CITY OF SAN JOSE’S Arts Express Program Presents:
City Lights Theater Company The Who’s Tommy Teacher Guide
Arts Organization Contact: Mac Williams Phone: (408) 295-4200 (general theater phone) Email: [email protected] Website: www.cltc.org
About the Arts Organization
City Lights Theater Company (a non-profit organization) produces a season of 6 plays per year in the Company's intimate 108-seat venue, and is committed to presenting exhilarating, thought-provoking plays that speak strongly to our audiences. The Company actively develops and produces new plays through our New Play Readers Series, some of which become a part of a regular season. City Lights also encourages the growth of smaller "nomad" theatre companies through their Spotlight Series, in which a diverse group of performing artists are hosted in our theatre and provided with publicity and box office services for their productions. The Company also offers a Youth and Education Program which offers ticket discount, free Study Guides and other opportunities. In addition, City Lights is widely regarded as a nurturing space in which many up-and-coming actors, directors, designers and technicians are given an opportunity to develop their theatre skills alongside seasoned professionals.
About the Program
The Who’s Tommy is a rock musical by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff based on The Who’s 1969 double album rock opera Tommy, written by Pete Townshend. After the original premiered in the West End in 1979 McAnuff and Townshend collaborated to create an updated version at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego California, where McAnuff was artistic director at the time in 1992.
The Broadway debut was at the St. James Theatre opening on April 22, 1993 and closed on June 17, 1995. It was directed by McAnuff and starred Michael Cervais as Tommy. The updated version premiered in the West End in March of 1996 and ran through February of 1997. Pete Townshend won the Tony Award for Best Original Score. The Who’s Tommy is also partly inspired by Tommy: The Film, released in 1975 with Ann Margaret, Jack Nicholson and Elton John.
Historical and Cultural Context
Summary of Play: The Who’s Tommy follows Tommy and his family as while Tommy is born in 1941, his father, Captain Walker is a POW. As Captain Walker he witnesses his wife with her lover and kills the
lover, with Tommy witnessing the entire event. Although Captain Walker is found not guilty, Tommy himself has become deaf, dumb, and blind. While staying with his Uncle Ernie Tommy becomes the pinball champion, touring from stadium to stadium yet all the while in love with Sally, who wants more than anything to be like him. After stardom has taken Tommy over he realizes what is important to him and embraces his family.
Main Characters: Tommy: Age 16-25, A young genius Captain Walker: Age 25-35, Tommy’s father Mrs. Walker: Age 18-30, Tommy’s mother Tommy: Age 4 & Tommy: Age 10 Uncle Ernie: Age 30-45 Tommy’s perverted uncle Sally Simpson: Age 13-20, a typical teenage girl
Pete Townshend (1945- ): Is an English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer and writer, known mostly for being the guitarist and songwriter for The Who. His career with the Who spans more then 40 years, during which time the band become one of the most influential bands of its time. Townshend also released several solo albums. Townshend suffers from partial deafness, like his main character Tommy. Townshend has also written newspaper and magazine articles, essays, book reviews, books, and scripts. His most famous writing credits may be the three sizeable essays he wrote for Rolling Stone.
Des McAnuff (1952- ): Is an American award winning director and producer. McAnuff was Artistic Director of the La Jolla Playhouse from 1983 through 2007, where he now holds a post at Canada’s Stratford Festival. His time at the La Jolla Playhouse was one of the most productive regional theatres in the country. His productions of Big River, The Who’s Tommy, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, I Am My Own Wife, 700 Sundays, and the 2006 Tony Award Winner Jersey Boys have all premiered at La Jolla before moving onto Broadway. Vocabulary—
POW – Prisoner of War.
Pinball – any of various games played on a sloping, glass-topped table presenting a field of colorful, knoblike target pins and rails, the object usually being to shoot a ball, driven by a spring, up a side passage and cause it to rock back down against these projections and through channels, which electrically flash or ring and record the score.
Rock opera- albums of rock music that aspired to the status art; first appeared in 1960’s.
The Who – An English rock band that formed in 1964 and grew to be considered one of the greatest and most influential bands of all time.
Deaf – Partially of wholly lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing; unable to hear.
Preparation for the Program 1. Review the history and vocabulary of the play.
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2. Listen to the album Tommy, by The Who, and have students write down their reactions and emotions.
3. After viewing all of the Tommy’s, at different ages, what is a question that you would ask each of them? Would they change based on age and experiences?
4. After the play, have students bring in their own music to share which speaks to them.
5. After the play, have students write about an activity that they connect to as an escape from the world when times are hard, just like Tommy turns to pinball when his world becomes dark.
Curriculum Connections--CA Visual and Performing Arts Standards Note: The California Visual and Performing Arts Standards were created based on the premise that each student is receiving comprehensive and sequential arts instruction in all four major arts disciplines. Since this is rarely the case, the following standards may not correspond to the grade levels served by the Arts Express program.
These standards are taken from the theatre standards . Historical and Cultural Context 3.3 (Grade 5) Interpret how theatre and storytelling forms (past and present) of various cultural groups may reflect their beliefs and traditions. 3.1 (Grade 6) Create scripts that reflect particular historical periods or cultures 3.2 (High School) Describe the ways in which playwrights reflect and influence their culture
Aesthetic Valuing 4.2 (Grade 6) Identify examples of how theater, TV and film can influence or be influence by politics and culture 4.2 (Grade 7) Explain how cultural influences affect the content/meaning of works of theater
Resources *Tommy, (film), released in 1975. Directed by Ken Russell, produced by Robert Stigwood, written by Ken Russell and Pete Townshend. It stars Oliver Reed, Ann-Margaret, Roger Daltry, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Jack Nicholson featuring music by The Who. It was released by Columbia Pictures.
* Before I Get Old: The Story of the Who. Marsh, Dave (Author). Plexis Publishing (September 16, 2003) New York, New York.
* The Who: Maximum R&B Barnes, Richard (Author), Townshend, Pete (Author). Plexis Publishing; 5th edition (September 27, 2004) New York, New York.
* Roadwork: Rock & Roll Turned Inside Out Wright, Tom (Author), VanHecke, Susan (Author), Townshend (Author). Hal Leonard Publishing (July 15, 2007) New York, New York.
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