April 13-25: Stage Manager, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, “Tommy”, Music : Peter Townshend "The Who" at City Center, New York “Hip and Straight” Music: Paul Duplessis, Choreography: Fernand Nault; Costumes: Nicole Martinet, Lighting: Nicola Cernovitch. Sets by David Jenkins, Dancers: Alexandre Belin, Nicole Vachon, John Stanzel, Hae Shik Kim, Judith Karstens, Mannie Rowe, Barbara Bourget, Leslie May Downs, Manon Larin, Cathy Sharp, Russell Chambers, Renald Rabu, Heinz Spoerli,Andris Toppe, Douglas Wassell and Richard Beatty, Erica Jayne, Christine Clair, Judith Karstens, Janet Snyder, Barbara Withey, James Bates, Laszio Tamasik, Lorne Toumine, Bruce Weavil.
In the 70's the LGBC found itself with a hit program, the Rock Opera Ballet "Tommy" . The producer Howard Dando had chartered a Jet just for us to tour in downtown America. We even played at City Center and in Paris France.
Tommy story, is the central figure of this "Rock Opera", is a symbol of a generation which, in the face of world violence and indifference, retreats into Sphinx -like passivity. As an infant, he witnesses the killing of his mother's lover by his father, annd the traumatic shock causes him to become, deaf, dumb and blind. All efforts to cure him fail. He is tormented by his cousin, molested by his uncle, and eventually retreats into a world of his own, with one remaining sense-touch. Using it he becomes a champion pinball player. In a vain attempt to get through to him, his mother smashes a mirror and Tommy is miraculously cured. Soon, however Tommy realizes the he can harness his highly developed sense and forms his own religion with himself as spiritual leader. His "powers" attract millions. There are mass rallies. But eventually Tommy's religion is destroyed. In the aftermath, we are left with a desperate cry for communication and recognition: "See me, Touch me, Feel me, Heal me..."