THE WHO'S TOMMY to Hit Sheffield with New Songs from Pete Townshend

Iconic rock opera Tommy visits the Crucible from Thursday 22 June - Saturday 1 July, featuring two new songs written by legendary lead songwriter of The Who, Pete Townshend.

The Who's Tommy has entertained and intrigued audiences for more than 40 years. It tells the story of young Tommy who witnesses the murder of his father at the hands of his mother's lover. He is so traumatised that he chooses to stop communicating with the outside world. Growing up in post WWII England, he suffers abuse from relatives and others in the wider community but on reaching adolescence, Tommy's life begins to change when he finds salvation in playing pinball.

Original Tommy cast member Peter Straker opens the show with a new version of Amazing Journey, returning in Act Two with a new torch song, adding to an already epic score including Tommy Can You Hear Me, I'm Free, See Me, Feel Me and Pinball Wizard.

Known across TV, theatre and music, Peter Straker started his stage career as Hud in the original London production of Hair before taking on the role of the Narrator in Tommy in 1979. He notably worked with Freddie Mercury on two solo albums and more recently, his hit solo show Peter Straker Sings Brel played the Famous Spiegeltent at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Peter is joined by actor, writer and director Garry Robson who takes on the controversial role of Uncle Ernie. Tommy's mother, Mrs Walker, is played by CBeebies Magic Hands presenter Donna Mullings, and Max Runham (A Pacifist's Guide to the War on Cancer) takes on the role of Captain Walker. The role of Tommy is taken by William Grint, who is y are joined by Amy Trigg as Sally Simpson, Lukus Alexander as Cousin Kevin, Alim Jayda as the Lover, and an ensemble of fourteen performers and musicians.

Tickets for The Who's Tommy can be purchased from Sheffield Theatres' Box Office in-person, by phone on 0114 249 6000 or online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk and are priced from £15.00.

Tommy is part of Ramps On The Moon, a ground-breaking project, created by seven regional arts organisations including Sheffield Theatres, which signals a change in the UK's disability arts provision. Utilising the skills, diversity and combined energy of an ensemble cast of disabled and non-disabled actors, it aims to achieve a change in the employment and artistic opportunities for disabled performers and creative teams, changing the way theatre made by and for Deaf and disabled people is seen. The show is produced by the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, who lead the Ramps on the Moon consortium, and directed by outgoing artistic director of Theatre Royal Stratford East, Kerry Michael.

This production has embedded creative use of Audio Description, Captioning and British Sign Language in all performances.

There will be post-show talks on Wednesday 28 June at 1.30pm and Thursday 29 June 7.30pm performances.

Suitable for ages 14+.

For more information, visit tommythemusical.co.uk or sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

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