster.com. Tickets will be available to the general public on Monday, June 25. ANNIE will star two-time Tony Award® winner Katie Finneran as Miss Hannigan, Australian star Anthony Warlow making his Broadway debut as Daddy Warbucks and 11-year-old Lilla Crawford as Annie, with Brynn O'Malley (Wicked, Hairspray) as Grace Farrell, Daddy Warbucks' devoted personal secretary, Clarke Thorell (Hairspray, Mamma Mia!) as Rooster Hannigan, Miss Hannigan's ne'er-do-well brother and J. Elaine Marcos (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, A Chorus Line) as Lily St. Regis, Rooster's floozy girlfriend. The orphans are Madi Rae DiPietro as July, Georgi James as Pepper, Junah Jang as Tessie, Tyrah Skye Odoms as Kate, Taylor Richardson as Duffy, Emily Rosenfeld as Molly and Jaidyn Young as standby for the roles of Annie, Pepper, Duffy and July. The production also features Ashley Blanchet, Jane Blass, Jeremy Davis, Merwin Foard, Joel Hatch, Amanda Lea LaVergne, Gavin Lodge, Liz McCartney, Desi Oakley, David Rossetti, Sarah Solie, Dennis Stowe and Ryan VanDenBoom.

The impact of the influential 1969 rock opera TOMMY by The Who is incalculable insofar as its impact on perceptions of what modern musical storytelling could be and the way it shaped the way theatre music was received by audiences at large, and that is due in no small part to the awe-inspiring attributes of Pete Townshend's seminal, still timeless score. "Pinball Wizard" to "Acid Queen" to "Listening To You" and beyond, the multitude of strong melodies and potent messages in the psychedelic show continue to be compelling and absorbing - and the success of the show has continued beyond its multi-Tony Award-winning Broadway production: GLEE takes on the unforgettable Act One closer tonight, "Pinball Wizard".

The DOMA Theatre Company has announced its first-ever season - a line up of six Broadway-style musicals sure to 'disturb and delightz': The Who's Tommy (March 23-April 15); Songs For A New World (May 11-June 3); Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical (July 6-29); Xanadu (Aug. 17-Sept. 9); Once On This Island (Sept. 21-Oct. 14), and a surprise, Tony Award-winning musical to be revealed at a later date (Nov. 2-Dec. 9).

Das gefeierte Ensemble der Rockoper 'Tommy' kommt frisch importiert aus London, dem Geburtsort der britischen Kultband 'The Who'.

Today we are talking to the composing half of one of the most talented and consistently exciting songwriting teams in musical theatre, Dempsey/Rowe - the force behind ZOMBIE PROM, THE FIX, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, and, now, the brand new rock musical at Washington, D.C.'s lauded and progressive Signature Theatre, BROTHER RUSSIA - Dana Rowe. Discussing the finer details of his previous collaborations with John Dempsey on the West End iterations of THE FIX and THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, as well as their subsequent American premieres at the Signature, Rowe and I dissect his career thus far, with a particular focus on his edgy new hard rock theatre piece, BROTHER RUSSIA, directed by frequent Dempsey/Rowe director, previous InDepth InterView participant Eric Schaeffer. In addition to all about the boundary-breaking and genre-spanning BROTHER RUSSIA and his other notable musicals, Rowe and I also outline his influences and his own personal favorite scores, as well as shine a light on his enthusiasm for the musical genre at large and what makes his exceedingly complimentary partnership with Dempsey so elemental to the success of their risky and rewarding shows, ZOMBIE PROM until now. All of that and much, much more!

DOMA Theatre Company kicks off its 2012 season of musical theater with a revival of The Who's Tommy. Hallie Baran directs the Tony Award-winning rock opera that features a book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff; music and lyrics by The Who's Pete Townshend; and additional music and lyrics by John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Sonny Boy Williamson. Musical director is Chris Raymond and Angela Todaro choreographs. Performances take place March 23 through April 15 at The MET Theatre in Los Angeles.

The DOMA Theatre Company has announced its first-ever season - a line up of six Broadway-style musicals sure to 'disturb and delightz': The Who's Tommy (March 23-April 15); Songs For A New World (May 11-June 3); Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical (July 6-29); Xanadu (Aug. 17-Sept. 9); Once On This Island (Sept. 21-Oct. 14), and a surprise, Tony Award-winning musical to be revealed at a later date (Nov. 2-Dec. 9).

DOMA Theatre Company kicks off its 2012 season of musical theater with a revival of The Who's Tommy. Hallie Baran directs the Tony Award-winning rock opera that features a book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff; music and lyrics by The Who's Pete Townshend; and additional music and lyrics by John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Sonny Boy Williamson. Musical director is Chris Raymond and Angela Todaro choreographs. Performances take place March 23 through April 15 at The MET Theatre in Los Angeles.

Led by an ensemble that includes the always superb Michael Holder in the titular role of Tommy, the "deaf, dumb and blind kid" who becomes a "pinball wizard," setting off widespread public acclaim and becoming a cause celebre in the process, Tommy in Concert also features the inspired pairing of Holly Shepherd and Ben Van Diepen as Mrs. Walker and Captain Walker. Despite the age difference of the two actors-not to mention their youthfulness in relation to Holder's casting as their onstage son-Shepherd and Van Diepen are believably cast as young lovers who marry in the early days of World War II only to find that first blush of romantic dreaminess devolve into the nightmarish consequences that set the show's plot in motion.

On the day before Tommy in Concert bows at STC's venue (conveniently located at 1933 Elm Hill Pike), get to know Ben Van Diepen, who plays Captain Walker, better. Just coming off his gig as music director of Blackbird Theater's Pacific Overtures, he turns his attention now to Tommy in Concert.