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Mike Ricci's Production of
The Who's Tommy

Cast

Mrs. Walker	..	Lois Warner
Captian Walker	..	Steve Lah
Uncle Ernie	..	Mark Groettum
Minister	..	Timothy P. O'Reilly
First Officer/Soldier	..	Andy Zahorsky
Second Officer/Soldier	..	Aaron Donovan
Nurses	..	Vicki Rosc & Sivi Uitto
Boyfriend	..	Pat Zollar
Four-Year-Old Tommy	..	Taylor Skalsky-Nowak
Narrator/Tommy	..	Joe Galatz
Judge	..	Timothy O'Reilly
Barrister	..	Keith Rafdahl
Ten-Year-Old Tommy	..	Kody Rafdahl
Cousin Kevin	..	Nate Haverkamp
Minister's Wife	..	Rachel Waters
Kevin's Mother & Father	..	Emily Madsen & Pat Zollar
Local Lads/Security Guards	..	Marshall Bowers, Aaron Donovan, Andy Zahorsky, Jeff Phillipich, Pat Zollar
Local Lasses	..	Emily Madsen, Karen O'Reilly, Vicki Rosc, Sivi Uitto, Rachek Waters, Nicole Tyson
Hawker	..	Keith Rafdahl
Harmonica Player	..	Adam Floerchinger
The Gypsy	..	Chris Rafdahl
First Local Lad	..	Andy Zahorsky
Second Local Lad	..	Pat Zollar
Specialist	..	Pat Zollar
Specialist's Assistant	..	Sivi Uitto
News Vendor	..	Jeff Phillipich
Sally Simpson	..	Rachel Waters
Mrs. Simpson	..	Emily Madsen
Mr. Simpson	..	Timothy O'Reilly
Various Characters	..	Ensemble

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Crew

Stage Manager	. . .	Shelly Nowak
Assistant Stage Manager	. . .	Susan Lind
Technical Director	. . .	Michael Ricci
Musical Director	. . .	Alex Mauldin
Vocal Director	. . .	Ben Smith
Band Musicians	. . .	Alex Mauldin, Keyboard Joe Gibbon, Guitars Jed Terell, Bass Pete Shaleen, Drums
Scenic Design	. . .	Ellie Ricci
Lighting Design	. . .	Greg Peeler
Costumes	. . .	Gail Adams, Nanette Rushton, Susan Lynn, Shelly Nowak, Rachel Waters, Aaron Donovan, Maria Tawyea, Ellen Feyder, Lous Warner, Gretchen Mayer
Make-Up & Hair	. . .	Susan Lynn & Dan Hardy
Video Projections	. . .	Peter Davis & Bill Schleppegrell
Slide Projections	. . .	Flynn Adams & Susan Lynn
Sound Engineer	. . .	Flynn Adams, Craig & Leah Liabratten
Props	. . .	April Johnson & Maria Tawyea
Set Construction	. . .	Rick Pierce (Crew Chief), Michael Ricci, Jason Specht, Ken Olson, Josh Jacobsen, Dan Leritz, Vicki Rosc, Andy Zahorsky, Alina Klaysmat, Sivi Uitto, Dan Marturano, Derrick Silvestri, Rachel Waters, Jeff Phillipich, Tom Mayo
Shift Crew	. . .	John McCormic, Tim Montgomery, Stacy Karger, Sue Lind, Flynn Adams
Lightboard Operators	. . .	Derrick Silvestri & Dan Marturano
Rehearsal Pianists	. . .	Amy Jaynes & Jan Peterson
Publicity	. . .	Dorothy Simkins, Bettie Valley, Becky Ketola, Susan Degnan, St Louis County Fair, Mesabi Daily News, Tower News, Hibbing Daily Tribune

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Director Notes

Any endeavor one decides to pursue is bound to be filled with adventure, surprises, and limitless possibilities. So it was when I decided to direct Tommy. Although I was very familiar with the original recording by The Who, and had actually seen them perform Tommy live, I realized that to actually act out this story on stage would take much work to clarify it and bring the characters and events into sharper focus.

Since this story is sung in its entirety (with only a few moments of dialogue), it is in essence, a "rock opera", as it was described when The Who first performed it back in 1969. Then, Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend sang all the roles, and their concert remains one of the most powerful and dynamic performances I have ever seen. I've attempted to duplicate that passion and power in this current production. The Who's music has always been about alienated youth struggling in a world which didn't understand them, and many times, standing alone against that which tries to help. So it is with Tommy, which in many ways mirrors Pete Townshend's life. Then, as now, the struggles through childhood into adolescence and adulthood remain much the same, and in order to survive the shocks and traumas that life can throw at you, perhaps the mind's only defense is to shut down the senses. Tommy's deaf, dumb and blind state may not only be a condition brought on by his witnessing and act of violence, but in a larger sense, may mirror an entire society unable to deal with the unspeakable horrors we inflict on each other. The gradual deadening of our senses is something that haunts modern society, creating a population with no purpose, no aspirations, and no real spiritual connection to each other. This lack of any real human communication is something that haunted Townshend as a child, and in his rewriting of Tommy for the stage, he addresses that issue by giving the newly awakened Tommy the insights to make those connections so that a healing process can take place and life can move on in a more meaningful way.

Ultimately though, Tommy is about the music and joy of being, of discovering, of awakening. And for those of you, who are familiar with this music, I'm sure the rediscovery of its power and passion will once again excite all your senses. For those of you who have never heard this music, you are in for a memorable time not soon to be forgotten.

I owe a great debt of gratitude to my wife Ellie, for her wonderful set design; to my good friend Alex Mauldin for his inspired musical direction; to Greg Peeler for his willingness to take time out of his busy schedule to create a stunning lighting design; to Jed Terell, Joe Gibbon, and Pete Shaleen for their dynamic passion for this music; to Shelly Nowak for her patience and dedication; to Dorothy Simkins for her vision and commitment to the success of this production. Their talents and that of everyone else connected with Tommy, have helped make this journey and amazing one, and is proof that the impossible can be achieved -- it just takes a little longer.

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Play Photos

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