The producers Stephen Gabriel and Ira Pittelman announced Thursday that their revival of “The Who’s Tommy,” a hit show that broke box office records in its first production at the Goodman Theatre this past summer, is slated to move to Broadway next spring. The famed pinball wizard will play at New York’s Nederlander Theatre beginning March 8, 2024, with the Broadway opening night scheduled for March 28, 2024.
Casting has not yet been announced, still subject to negotiation, but sources have told the Tribune that most of the widely admired original Goodman cast is expected to move with the show. The relatively quick Broadway transfer replaces a previous plan to first tour the show to more cities, but nonetheless was not a surprise given the success of the Chicago run.
The majority of “Tommy” was written by Pete Townshend of The Who in 1969; it will have been some 30 years since the first Broadway stage production of the musical opened. The retooled stage revival, which premiered at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, shares the same director in Des McAnuff (who also has shares a book writing credit with Townshend). But it features a fresh design by David Korins (”Hamilton”) with projections by Peter Nigrini (”Here Lies Love”). The new choreography is by Lorin Latarro.
Ticket presales for Broadway begin Thursday; more information at www.tommythemusical.com.
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.