Center Theatre Group Blog

Chris Lonsbury won the walk-on role for Monty Python’s Spamalot as part of an ebay auction, with proceeds benefitting Angels’ Night 2009. For more information about Angels’ Night 2009, click here.

A walk-on role in Spamalot was the best Father’s Day present I’ve ever received. It will forever elevate my appreciation of live theatre.

We arrived the day prior to my scheduled walk-on for a fitting. After a whirlwind of introductions I was whisked off to Costumes where it was determined that I should be The French Painter. My role was to join the French Citizens who file out of the castle to examine the “Trojan Rabbit” left by King Arthur and his followers after the French Taunters have verbally abused and denied entry to our heroes. On the first evening of introduction, I was already mesmerized by the orchestrations visible from the wings, and full of questions for all whom I met.

The pace and choreography of Monty Python’s Spamalot takes both athleticism and precision. Whether wielding swords, herring or “arms for the poor” the actors are often only inches away from each other. I was also struck by just how much manpower it takes to put on a show. A black-dressed army of technicians behind the scenes help to keep knights, peasants and showgirls bounding across the stage in ever-changing costumes, settings and lights. From the outset, I was often greeted with friendly and encouraging words from the cast and crew. It occurred to me that I was surrounded by a group of people who truly loved what they were doing and enjoyed the people with whom they worked.

As the appointed time for my appearance approached, I took my position with the other actors in front of the gigantic wooden rabbit on wheels. I was right in front of the audience! I was supposed to just react to the words of the other players as they speculated about the rabbit. The third theory was to be demonstrated by The Mime. This time, however, he first came over to look at my painting. I showed it to him and he wobbled his hand as if to say “so-so” to the laughter of the audience. I affected disapproval and put up my nose. I’ll forever say that I got a few laughs, but it may have just been my friends and family in the fifth row.

I was greeted with backslaps and congratulations off stage. The fellow who usually played the part said with a smile, “Hey, he got to do more than I do!” and then laughed. Everyone asked how I liked it, but the answer was obvious – I was beaming from ear to ear. Having passed the test, I was told that I could do another walk-on added to the first scene in the second act. In it, I would follow the Knights of Ni, trying to paint them, as they exited.

During the curtain call, the cast waved me out to experience the cheers and gratitude of the audience. It was at that moment that I felt the consummate joy of the acting profession. I could hear the clapping and cheers of hundreds, though I could barely see a soul because of the lights in my eyes. For me, appearing on stage that night was a small and silent part, but it spoke volumes in my mind about this wonderful pursuit called theatre.

A play is the most intimate of the performing arts. Whether on the stage or behind it, there is one goal – deliver a story through acting and song to a live audience, and if successful they shall think, cry, or laugh. Until this performance I had merely been a willing accomplice to my wife’s greater passion, so I cannot say that I came to the Ahmanson as a doting fanatic of musicals, of Monty Python or of the actors who played that night. But I am now.

Photo Caption & Credit:
Chris Lonsbury speaks with Christopher Gurr, cast member of Monty Python’s Spamalot, before his walk-on role. Photo by Luminary Photo

“Is this you?” That’s what Alfred Uhry, the Pulitzer, Oscar, and Tony winner said as he pointed at my car, a recently cleaned (first time in 6 months!) 1997 used Mercedes C280 (the boxy, unsexy little Mercedes).

“Yeah.”

“Nice.”

Already things were going well. This is a man whom I’m sure has been driven around in much fancier cars; his most famous work is almost entirely about a chauffeur. He seems to know his way around an automobile, and I was nervous.

I was also nervous because the drive to Sinai Temple, where I was about to take him for a speaking engagement to promote Parade, was 45 minutes long, and I’d be driving him both ways. What were we going to talk about for 90 minutes?

As it turns out, a lot. Mr. Uhry is a kind, chatty man (good thing too, as we have him lined up for three other speaking engagements!), with an easy-going sense of humor. Like that young kid who interviewed President Obama, at the end of the evening, despite our differences in age and background, I felt proud to call Alfred Uhry my “homeboy.”

I decided early on that the most important piece of information I needed to glean from our conversation was what baseball team he supported. Mr. Uhry just gives off the impression that he follows America’s pastime closely, and I wanted to know which team he throws his foam finger up in the air for. Surprisingly, he is not a huge baseball fan, but he did say that his children, who live in Connecticut, are all Red Sox fans, and that “as a Southerner, [he] could never support a team called the Yankees.” I like this guy.

We spent a lot of time talking about names. As a man who creates fictional characters for a living, Mr. Uhry probably thinks a lot about the meanings and secrets behind names. He is not a huge fan of his first name - “Who’s named Alfred anymore?” - or his last name, which he finds limits the possibilities for first names (for example, “Jimmy Uhry” is just too bouncy). On the other hand, he is a huge fan of the name my wife and I gave our daughter, Ivy, and he would bring it up multiple times during the night (”Ivy! What a great name!”). He fears that his grandchildren’s names are too trendy, like Max and Maddie, and he thinks Ivy will stand the test of time. (As do I!).

As I dropped him off back at CTG at 11 pm after a long night of schmoozing, noshing, kibitzing, kvetching, and all the other things one does at a temple on Friday night, he stuck out his hand for a shake, and I accepted. “That was good, that was real good,” he said, as he headed off to the parking garage to fetch his own car to take home. He drove that leg of the trip himself, but had he asked, I would’ve jumped in front and fired up the engine for him. That’s what you do for your homeboys.

Deputy Development Director Patrick Owen toured London and the Edinburgh Festival with Michael Ritchie and CTG donors. This is the blog he shared from the road.

Interested in traveling with other theatre lovers? To learn more about our upcoming donor trip to New York, please e-mail Becky Birdsong at bbirdsong@CenterTheatreGroup.org.

Friday, August 14, 2009
So excited to be in London with Michael Ritchie and Center Theatre Group donors. We kicked off the tour with a wonderful welcome dinner in the wine cellar of an old hotel.  Matthew Bourne was our special guest and it was thrilling to hear Matthew and Michael talk about creating great theatre.  The rest of the itinerary looks amazing…it’s after midnight and I must get to bed.  Can’t believe I am here!!!

Saturday, August 15, 2009
Wow!  An entire day of great theatre in London, great meals and hanging out with some great people.  What could be better?!  CTG Board President Martin Massman took me to see a new production of Peter Pan.  They have constructed a special theatre in the round in a big top tent in Kensington Gardens and the production artistry was amazing.  They project on all sides of the tent so during the flying scenes it is like a virtual reality ride at a theme park.  My favorite was Tick Tock the Crocodile which was a very big puppet with two performers in it.  Much of it was open, articulated fretwork that you could see through and the giant head would reach out into the audience and roar at kids in the front rows.

That was followed by a lovely dinner with the entire tour group and the play War Horse. Once again, puppetry was front and center with these amazing life-size horses that come completely alive on stage and a touching story about family, war, horses and love.  No words I write can do it justice.  I hope it comes to CTG!  Theatre is dark in London on Sundays so tomorrow we go to Buckingham Palace for cocktails…Buckingham Palace!

August 16, 2009

The group spent most of the morning touring London on our own and a group of us walked over to the London Eye. We all loved it with its amazing views of all of London and the surrounding countryside. In the afternoon, we came together for a private tour of Buckingham Palace. This is a tour that the general public cannot take and our tour guide not only shared many inside secrets about Palace life, but he had a wicked sense of humor as well.  When the champagne ended, we all assumed we would leave by the side entrance -the same way we entered. Imagine our total shock when we walked through the front door and into the front courtyard to be faced with hundreds of tourists peering through the gates to get a glimpse of us! They all oohed and ahhed and took our photos thinking that we were real royalty and that gave us all a good laugh.

August 17, 2009

Today was another marvelous day beginning with a private meet-the-artist session with Tom Morris, Director of War Horse. It was great to get so much inside scoop on this amazing production and how it came about. This evening we saw the most over-the-top, in-your-face entertaining musical -Priscilla Queen of the Desert. We were on our feet from start to finish. Michael says he hopes that we can get it for the Ahmanson when it eventually goes on tour. It’s been a real privilege hanging out with Michael, his wife Kate, and their daughter, Charlotte.  Kate talked to us one night at dinner about her life and how the entire Burton-Ritchie family live a life in the theatre.  I am learning so much, making such great friends and having an amazing time!

August 18, 2009

The time is going by too fast!  I hated to leave London, but it is great here in Edinburgh.  The city is positively electric with the energy of the Festivals.  I had not been in my room more than 5 minutes when I experienced my first Fringe Festival event - an open double decker bus going by below my window with a Caribbean marimba band performing on top! And then this morning when I headed out for my morning jog I came across two Fringe events happening in cafes over coffee!  But, I am getting ahead of myself.  We had the most lovely train ride up here through the English countryside, and then we went to see the Gate Theatre’s production of Brian Friel’s Faith Healer.  It was quite an experience to see great actors performing the script of a great Irish playwright. 

August 19, 2009

The day started with a great tour of Edinburgh.  Yves, our Scottish tour guide was funny and informative.  But the main highlights of the day were the lunch and a concert in Usher Hall with Esa Pekka Salonen and Yefim Bronfman. 

It has been great having Judy and Tom Beckmen as the Tour Chairs because they have been to Edinburgh and the Festivals often and know what to do and see, and most importantly…where to eat!  They first discovered Martin Wishart’s restaurant many years ago before it was “Martin Wishart’s ” - one of Edinburgh’s top restaurants.  We went to its most recent incarnation in Leith, the port area of Edinburgh near where the Queen’s Royal Brittainia Yacht is moored.  What a meal!  It would take me hours to describe each tasty morsel we enjoyed or to expound upon the wine pairings, but suffice it to say it was a gourmand’s feast unparalleled!  Even the haggis was delicious - a tiny little haggis dumpling about the size of a malted milk ball covered in a breading - heaven, sheer heaven!  Everyone went off on their own for the afternoon and then we came back together for the concert with Salonen and Bronfman.  While Usher Hall looks totally different inside than Disney Hall it was interesting to note they share one thing in common - a big pipe organ at the back of the stage and seating on the stage around this organ and behind the orchestra.  The concert was spectacular and afterwards we visited Salonen and Bronfman backstage in the dressing rooms - thanks to Judy and Tom’s connections.

August 20, 2009

Today we had a private audience with Joyce McMillan.  To my mind she is a Scottish treasure - very involved in the political world, a writer for the Scotsman newspaper and a lover of the arts, particularly theatre.  She is an incredibly intelligent woman, and warm and witty and down-to-earth.  We learned so much from her about Edinburgh, Scottish and British politics and the Festivals.  June and Gary Hughes said they could think of nothing more delightful to do than to spend the day with her.  But the day just got better when we went to Carol Colburn Hogel’s lovely Georgian town home in the heart of Edinburgh for lunch.  A more warm and gracious host could not be found and she made us all feel so at home plus her Australian cook made an amazing lunch buffet.  From there we had some free time before gathering to see Catwalk Confidential in the Fringe Festival followed by The Tattoo.  But the real attraction of the evening was the “wearin’ of the kilts”.  Michael, Gary Hughes, Ken Kaplan, David Boyle, Eric Garen and I rented kilts and “kilted up” for the evening.  Charlotte Ritchie, Nancy Garen and June Hughes joined in the fun by the “wearin’ o’ the tartans”.  We all enjoyed the experience, and both Catwalk Confidential and the The Tattoo were great performances to see.  We have two days left and I can’t imagine that it can get any better!

August 21, 2009

Today we had exclusive meet-the-artists with 5 different creatives who are involved here at the Festival.  Many people went off and saw Fringe shows and we finished the day with the Royal Ballet of Flanders’s version of Ulysses.    Oh, and then an intrepid group went off to a late night jazz club.  Just a typical day with Michael Ritchie and CTG at the Edinburgh Festival!  Today we start with a drive into the country for scotch tasting and lunch on the River Esk.  Yes, scotch on our corn flakes!  Tonight is our final show, Faust by the Romanian National Theatre.  Everyone - everyone - we have talked to on this trip has said that this is the show to see at this year’s Festival, and one of the artists we met yesterday was the director so we are primed and ready for this 100 cast members, environmental theatre taking place in a wharehouse! 

August 23, 2009

I woke up and looked outside my window to rain-washed streets and a dark cloudy morning sky over Edinburgh on this our departure day.  I can’t believe the trip is over.  It all went so fast.  But that is what happens when you are having the time of your life.  Our final day yesterday was as amazing as all that had preceded it. 

We started with scotch tasting out in the country at the Glenkinchie Distillery.  Tons of fun as was the lunch that followed at the Glasshouse Restaurant, a converted mill, on the River Esk.  I had to wonder if they paid the man who was standing in the river fly fishing so us tourists could “ooh” and “aah” over the picture postcard-ness of it all.  Then in the evening we went to see the Romanian National Theatre’s version of Faust directed by Silviu Purcarete.  It was out by the airport in a large warehouse space and it was a huge vast spectacle.  I really can’t do it justice in print, but we were told it would be one of the highlights of the Festival and it was.  Just to give you a hint - at one point the set broke open to expose a sort of carnival set behind it and the audience got up and walked into this carnival which was a feast of sights and sounds and fireworks and men driving forklifts on which were suspended actors doing acrobatics…and that hardly does it justice - as Michael said, “I loved it!”  

Through a series of coincidences on the way back into town we had three women who were not part of the tour catch a ride with us.  As we dropped them off near their hotel, our tour guide realized that one of them was the concert pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja - only at the Edinburgh Festival can you pick up a hitchhiker who is a world-class musician!  We closed the tour with lively cocktails and a little late night nosh back at the hotel.  There was a warm, convivial atmosphere in the room and it was clear we had all gotten to like one another quite a bit.  Michael said a few words and I realized that what he said was so true - that what we would all remember most is the friendships we had made on this trip.  I can’t wait for the next one!!!

Bailey Pennick is Center Theatre Group’s Press Intern for Summer 2009. She is majoring in English at UC Berkeley.

1st soldier: It’s not a question of where he grips it! It’s a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.
King Arthur: Well, it doesn’t matter. Will you go and tell your master that Arthur from the Court of Camelot is here?

             Before the 2005 Tony Award winning musical “Spamalot”, there was the 1975 film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” which (unlike its influenced musical offspring) did not win any legitimate awards.  And before John O’ Hurley donned the crown of King Arthur in the Ahmanson production, there simply was Graham Chapman. 

Standing 6′2″ tall with sandy blonde hair, an expressive mouth and a distinct air of unpredictability, Chapman was one of the six members of British comedy group Monty Python.  He was the noble, but naïve “Arthur from the Court of Camelot”.  Remembered most for his lead roles in both of Python’s narrative feature films (King Arthur and Brian from “Life of Brian”) Graham Chapman was always the Python who wanted to push the limits of humor and silliness as much as his colleagues would allow.

Beginning his professional career by studying medicine at Emanuel College in Cambridge, Graham Arthur Chapman met fellow student John Cleese and began to think/write/live/breathe comedy.  After working for the BBC as a writer (usually for David Frost), Chapman and Cleese came together with Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin to create the comedy troupe “Monty Python” and the hilarious BBC One television show, “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” in 1969.  Chapman was pegged for authoritative roles in sketches and usually seen as the “straight man” in the wacky world of Python, with hints of insanity seen when he dressed in drag, or tried to return a dead parrot.

            Chapman truly represented what was so revolutionary and quintessentially important about Monty Python: he let others shine within a scene.  While many see Graham Chapman as underutilized within the sketches because he never had a “catch phrase” like other Pythons (ex: “Wink wink, Nudge nudge”, “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!”, “I’m a Lumberjack and I’m okay”), I believe that the real point to be made about Chapman is that his performances are just constantly underrated. 

Beyond trying to comprehend the real talent of a man with so many hardships within his private life including extreme alcoholism until 1977, and dealing with the negative response to his homosexuality until his untimely death from spinal/throat cancer in 1989, we must recognize that Graham Chapman embodied the concept of an ensemble.  Standing as the solid “typical man” within each scene of various lengths and subjects, Chapman was the blank canvas for his fellow performers to play off of.  Excelling at outrage, disbelief, and being the universal voice of reason, Graham Chapman’s characters are relatable, reliable, and reminiscent of our own emotions and reactions to the craziness of the Python’s world where people have funny walks and would like to pay for an argument.  Viewers often overlooked his genius because he was so similar to their own personalities with his on screen persona.

Chapman was seen as perhaps the best actor of the Pythons; really harnessing the comedy of the deadpan performance while either being dressed outrageously or asked to do ridiculous things.  He was always ready and willing to do anything in the name of comedy.  Brian and Arthur are indeed the main characters of their respective Python films, but the true heart comes out of the several ingenious vignettes featuring each character in the way that only those six men could.  While the plot of “Spamalot” focuses most of its attention on the Holy Grail quest according to the king, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” does exactly what the title suggests; it gives you the quirky and unique talents of each Python as they work together to make you laugh more than ever expected.  A lot of the magic of that film is in part because of the giving canvas and wit of Graham Chapman.

There are two quotes of Chapman’s that stuck out for me as possible ending lines for this piece:

“I hope I will have achieved something lasting.”

“It’s nice to see that look of alarm on the faces of the others.”

I think he would have wanted me to pick the latter.

On Monday night, over fifty SPAMALOT fans gathered at the Borders in Westwood to hear their King, John O’Hurley, star of SPAMALOT, pontificate about the musical, his two bestselling books, his dogs, his son, his brothers, his father, his teachers, his wife, his aversion to reality television (despite having performed quite successfully on Dancing with the Stars), and his career on stage and on the small screen.

One thing I learned about John O’Hurley on Monday was that the man is a pro. That morning he had woken up at 6 am to tape an interview with KTLA. He then went into a studio and shot six back-to-back episodes of Family Feud (which he hosts concurrently with his role in SPAMALOT) and, refusing the car service CTG had offered to him, drove himself to Westwood where for over ninety minutes he spoke about his life, answered many questions from fans ranging on all topics, and autographed books, CDs, and T shirts. He even took pictures with fans, including two guys who arrived at the Borders ten minutes after the event had ended! John O’Hurley is truly a class act.

The Westwood Borders was under a bit of renovation so we had practically the entire back half of the second floor to ourselves. The stage was in front of huge western-facing windows, so as John spoke we could glimpse a magnificent sunset behind him (we also had a clear view of the takeout Thai place across the street).

Around 6:45 pm the fans started rolling in. Though one could imagine in one’s mind what the stereotypical SPAMALOT fan would look like, these patrons did not conform to any predetermined look or category. They were young and old, small and large, male and female; people with no interest in the show but loved John’s books, or his role as Peterman on Seinfeld; a few people who were just in the Borders buying books or getting coffee and decided to see what the fuss was all about. Some were wearing SPAMALOT gear, and many came bearing O’Hurley’s books and the SPAMALOT cast recording CD; two men even came wearing bejeweled armor, in case the King was besieged in Westwood.

After some initial silliness involving a piano bench, the Marketing Team was able to set up a station with an Enter to Win box for T shirts and a grand prize of a pair of tickets to the show. We ultimately gave out seven shirts, and the tickets went to a lovely couple named the Algots who had yet to see the show. Gooooooo Algots!

John’s speech was great - humorous, intelligent, inspiring, and best of all, promotional. Highlights included an imitation of his father’s laugh (silent, with occasional snorting); a story from his ragtag youth in which he spelled Columbus “Columbum” in a public art project; and the tale of how he found out that his first book had made the New York Times’s Bestseller list on the same day that his son was born. He also read an excerpt from his latest book, Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It, which was hilarious and which everyone reading this should buy if they haven’t already. (And if you’ve already bought it, buy another copy! What, like you won’t want to read it again?)

All in all, the event was a major success on multiple levels, and we thank our good friends at Borders as well as King Arthur himself, John O’Hurley, for putting together such a fantastic evening of fun.

Thanks to BroadwayWorld.com, you can get an insider look at the wacky world of Monty Python’s Spamalot, courtesy of longtime cast member Rick Holmes, who cracks up audiences “knightly” as the French Taunter (among others). In these exclusive videos, Rick takes you behind-the-scenes at the ridiculously funny musical, now playing in Los Angeles for the first time!

	Spamalot VLog 1
	Spamalot VLog 2

Hear audience reaction from the opening night of SPAMALOT! From Kevin Nealon to Samm Levine, Scott Hamilton to JoAnne Worley - everyone is RAVING about SPAMALOT!

Join in on the fun, now at the Ahmanson Theatre through September 6th!!

Patrick Varon is a Donor Advisor for Center Theatre Group’s Development Department.

My primary function for Center Theatre Group is that of a Donor Advisor.  Falling under the Development Department, I work with a talented and dedicated staff of fundraisers (actors, entertainers, filmmakers and even a kindergarten teacher!).  Our mission is to raise the money necessary to maintain the size and scope of CTG’s vital education and outreach programming.  Giving to CTG not only funds important programs, but it also entitles patrons to exciting theater benefits and exclusive donor privileges.

Naturally, in the face of today’s grim economic realities, asking for donations is no easy task.  A recent report from the Giving USA Foundation asserts that charitable giving fell last year by the largest percentage in five decades!  In spite of that fact, CTG audiences gave anyway.  Markets were down, pensions were cut and jobs were lost, yet our patrons gave. 

An opportunity arose for the production of ‘Oleanna‘ (Mark Taper Forum, June 6 - July 12).  As it turned out, director Doug Hughes’ assistant in New York was unable to come to Los Angeles for the remainder of rehearsals through opening night.  It was my time to give and without hesitation, I accepted.  Soon I found myself pulling double-duty assisting on a show while still raising money for the theatre.  What occurred to me was that the purpose of this show, like that of all our other shows, is to give our audiences a quality theatrical experience they desired. 

I look back and realize now that I stood in the middle of a transaction that few may ever see or experience firsthand.  I had actively participated in the sacred chain of symbiotic generosity within this theatre and its audience.  All were giving out of a spirit of goodwill and for the benefit of others.  Patrons gave to me because they believed in CTG, I gave to the show because I was inspired to contribute and the show gave back to the audience a fine theatrical experience.  We all believed in each other and we all believed in CTG.

Bailey Pennick is Center Theatre Group’s Press Intern for Summer 2009. She is majoring in English at UC Berkeley.

Our experiences with musical theatre are personal.  We pull for our favorite characters and lament when the curtain finally comes down after the last bows, but the one thing that sticks with us as we walk out of those large double doors are the songs.  As we get into our cars (or walk down the stairs to the subway) it’s hard to shake a song that has entrenched its emotion, lyrics, and melody into our heads.  Whether it is simply catchy or exceedingly grand, a musical number that touches you cannot be forgotten.

If you would allow me to (semi) channel “High Fidelity” for a moment, here are my all-time “top three” Broadway musical numbers to date:

“Somewhere” - “West Side Story” by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Performed by characters Maria and Tony

This song is musical perfection.  The rising energy and sweeping use of the string section create a whirlwind of emotion that only Leonard Bernstein can produce.  This heart-breaking musical score starkly contrasted with beautiful lyrics that embody all of the hope and love that Maria and Tony have for each other immediately allows the audience to relate to the character’s forbidden love and what a struggle it would be to truly obtain freedom.  Another aspect of this song that sets it apart from all musical numbers is the fact that it is so short; at less than two minutes long, the overflow of emotion pouring out of “Somewhere” showcases its brilliance.  There is no fanfare, no dancers or fireworks, just two beautiful voices in a perfect moment.  In the same musical number we can experience their feeling of undying hope and the inevitable hopelessness for their love.

Other noteworthy numbers in “West Side Story”: “Something’s Coming” (Tony), “Tonight” (Tony, Maria, Ensemble), “Maria” (Tony)

“And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” - “Dreamgirls” by Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen.  Performed by the character Effie White

What makes this song so outstanding is that it is a love song (or more specifically a torch song), but it clearly focuses more on the empowerment of the singer.  Effie stands as a woman alone; without her friends/former backup singers or her lover, and this song proves that she does not need them.  Starting with just Effie’s trembling voice, the vulnerable lyrics coming out of her mouth transform into a powerful statement of self confidence and righteousness with the entire orchestra behind her: “Tear down the mountains, / Yell, scream and shout. /You can say what you want, /I’m not walkin’ out.”  The amount of power behind her words as she is being left by everyone she knows is admirable and completely unforgettable in this musical.

Other noteworthy numbers in “Dreamgirls”: “One Night Only” (Effie and Company), “Family” (Effie, C.C., Jimmy, Lorrell, Deena, Curtis)

“See Me, Feel Me/ Listening to You” - “The Who’s Tommy” by The Who (Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff). Performed by characters Tommy and Ensemble.

As any good musical knows, a powerful finale is the only way to go and “The Who’s Tommy” is no exception.  As a boy who not only reached maturity, but also gained back his ability to see, hear, and speak, Tommy cries out to the audience (the world) to pay attention to him: To see him!  Feel him! Touch him! Hear him! He has been reborn and he is ready to live his life among people he can finally interact with.  This intense emotional release comes in the form of “Listening to You” the second half of this final number.  The audience can experience the power that Tommy had over his followers as they repeat the same lyrics over and over.  The unison is haunting: “From you I get opinions. / From you I get the story.”  This complete control that Tommy has over the ensemble is mesmerizing.  As a listener, you get trapped in the lyrics being repeated until suddenly you become part of the mob that expects answers from Tommy.  There is a feeling of uneasiness as the show ends because Tommy’s life is clearly not over, instead it’s just beginning.  The fact that this song can make you question about what happens to Tommy after the curtains come down and the house lights come up is very powerful, just as Pete intended.

Other noteworthy numbers in “The Who’s Tommy”: “What About the Boy” (Captain Walker and Mrs. Walker), Pinball Wizard (Local Lads, Cousin Kevin, Ensemble), “I’m Free” (Tommy).

Blogmaster question:

What are your all-time three favorite musical numbers?