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rock theatre I by Jodi Smith Tommy Takes Uncle Randy Productions Back to its Rod Musical Roots It has b e e n seven a n d a h a l f years since Uncle Randy P r o d u c t i o n s e x p l o d e d o n t o t h e L o w e r M a i n l a n d musical t h e a t r e scene w i t h t h e i r i n a u g u r a l p r o d u c t i o n Jesus Christ Superstar. In t h e years since, Uncle a u d i e n c e in a n d o u t o f t h e sense d e p r i v e d w o r l d o f t h e s h o w s t i t l e character. " W e really play w i t h t h e presence a n d absence of colour a n d d e t a i l as a m e t a p h o r f o r t h e c o m i n g a n d g o i n g o f T o m m y ' s senses," says W h i t e . " W e are t a k i n g w h a t is e s s e n t i a l l y a p e r i o d d r a m a a n d g i v i n g it a m u c h heightened sense of t h e a t r i c a l i t y " . Randy has established itself as t h e p r e e m i n e n t local p r o d u c e r o f rock musicals. This N o v e m b e r , t h e N o r t h V a n c o u v e r C o m p a n y r e t u r n s t o t h e h i g h - e n e r g y rock musical genre t h a t t h e y do so very w e l l w i t h a n e w p r o d u c t i o n o f The W h o ' s Tommy, t h a t is certain t o be t h e i r m o s t spectacular y e t . S o n d e r g a a r d , w h o s e set a n d l i g h t i n g also p l a y b a c k a n d b e t w e e n the elaborate and the m i n i m a l , echo these forth thoughts. " A l t h o u g h t h i s is a d r a m a w i t h a s i g n i f i c a n t a m o u n t o f p l o t a n d Tommy w a s t h e b r a i n c h i l d o f The W h o ' s l e g e n d a r y songwriter/ m a n y s m a l l , i n t i m a t e scenes, its r o o t s are o n t h e rock a n d roll c o n cert s t a g e , " says Berg. "So w h e n I sat d o w n w i t h Rob t o create the g u i t a r i s t Pete T o w n s e n d . O r i g i n a l l y r e l e a s e d as a d o u b l e a l b u m , t h e songs and story have survived and thrived t h r o u g h numerous i n c a r n a t i o n s . C o u n t l e s s live p e r f o r m a n c e s by The W h o , a f u l l l e n g t h Ballet, an u n a u t h o r i z e d L o n d o n stage p r o d u c t i o n , a n d the now f a m o u s f i l m v e r s i o n by d i r e c t o r Ken Russell all c u l m i n a t e d in 1 9 9 4 , w h e n t h e s o n g s a n d s t o r y b e l o v e d by a n e n t i r e g e n e r a t i o n w e r e reborn on the Broadway stage. For t h e B r o a d w a y p r o d u c t i o n , d i r e c t o r Des M c A n u f f w o r k e d closely w i t h Townsend t o reshape t h e previously vague story. It is this revised script t h a t w i l l be t h e basis for t h e Uncle Randy Production, b u t those w h o have seen t h i s c o m p a n y ' s w o r k in t h e past k n o w t h a t t h e y are unlikely t o see a mere recreation. " W e w i l l be t r u e t o t h e music a n d t e x t c r e a t e d f o r B r o a d w a y , " says d i r e c t o r Richard Berg " b u t t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n c o n c e p t a n d d e s i g n are original a n d o u r o w n . " C o s t u m e designer Jesse W h i t e , a l o n g w i t h Set a n d L i g h t i n g designer Rob S o n d e r g a a r d , have c r e a t e d a l o o k a n d feel t h a t w i l l f o r c e t h e November | December