'The Who's Tommy' Opens In Haddonfield Jan. 30

HADDONFIELD, NJ — Haddonfield Plays and Players kicks off its 2020 season with “The Who’s Tommy” on Jan. 30, the theater group announced. It runs through Feb. 15, and tickets can be purchased at https://tix5.centerstageticketing.com/sites/haddonfield/showdates.php?s_id=396.

Based on the iconic 1969 rock concept album, The Who's Tommy is an exhilarating story of hope, healing and the human spirit. The story of the pinball-playing, deaf, dumb and blind boy who triumphs over his adversities is a five-time Tony Award-winning musical.

After witnessing the accidental murder of his mother's lover by his father, Tommy is traumatized into catatonia and, as the boy grows, he 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. Bill Fikaris returns to Haddonfield Plays and Players to direct this inspirational musical produced by Tammy Funkhouser.

“The Who’s Tommy reaches deep and leaves no element of heartbreak unexplored in its tale of self-discovery and familial reconciliation,” Fikaris said. “It’s a challenging musical -- the main actors and a strong ensemble portray several roles and perform a score of 35 songs. Every moment must be infused with energy worthy not only of immortal rock stars, but also of vulnerable humans. I believe The Who's Tommy will appeal to a large demographic, and I hope to see a diverse audience. People of a certain age can come and enjoy the music of their youth, music that is still appealing to young people today. The show will continue to resonate in our society so long as the issues of trauma, the rise and fall of celebrities, and a longing to find a home exist in our world.”

• Denny Summerville (Tommy/Narrator);
• Justin Walsh (Captain Walker);
• Shaina Egan (Mrs. Walker);
• Gary Werner (Uncle Ernie);
• Jerrod Ganesh (Cousin Kevin);
• Nicky Intrieri (10-Year-Old Tommy);
• Wesley Holloway ( 4-Year Old Tommy);
• Joyel Crawford (Acid Queen);
• Courtney Bundens (Sally Simpson); and
• Keian Hagstrom (Hawker/Lover).

Featured Ensemble includes Nicole DeRosa Lukaitis, Gia Lukaitis, Faith McCleery, Audrey DiEnno-Lacroce, Amanda Frederick, Jonathan Greenstein, Jake Hufner, Gianna Leonen, Jake Van Horn and Jaime Weingard.

Haddonfield Plays and Players is located at 957 East Atlantic Ave., Haddonfield, NJ, 08033. For more information visit www.haddonfieldplayers.com. The video below is the performance of Smash The Mirror from Tommy The Musical, Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 1996. Cast included Kim Wilde, Nigel Harman, Jon Partridge, Hal Fowler, Ian Bartholemew, Paul Keating, James Gillan, Danielle Harmer (TV's Tracy Beaker), Laura Allen and many more.