Press Release: Cotuit Center for the Arts presents "The Who’s Tommy"

Are you ready to rock? After a two-year delay, Cotuit Center for the Arts is thrilled to finally present Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff’s celebrated rock musical The Who’s Tommy, on the Main Stage from March 17 through April 3. Performances will take place Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM.

This high-energy, hard-rocking show was originally set to make its Cape Cod debut in March of 2020. The show was already highly anticipated—in fact, it was the first of the Center’s productions to completely sell out before opening. Unfortunately, the nationwide COVID lockdown forced the cancellation of the 2020 production of Tommy just a week before opening night.

Now, two long years later, director Tristan DiVincenzo, musical director Michael Dunford, and vocal director Marcia Wytrwal are thrilled to be bringing The Who’s Tommy to the Main Stage at last. “It’s going to be an amazing multi-media production, featuring the same full band from the Center’s smash hit original production Piano Men,” said DiVincenzo. “We have some incredible new talent premiering alongside well-known Cape favorites!”

Based on The Who’s iconic 1969 concept album, Tommy is an exhilarating story of hope, healing, and the human spirit. The story follows the title character from childhood (played by Teagan Lebedevitch, Connor Mason, and Juliet Seeley) to young adulthood (played by Wil Moser). Traumatized into catatonia at a young age, Tommy suffers abuse at the hands of his sadistic relatives and neighbors. As an adolescent, he's discovered to have an uncanny knack for playing pinball and, when his mother finally breaks through his catatonia, he becomes an international pinball superstar.

“This show has been on the bucket list for many people here at Cotuit Center for the Arts! We are so excited to bring this project to our stage with a fresh new angle. It is incredible to listen to the score and see how much contemporary rock music and Broadway shows have been influenced by this, the first pioneering epic rock opera,” said DiVincenzo. The Who’s Tommy is a five-time Tony Award-winner and features timeless hits like “I’m Free,” “See Me, Feel Me,” and “Pinball Wizard.”

Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test results are required to attend. Patrons are required to be masked at all times. Please note that a strobe light is used during this production. For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit artsonthecape.org or call 508-428-0669 x0. Cotuit Center for the Arts is located at 4404 Falmouth Road/Route 28 in Cotuit.

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What:
The Who’s Tommy on the Main Stage

Where:
Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Route 28, Cotuit

When:
March 17–April 3, 2022
Thursday–Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:00pm

Admission:
Tickets $38
$5 discount for members, $2 discount for seniors/veterans