European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 1, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse A amps Michael Abrams Bob Cooks amps Chuck Gohl Roger Bart a amps. Chuck Gohl Alan Childs Tommy continued from Page 19 a a a a. London West end production of Fame and intends to continue his theatrical adventures in Germany by producing the show on the continent at a time and place yet to be determined. However Fame will Likely be a bilingual production he said. Unlike Fame. Tommy has limited dialogue leaving primarily the songs and stage activity to carry the Story along. American actor Roger Bart who portrays Tommy s Nasty Cousin Kevin with snivelling superiority creates an entire character with body language a in particular Bart has perfected a sliding stiff legged walk that wordlessly conveys Kevin s Pride his a laziness and a certain foolishness. Bart a stage Veteran who recently recorded the voice of Young Hercules for an animated movie to be released in two years or so said he opted to make Kevin Quot goofy but very Cool Quot and proud of Tommy instead of aiming to torment him. Quot i made the decision that i loved Little Tommy so much i was going to make him the Best Damn Mascot around Quot. Bart said of his character who is Tommy s frequent companion in the musical. What s going on onstage is rarely seen by the musicians in the pit. Drummer Alan Childs has Only seen one of Tommy s acts once. French Horn player Bob Cook has never seer the show. Quot the pit is where a lot of people say the Best show is Quot said Cook who served two Tours with the 3rd army div band in Frankfurt during the 1980s."we get away with an awful lot in our pit. Because our pit s almost totally closed. People can t see Down there when we re throwing a a a a. A. A is amps Michael Abrams the show enters its fifth month in Offenbach. Stuff at each other or we re dancing. It s a zoo Down there but when we Start getting crazy in the pit it just makes everyone else get More let s get into it Quot Childs a Veteran of David Bowie s Glass spider tour joined the show in Progress on Broadway then toured with it throughout the United states before coming to Germany the initial Broadway band he said was Broadway oriented. But the complexion of the band subsequently changed to More of a Rock band. Quot when i took the Job the fact that i play the Way i do right there was going to make the whole show different Quot said Childs whose style for the show closely emulates the propulsive unpredictability of the who s late drummer Keith Moon. A. Quot he was t playing your Standard Safe Way. He was t traditional. He was crazy As a person a you know real nutty a and that s How he played Drums. He was like a total Genius . A a a a fringe Benefit of associating with the show has been Pete Towyn Send s occasional visits which often include Impromptu gigs with the musicians in the cast and band. Aid Cerveris affectionately Quot it s like Wayne s world for me i be been in a band with Pete Townshend As a guitar player. It s All. Headed downhill after . For ticket information see in the wings on Page 24. A a a Quot Tommy Quot scores with pinball machines that Light up and exciting sets. \ k vat left a former synagogue has been transformed into a 1,127-seat theater to House above Linda Dorsey As the acid Queen belts out her big song. Is amps Michael Abrams Tommy role an amazing journey for Star by Deedee Doke staff writer Psia actor Michael Cerveris had the Best tour. La guide possible when he travelled to London jew Fri n search of the title character of Tommy. Of Iii none other than Pete Townshend he a Tommy s composer invited Cerveris to visit him in London to introduce the actor an. Illyia american from West Virginia to the people 9 a i and surroundings that contributed to v eiss a Tommy s creation a soon after Cerveris was a hired to play the role on Broadway. Quot yeah that was really a priceless kind ,&Quot Sai Cerveris who originated the part at the la Jolla playhouse in California before the show s Broadway debut. Quot he brought me Over a week to hangout with him. He just drove me around where he grew up. We went to a pub one afternoon with some Guys that he d grown up with just to sort of give me firsthand experience of who this English Guy was where he came from. Quot he s Townshend. Talked about How in the character. Of Tommy Jimmy in Quadro phen a Ray in a. Psych derelict and the stuttering Guy in my generation he s been writing about the same kid always. Quot it s not autobiographical in a Normal sense but it s certainly full of his experiences through life. So i Don t feel like i m playing Pete but i feeling representing this particular kind of English kid Quot Cerveris said. Quot and even when they re 50 years old they re still that English nursed a Mineral water and a dish of Spaghetti bolognese during a Quick dinner break Between shows at an italian restaurant where other actors and musicians from Tommy also sought temporary Refuge. Quot i m always like starving after the show but then i have to remember that i m going to be trussed up and flipping Aronn rift i can t eat too much Quot Cerveris said cheerfully.1 the son of a classical pianist and a modern dancer Cerveris appeared on to s Fame As an English guitar student and in a Small role opposite Carol Burnett s. Daughter Carrie Hamilton in the cult movie Tokyo pop before winning the Lead inthe who s Tommy for his. Portrayal of Tommy Cerveris received a Tony nomination for Best actor in a musical a. The role is one of the most demanding in modern theater physically and vocally. Cerveris has added As Many As five notes to his vocal Range since his Odyssey with the show began and the physical acrobatics require him to literally put his life in the hands of technicians eight shows a week. The difference Between doing Tommy in its Early Days in la Jolla and on the great White Way Cerveris joked Quot was about $6 also the character of Tommy. Evolved to Quot less of a wimp Quot Cerveris said. In the revamped version Cerveris said Quot Tommy s More responsible about what happens around Tim and his. A whole stardom is not without his encouragement and part of the reason Tommy s character lost his naivete a amps Michael Abrams leaves the wig backstage in real life. Was input from the who s Roger Dally by and John Entwhistle who thought Tommy had to be More a aware. The emphasis on Tommy As a messianic figure also has faded. The original liner notes for the who s Tommy album credited one Meher Baba As the project s Quot avatar Quot or embodiment of spirituality and Cerveris said his visit to Townshend in London had also to include an introduction to Baba Townshend s spiritual advisor. Quot the Day i landed there she passed away which. Seemed significant in a weird sort of Way Quot Weiveris said. continues to entertain Tommy audiences in Offenbach be also is trying his hand at making music outside the show with his own mix of . And Smiths-1 Flavoured alternative Guita based Rock l in s played a few summer events in his free time and is exploring recording options Over Here after coming to terms with defining himself As a musician. Quot i Side with everybody else whose skin crawls a Little bit when Keanu Reeves talks about his new band or Johnny Depp talks about his new band. I automatically assume there s a kind of pose Quot he had a very specific idea of what a musician was which was somebody who had devoted their life to it studied for years knew the theory practice constantly and All that Quot Cerveris said. Quot my commitment was never As deep in that Way. I never really thought about music As a career because . I Haven t earned dedicating myself /. But once he played that guitar student on Fame his perception changed a As did that of people he knew. Quot they can t seem to Tell the difference Between impression and reality in . Los Angelesco everybody treated me like i was a Rock musician because i played one on to Quot he said still bemused. Quot i realized no i Don t practice 12 hours a Day and i Don t really know theory but i still know More than most of these Guys who Are getting paid to be musicians so Why am i stopping myself from doing it Quot to i w i,"7n pop singles 1. You Are not alone Michael Jackson 2. Gangstas Paradise coolie featuring . 3. Kiss from a Rose Seal 4. Waterfalls tic 5. Bombast la a in the summertime. Shaggy 6.1 can love you like that All 4-one 7. Colors of the wind Vanessa Williams. A 8. Run around blues traveler 9. He a mine Moke Stef 10. Only Wanna be with you Hootie amp the blowfish top albums 1. A dangerous minds a soundtrack various artists 2. Cracked rear View Hootie amp the blowfish 3. Jagged Little Pill alanis Morissette 4. A the show Quot soundtrack various artists a a. A 5. E. 1999 eternal Bone thugs n. Harmony 6. tic 7. The woman in me Shania Twain 8. Dreaming of you Selena 9. Games rednecks play Jeff Foxworthy 10. Four blues traveler country singles 1. Not on your love Jeff Carson 2. She ainu to your Ordinary Girt Alabama 3. In Between dances Pam Tillis 4. Someone else a Star Bryan White 5. One emotion Clint Black 6. You re Gonna miss me when in a gone Brooks amp Dunn 7. Lead on George Strait 8.1 like it i love it Tim Mcgraw 9. That ainu to my truck Rhett Akins 10.1 want my goodbye Back to Herndon or amp a singles 1. You Are not alone Michael Jackson 2. Gangstas Paradise coolie featuring . 3. Bombast la a in the summertime shaggy. 4. You used to love me Faith 5. Brown sugar do Angelo 6. He a mine Moke Stef. 7.1 got 5 on it Lunitz a a 8. One More Chance a stay with me the notorious . 9.�?~til you do me right after 7 10. How High Redman method Man latin tracks 1. To Solo to Selena 2.1 could fall in love Selena 3. Sera Mejor que the Vayas . Solis y los bukis 0 4. Volpes Enel Corazon los tires Del Norte. 5. Al Palo Juan Gabriel 6. Agua Dulce Agua Sala Julio Iglesias 7. Nadie la mafia 8. My Chica Ideal Banda Machos 9. Reventos unisex Banda Zeta 10. La Tierra Del Olvido Carlos Vives gospel albums 1. Kirk Franklin and the family Kirk Franklin and the family 2. Broken William Becton amp friends 3. Live in Memphis ii the Canton. Spirituals. 4. Show up the new life Community choir featuring John p. Kee 5. Live in new York by any Means necessary Hezekiah Walker Fellowship crusade choir 6. Shirley Caesar live a he will come Shirley Caesar 7. More than a Melody Yolanda. Adams. A 8. The secret is out Vanessa Bell Armstrong. 9. Bible stories Tri City singers 10. The live experience Helen Baylor album Rock tracks 1. Tomorrow Silver chair. 2. J.a.r., Green Day 3. You ought know alanis Morissette 4. Comedown Bush 5.til i hear it from you Gin blossoms 6. In the blood better than Ezra 7. This is a Call Foo fighters 8. Galaxies Blind Melon �?�9. Lump the presidents of the United states of America 10.1 got a girl tripping Daisy contemporary Christian albums 1. My utmost for his highest various. Artists. 2. House of love Amy Grant 3. Kirk Franklin and the family Kirk Franklin and the family 4. The concert of a lifetime Ray Boltz 5. Jars of Clay jars of Clay 6. Amazing Grace a country Salute to gospel various artists 7. Gravity out of Grey 8. The whole truth Point of Grace 9. Sing out with one voice Ron Kenoly 10. Live in new York by any Means necessary Hezekiah Walken a Fellowship crusade choir. Compiled by billboard focus a entertainment do Dee Doc Sandee Jones editor a. Editorial assistant. Listing contributors Hamilton Nancy l. Tornor. A. A Send entertainment news tips Story ideas and listings to the stars and stripes entertainment unit 2948-0, Apo a 09211 or civilian past fact 11.14 37, 64278 Darmstadt Germany Telephone Dan 348-8350, Civ. C6ts5-g01350. Tel fax 00155 601416. Outside Germany the country code is 49 drop the 0 from the prefix. 20 the stars and stripes Friday september 1, 1995 the stars and stripes 21
