CRT’s rock opera “The Who’s Tommy” a psychedelic sensation

STORRS — The Connecticut Repertory Theatre’s multi-media production of “The Who’s Tommy,” melds the best of musical theater with a full-blown rock concert, creating an enticing, living, breathing event.
Directed by Gabriel Barre, who is becoming a CRT favorite, having directed last year’s “HAIR” and the imaginative “Loves Labour’s Lost,” really outdoes himself with this stunning show.
CRT takes the best of all worlds by blending equity actors and directors with students in their graduate and undergraduate program to create an amazing blend of amateur enthusiasm with confident professionalism.
Jon Conver, a professional actor, plays both the narrator and the adult Tommy. There aren’t many who have the over-sized rock star charisma, energy, and talent to pull of this role, but the diminutive and fit Conver does.
Anyone who has turned on the radio in the last 20 years would be familiar with the “Pinball Wizard” and other fabulous pop songs including the celebratory “Sensation,” the moving “See Me, Touch Me, Feel Me,” the exhilarating “I’m Free,” and the epic “Listening to You.”
“Tommy” was originally conceived as an album by The Who’s Pete Townsend based on his not-so fabulous childhood filled with abuse and mistreatment to his spiritual awakening and growth. Some might have seen the 1975 classic film starring The Who’s Roger Daltry with Elton John, Ann Margaret and the stunning Tina Turner as the Acid Queen.
Tommy loses all sense of feeling, seeing, and hearing after witnessing a horrific incident involving his parents, and enters a world of his own where no one can touch him.
How many sensitive abused children choose something like that desperate choice as the only recourse to psychic survival? And what a price they pay for that choice, which is one of the reasons for this show’s universal appeal.
There are no weak links in the show, from the creepy Uncle Ernie, played by the excellent Robert Thompson Jr. to Mrs. Walker played by Laura Beth Wells, to the outstanding Brian Patrick Williams as Capt. Walker.
Also super are the younger versions of Tommy played by brothers J.J. and Aemi Mullin. All dressed in white, as is adult Tommy, they are mesmerizing and give the show its grounding power.
Nastily and enthusiastically bullying and thug-like is Noah Winetraub as Cousin Kevin, while Rachel Leigh Rosado is glorious as the psychedelic Goddess The Acid Queen.
The costumes by the talented designer Arthur Oliver cover the spectrum from The Acid Queen’s wild ribbon infested garb with matching dreadlocks and mile high-heels, to the authentically dressed 1960’s cast, complete with pill-box hats.
The seemingly simple sets by scenic designer Cassandra Ireland Beaver are solid and functional. Especially fine is the rolling two-tier metal mini-stage which is used in a variety of scenes, and to notably fine visual effect when The Acid Queen, et al, saunter up the stairs while the rolling stage is wheeled counter-clockwise.
The choreography by Matthew Neff is a compendium of modern dance angular movements, with the 1960s jerk, along with classic rock kicks that flow.
This production goes beyond the basics and has a companion show of screen projections that add so much, from the live feed interviews of the Walkers, to the remarkably well timed and choreographed Javanese shadow play behind a stage-sized screen. Projection design by David O. Smith.
Inspired and horrific is the shadow scene where they operate on little Tommy and removing and reassembling his limbs. Like a train wreck you can’t look away.
This along with a puppet parade lead by puppet designer Michael Truman Cavanaugh, reminiscent of Julie Taymor’s puppetry.
The only downside to this sensational “The Who’s Tommy” is that so few are going to get the privilege to see the short-running production that closes on Saturday.

TOMMY

4 Stars
Location: Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, Jorgensen Road, Storrs.
Production: Music and lyrics by Pete Townshend. Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff. Additional music and lyrics by John Entwistle and Keith Moon. Directed by Gabriel Barre. Choreography by Matthew Neff. Musical direction by Ken Clark. Scenic design by Cassandra Ireland Beaver. Costume design by Arthur Oliver. Lighting design by Mark Novick. Sound design by Stefan Koniarz and Emily Tritsch. Puppet design by Michael Truman Cavanaugh. Projection design by David O. Smith.
Running time: 2 hours with one 15-minute intermission.
Show Times: Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. through May 1.
Tickets: $13 to $35. Call the box office at 860-486-4266 of visit their website at www.crt.uconn.edu.
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Jon Conver … Narrator, Tommy
Capt. Walker … Brian Patrick Williams
Mrs. Walker … Laura Beth Wells
J.J. Mullin … 4-year-old Tommy
Aemi Mullin … 10-year-old Tommy
Robert Thompson Jr. … Uncle Ernie
Noah Weintraub … Cousin Kevin
Zak Kamin … Lover
Rachel Leigh Rosado … The Acid Queen
Michelle Goodman … Sally Simpson
Ryan Guess … Minister
Philip A.J. Smithey … Hawker