Hi.
My local amdram group is doing Tommy during the Spring season next year. I know almost nothing about the show (apart from the usual two line synopsis) and was wondering if anyone could do a listing of the parts, their vocal ranges, age ranges, etc. just so I've got something to go on?

Any help would be very much appreciated - I'm dithering over whether to do it at all and want to make an informed decision.

Hope someone can help,

--
Michael Horne

I'll try and help you out since I'm basically the only forum member who is regularly active here.

ADULT TOMMY (lead)
Age: early twenties
Voice type: tenor with strong rock voice
Part: he's the story teller. During the beginning of the show he is truely the teller of the story, as Tommy ages he takes over the playing role from young Tommy.

YOUNG TOMMY
Age: 13-15
Voice type: young boy or girl (soprano)
Part: Only speaks during the first couple of songs, then turns deaf, blind and dumb. He sings 'See me, feel me'.

MRS. WALKER
Age: Mid twenties, early thirties
Voice type: Alto, needs to belt

MR. WALKER
Age: In his thirties/late thirties

COUSIN KEVIN
Age: mid twenties

UNCLE ERNIE
Age: late thirties?

ACID QUEEN
Age: Doesn't really matter. Anything between tenties - thirties
Voice Type: Alto I think... Strong belter

SALLY SIMPSON
Age: early twenties
Voice Type: Soprano

I'm sorry, this isn't much of a help, but it will at least help you a little bit.

Thanks - that helps

Just to add on that Mr (Captain) Walker and Uncle Ernie are tenor roles and Cousin Kevin is a baritone. I think.

Any idea of the vocal ranges for Mrs Walker and Sally? I am trying to decide which one to audition for in November, and my comfortable range is from G to top D

G to Top D?

As in Low G to top D or middle G to top D?

Oh, right. Sorry G below middle C to the D two octaves above middle C.

Couple of notes on the age ranges of the characters:

Sally is younger than her 20s, probably about 16 - 18 ie. still young enough to be grounded by parents after which she sneaks out to see Tommy anyway.

Uncle Ernie must not look too young, as it appears from the start of the show (where he is still in civilian clothes) that he was too old to be called up to fight like his brother.

He usually has a limp. His disability being the reason he was never called up to fight. He can't be that old, because he has to go through at least 20 years over the course of the show. If he were to old to fight during the Overature, how old would be be at the end? To old. It makes more sense for him to be closer in age to Captain Walker.

Does he? I've only ever seen one production of the show (amateur), in which Uncle Ernie did was played by the 70something father of the director. Talk about "Dad's Army"

Does anyone know the exact ranges for the male characters?
Or atleast the highest the characters sing? Like Tommy?

This is an old thread but if anyone still needs the vocal range for male or female parts. Here is a link

http://stageagent.com/shows.php?id=781

You can never tell with Uncle Ernie haha. He's a peculiar old chap.