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| Lobby | On the Record | Stage | Stage Door | Backstage |
"Amazing Journey"
The pivotal song was Amazing Journey. It became the center. That song tries to
tell the introduction to Tommy. But as soon as I had written that I had the
shape for the piece.
- Pete Townshend
The central relationship in the story is between
Tommy and Tommy so we created multiple
Tommys on stage. Then the concept of the
adult reaching the child became very valuable
for the first act, and the idea of the child
reaching the adult began to function in
the second act. In fact, I think those of us
who manage to stay spiritually
alive have to keep the children in us alive.
- Des McAnuff, Director
Michael's initial two entrances are on wires. First he
catapults up on top of the amoire and stands above young Tommy who faces the mirror. This
sets up the mirror as a magical device. On the second entrance he tumbles in from high in
the wings. Wayne Cilento had once as a dancer tumbled in from above doing aerial
somersaults & the Foys were quick to embrace that idea for Tommy. This entrance
literally sets up "Amazing Journey". Later in the act he appears in a white
shaft of light through the mirrored surface, 20 feet above the stage on the truss work.
-Des McAnuff
The importance of World War II for this family is
undeniable, and the Wellington bomber serves as a symbol for the war through the entire
play from the opening scene in the hanger where the Walkers meet. In the Christmas scene
the play appears as a toy, and then again the bomber shows up huge as the back glass to a
pinball machine. It becomes a collective image that builds in the audience mind.
John Arnone, Set Designer
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