Theater review: 'The Who's Tommy' from Mad Cow Theatre
By Matthew J. Palm•Contact Reporter
Orlando Sentinel Arts Writer
“The Who's Tommy” at Mad Cow. Sentinel review
October 4, 2014, 11:36 PM
"Tommy, can you hear me?" go the famous lyrics. The answer, thankfully, in Mad Cow Theatre's stylish production of "The Who's Tommy" is a definite "Yes."
Rock-opera "Tommy" is Mad Cow's season-opener, and it follows in the footsteps of last season's "Hair," a rock musical plagued by sound and microphone issues.
No such worries with "Tommy," featuring sound design by Michael Powers. Musical director Heather Langs has assembled a tight three-piece band that sounds bigger than it is but doesn't overpower the singing onstage.
As with Mad Cow's "Hair," "Tommy" feels too square; it's not down-and-dirty enough for a musical written by the wild guys of seminal '60s-'70s band The Who. But this production is beautifully sung and a doozy to look at.
William Elliott's scenic design uses washes of color and jagged details to create a generically dreamlike world, suitable for a music video. That sense is enhanced by six television screens over the stage that flash a constant stream of images, words and symbols in a cleverly colorful and dynamic, though not overpowering, video montage by Landon St. Gordon.
Monica Titus's costumes have a fun retro feel — not back to the 1960s, though. They are more reminiscent of the MTV heyday of the '80s, as is Christin Caviness's group choreography. The ensemble members never break into the "Thriller" dance — but it wouldn't have felt out of place if they did.
This showbiz-y motif suits "Tommy," which began as a double record album. The nearly dialogue-free story line always has been just a way to connect the killer rock songs. Young Tommy witnesses his father murder his mother's lover. Traumatized, he is struck blind, deaf and dumb. After years of abuse by relatives, he finds salvation in a pinball machine (which smartly resembles a stained-glass window at Mad Cow).
His pinball wizardry makes him a messiah of sorts to a disillusioned generation — and he regains his senses. But fame is not always the way to happiness.
Wesley Slade captures the trapped energy inside Tommy during his silent years, and then lets it gloriously erupt at that pinball machine. As Tommy's horrible parents, Heather Kopp and Arthur Rowan vocally soar on "I Believe My Own Eyes." Juan Cantu is creepy, then a breath of comical fresh air as the even-more-horrible Uncle Ernie.
With the emphasis on bright visual style, director Donald Rupe has somewhat shortchanged the show's darker emotions of anger, loneliness and alienation. It's clear the cast members can sing but we need to see them rage, too. Because that's rock 'n' roll.
'THE WHO'S TOMMY'
• What: Mad Cow Theatre production of the rock musical
• Length: 2 hours, including intermission
• When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and two Mondays, Oct. 13 and 27; 2:30 p.m. Sundays; through Nov. 2
• Where: 54 W. Church St., Orlando
• Cost: $29.75 and higher; $15 on Mondays; discounts offered for students, seniors and military personnel
• Call: 407-297-8788407-297-8788, Ext. 1
• Online: madcowtheatre.com
By Matthew J. Palm•Contact Reporter
Orlando Sentinel Arts Writer
“The Who's Tommy” at Mad Cow. Sentinel review
October 4, 2014, 11:36 PM
"Tommy, can you hear me?" go the famous lyrics. The answer, thankfully, in Mad Cow Theatre's stylish production of "The Who's Tommy" is a definite "Yes."
Rock-opera "Tommy" is Mad Cow's season-opener, and it follows in the footsteps of last season's "Hair," a rock musical plagued by sound and microphone issues.
No such worries with "Tommy," featuring sound design by Michael Powers. Musical director Heather Langs has assembled a tight three-piece band that sounds bigger than it is but doesn't overpower the singing onstage.
As with Mad Cow's "Hair," "Tommy" feels too square; it's not down-and-dirty enough for a musical written by the wild guys of seminal '60s-'70s band The Who. But this production is beautifully sung and a doozy to look at.
William Elliott's scenic design uses washes of color and jagged details to create a generically dreamlike world, suitable for a music video. That sense is enhanced by six television screens over the stage that flash a constant stream of images, words and symbols in a cleverly colorful and dynamic, though not overpowering, video montage by Landon St. Gordon.
Monica Titus's costumes have a fun retro feel — not back to the 1960s, though. They are more reminiscent of the MTV heyday of the '80s, as is Christin Caviness's group choreography. The ensemble members never break into the "Thriller" dance — but it wouldn't have felt out of place if they did.
This showbiz-y motif suits "Tommy," which began as a double record album. The nearly dialogue-free story line always has been just a way to connect the killer rock songs. Young Tommy witnesses his father murder his mother's lover. Traumatized, he is struck blind, deaf and dumb. After years of abuse by relatives, he finds salvation in a pinball machine (which smartly resembles a stained-glass window at Mad Cow).
His pinball wizardry makes him a messiah of sorts to a disillusioned generation — and he regains his senses. But fame is not always the way to happiness.
Wesley Slade captures the trapped energy inside Tommy during his silent years, and then lets it gloriously erupt at that pinball machine. As Tommy's horrible parents, Heather Kopp and Arthur Rowan vocally soar on "I Believe My Own Eyes." Juan Cantu is creepy, then a breath of comical fresh air as the even-more-horrible Uncle Ernie.
With the emphasis on bright visual style, director Donald Rupe has somewhat shortchanged the show's darker emotions of anger, loneliness and alienation. It's clear the cast members can sing but we need to see them rage, too. Because that's rock 'n' roll.
'THE WHO'S TOMMY'
• What: Mad Cow Theatre production of the rock musical
• Length: 2 hours, including intermission
• When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and two Mondays, Oct. 13 and 27; 2:30 p.m. Sundays; through Nov. 2
• Where: 54 W. Church St., Orlando
• Cost: $29.75 and higher; $15 on Mondays; discounts offered for students, seniors and military personnel
• Call: 407-297-8788407-297-8788, Ext. 1
• Online: madcowtheatre.com
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