Love plays the title character Tommy, while Cota plays his Uncle Ernie. Both Natalie Love and Jacob Atlai Cota count “The Who’s Tommy” as their fifth show while attending the school. While for much of the cast this was their first production at CSUB, others are more seasoned. “I’m part of the work study crew, so we’ve also been working on the set too, and that was really a big endeavor,” Duke said. Some of the actors assisted with building the set as well. But getting to know all of the people, being an ensemble member, spending that time with all of these people has been a really fun experience,” said CSUB student Silvia Lopez. “Since this is the first show I’ve done in a long time, I forgot how much time management goes into this. The actors spent much of the last few months dedicated to making this show sensational. Just being that back-alley dude is awesome.” Honestly it’s pretty cool being able to be the bad guy for a change. “My favorite part is this one called ‘The Hawker.’ It’s a very charismatic swagger kind of guy, kind of slimy. This is his first production at a university level. The show is ensemble heavy, and the members took each role they were given, even if it’s nothing like who they are, and ran with it.ĬSUB freshman and psychology major Benjamin Cornejo plays in the ensemble. The cast of “The Who’s Tommy” are energetic and versatile in their portrayals of characters. It’s usually when you’re past childhood that you can then process all of this,” said Rees. “These are adult topics, though they’re experienced by a child which, many children go through trauma, but this is about a journey and healing from it. “Tommy” was adapted into a musical production in 1992, and has become a visual artistic experience depicting a variety of emotional topics.ĬSUB theatre professor Mandy Rees took on the challenge and directed the multifaceted production. Rock opera albums have since been released by various artists such as My Chemical Romance, Green Day, and Pink Floyd. “Tommy” was the original album that coined the term “rock opera ” a collection of music in which the premise, theme, and lyrics of the songs consecutively tell a story. “Tommy” is The Who’s fourth studio album, released in the summer of 1969 and composed by Pete Townshend. “That deaf, dumb, blind kid sure plays a mean Pinball!”ĬSU Bakersfield Music and Theatre rocks out during their colorful and exhilarating performance of “The Who’s Tommy.”