This weekend The San Diego Repertory Theatre ended its three week run of The Who’s famed Rock Opera Tommy.  Tommy was originally written in 1969 by Pete Townsend.  The adaptation, as performed by San Diego Rep was high energy and brilliantly staged.

As it was originally recorded and performed, the music of Tommy told the story of a young boy, whose traumatic childhood left him without the ability to hear, speak or see.   The four members of the Who told the story with nothing but their voices and instruments.

Tommy as a stage production

Tommy at The San Diego Repertory Theatre was a collossal production.  The story of Tommy was presented by 50 actors and dancers, an orchestra of 19 and four amazing young guitarists!

The show’s star B. Slade gave a high energy, soulful performance that reflected his musical roots in gospel and hip-hop.  His character and performance were the primary deviation from the Who’s original. Slade’s presence dominated the show though.  It is no surprise, considering that he has twice been nominated for Grammy Awards. 

From Uncle Ernie to the Acid Queen, The San Diego Repertory Theatre delivered what The Who created.  In fact, in many ways it exceeded the original.  This was the second co-production with the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA). The supremely talented singers, dancers and musicians from SCPA  joined a stellar cast of professional actors and singers. They made the show.  When their 3rd collaboration takes place next year, don’t miss out!

The rest of the San Diego Repertory Company’s season includes:

 The Lyceum Theater is home to the San Diego Repertory Company.  Conveniently located at Horton Plaza, theatre goers can take advantage of 3 hours of free parking with validation.

It is also possible to purchase tickets for all of these performances at significant discounts.  Have you heard of Goldstar?  Goldstar is “Groupon” for entertainment.  Tix for anything from Padres baseball to La Jolla Playhouse are available at half price or better.  Also, if Downtown be sure to stop by the Arts Tix Booth in front of Horton Plaza.  Whether it’s the last minute or you’re planning ahead, it’s a great source for deeply discounted thatre tickets in Downtown San Diego.