The Who's "Tommy" (pt. 9) - The Acid Queen

The Acid Queen

Performed by the Avondale Theatre Company. July 16-18, 2009. The production was put together in three weeks of building and rehearsals at Avondale High School in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The cast and crew was made up of current high school students, alumni going all the way back to the class of 1991, younger kids in the school district, and three teachers.

I (the music director and guitarist) dedicate this performance to diehard fans like me who agree with Roger Daltrey about the Broadway version's orchestrations sounding too watered down and not enough like The Who.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The Who
• Tommy
• The Who's Tommy
• Acid Queen
• Pete Townshend
• Roger Daltrey
• John Entwistle
• Keith Moon
• Tina Turner
• Avondale Theatre Company

[rumblefishism]

So, did you direct this?

[sbamkmfdmdfmk]

@rumblefishism I was the music director and guitarist.

[rumblefishism]

I try not to judge amateur actors too harshly. For all we know, she tried out for the show thinking that she was just going to be a dancer, but the director decided to cast her in a role which she obviously could not handle vocally. Blame the director for that. At the very least, they should have lowered the key for that poor girl.

[sbamkmfdmdfmk]

@rumblefishism Actually the actor had more with the lower parts than the higher parts. She's not a rock singer, but she's a great actress which is why we went with her. We had a very limited pool of auditionees (almost everyone who tried out was cast in the show) so we chose the best option based on our choices.

[rumblefishism]

@sbamkmfdmdfmk That's surprising that only a limited number of people turned up for auditions; Tommy is a popular show--especially with young people.

I saw a production of Tommy where the Acid Queen was a transvestite male, and surprisingly, it worked really well.

[sbamkmfdmdfmk]

@rumblefishism I was surprised with the low audition turnout too, but it also wasn't a full community theatre show. It was a school-based production at the Avondale School District in Michigan with a company made up of alumni, teachers, and current students from there.

[TiVo0oViT]

Just saw the 2012 version of Tommy at the Frankfurt English Theatre, and it was definitely better. Here, the actress has no sense for the role, she not a gypsy and not an acid queen.

[pinklady4880]

this is really the only part of the show i had a problem with, i was just thinking how wonderful everyone was doing and how much i enjoyed all of it till this song. i just wish someone who could have done the song justice had been chosen but i understand you gotta do what you gotta do.

[MrBill0327]

Gateway playhouse was better

[mysocaman]

yes, I agree, this is pretty bad!! Sorry Poor sweet looking girl! just not the role for you!

[starkiss69]

they could at least lowered the bar for her if she cant sing high then they can change it up so she at least sounds disnat

[rumblefishism]

@sbamkmfdmdfmk Once again, I give you credit for memorizing the score and reworking the musical interlude parts (written specifically for the Broadway show) for a three piece band. These are obviously not professional actors, but you did the best with what you had. I used to perform years ago, and Tommy is a show I would have loved to be in.