“TOMMY” – The Musical
Music & Lyrics by Pete Townsend
Adapted for the stage by Pete Townsend & Des McAnuff
IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE – The attached costume plot is merely a “suggestion”. You may select only those costumes you feel you need, request additional changes, or suggest completely different ensembles. Actor size an inventory fluctuation may cause us to vary slightly from the descriptions below.
ACT ONE – OVERTURE:
Welder (Mrs. Walker): Cap, mask, welder jumpsuit
Flight Crew : RAF Uniforms
Captain Walker : RAF Uniform
Combat uniform/parachute on back
RAF Officers : Uniform
Young Women : Period dresses, or skirts and blouses
Mrs. Walker : Party dress:
Simple white dress and veil
Uncle Ernie : Civilian clothes, later add civil defense armband
Soldiers : Combat uniforms
German Soldier : Uniforms
SCENE ONE – 22 HEATHFIELD GARDENS 1941:
Uncle Ernie : Civilian clothes
Mrs. Walker : Dressing gown
2 RAF Officers : Uniforms
Captain Walker : POW outfit
SCENE TWO – THE HOSPITAL:
Nurses : Period uniforms, some with nun’s veils
Mrs. Walker : Robe and gown
Uncle Ernie : Suit
Captain Walker : Prisoner uniform
TOMMY – The Musical
Costume Plot
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Allied soldiers : Uniforms
SCENE THREE – 22 HEATHFIELD GARDENS 1945:
Mrs. Walker : Pretty dress
Lover : Open shirt, undershirt, trousers
Tommy : White nightshirt, white knee socks (he is always in white)
Captain Walker : Uniforms
Policemen : Uniforms
Older Tommy : White shirt, white levis
SCENE FOUR – AN ENGLISH COURTROOM 1945:
Captain Walker : Uniform
Mrs. Walker : Suit
Tommy : White jacket, shirt, tie, shorts, knee sox
Uncle Ernie : Suit
Judge : Robe, wig
Barristers : Robe, jabots, wigs
Jail Guards : Uniforms
Spectators : Suits, dresses, uniforms
SCENE FIVE – HOSPITAL:
Captain Walker : Suit
Mrs. Walker : Suit
Tommy : White shorts, shirt, knee sox
Nurses and Doctors : Lab coats, uniforms
Change to 1950:
Nurse : Lab coat, uniform
10 yr. Old Tommy : White outfit, exactly like four year old Tommy
Narrator Tommy : White shirt, Levis
SCENE SIX – CHURCH AND HOME OF THE RELATIVES – 1950:
Minister : Clerical robes
Mr. Walker : Suit
TOMMY – The Musical
Costume Plot
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Mrs. Walker : Dress
Minister’s Wife : Dress or suit
Church Choir : Robes
Churchgoers : Suits/dresses
10 yr. Old Tommy : White knee suit
Cousin Kevin : Suit
Uncle Ernie : Suit
Various family members: Suits/dresses
Narrator Tommy : No change
Carolers : Coats and hats
SCENE 7 – 22 HEATHFIELD GARDENS:
Uncle Ernie : Suit
10 yr. Old Tommy : Change
Mr. Walker : Suit
Mrs. Walker : Pretty party dress
Ensemble : Period clothes
Older Tommy : No change
SCENE 8 – 22 HEATHFIELD GARDENS:
Cousin Kevin : Jacket, shirt, pants
10 yr. Old Tommy : No change
Church Youth Club : Boys: Shirts, Levis, jackets
Girls: Skirts, sweaters, jumpers
(Tough looking street kids)
Minister : Suit, clerical collar
Minister’s Wife : Dress or suit
Narrator Tommy : No change
Mr. Walker : Suit
Mrs. Walker : Dress
SCENE 9 – PSYCHIATRIC CLINIC:
Psychiatrist and Asst: Lab coats
Mr. and Mrs. Walker: No change
10 yr. Old Tommy : No change
SCENE 10 – 22 HEATHFIELD GARDENS:
TOMMY – The Musical
Costume Plot
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Mr. and Mrs. Walker: No change
10 yr. Old Tommy : No change
Hawker : Flashy suit, shirt, tie and hat
Hawker’s Companion: (Harmonica player) Colorful street clothes
Thugs : Ratty clothes
Drunks : Ratty clothes
SCENE 11 – THE SALE OF DOGS:
The Gypsy : Hooded cape like shawl, sleazy streetwalker outfit
10 yr. Old Tommy : No change
SCENE 12 – AMUSEMENT ARCADE 1958:
Cousin Kevin & Teddy Boys: Turned up collars, brocade vests, string ties, narrow trousers, frock coats
10 yr. Old Tommy : No change
Teenage Girls : Full skirted dresses, or skirts and blouses or sweaters
ACT TWO – UNDERTURE 1960:
Tommy : White shirt and Levis
Local Lads and Cousin Kevin: see Scene 15
SCENE 13 – THE SUNLIGHT LAUNDERETTE:
Mrs. Walker : Housedress
Tommy : No changes
Lads : No change
Mr. Walker : Suit
SCENE 14 – A RESEARCH LABORATORY:
Walkers and Tommy: No change
Specialists and Assts.: Lab coats and masks
2 Younger Tommys : White outfits
SCENE 15 – THE STREET/22 HEATHFIELD GARDENS:
Cousin Kevin and Lads: Leather jackets, T. shirts, jeans and chinos
TOMMY – The Musical
Costume Plot
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Tommy : No change
Mrs. Walker : Dress
10 yr. Old Tommy : No change
SCENE 16 – 22 HEATHFIELD GARDENS:
Mrs. Walker : Cardigan, shirt, tie and pants
Tommy : No change
2 Younger Tommys : No change
SCENE 17 – THE STREETS OF LONDON 1961-1963:
Uncle Ernie : Suit
Reporter : Suit and hat
Tommy : No change – adds white leather jacket – later helmet
News Vendor : Apron, cap, shirt, pants and vest
Local Lads : No change
Reporters : Suits and hats – ladies in business suits and hats
Mrs. Walker : Dress
Mr. Walker : Suit
Local Lads and Cousin Kevin: Security guard uniforms
Talk show hostess : Stylish outfit with hat
SCENE 18: THE STADIUM – HOLIDAY CAMP:
Uncle Ernie : Suit
Cousin Kevin : Security guard outfit
SCENE 19 – SALLY’S HOUSE/THE STADIUM:
Cousin Kevin : Security guard uniform
Sally : Mod dress, tights
Mrs. Simpson : Dress
Mr. Simpson : Pants, shirt and sweater
Tommy : No change
DJ : Flashy jacket, shirt and pants
SCENE 20 – 22 HEATHFIELD GARDENS:
Tommy : No change
TOMMY – The Musical
Costume Plot
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Guards : No change
Sally : No change
Uncle Ernie : Suit
Mr. Walker : Suit
Mrs. Walker : Dress, or suit
Reporters : Same as before
Crown : Assorted street clothes
Younger Tommys : Same as before
COLOR PALETTE OF THE MUSICAL:
From the first time we see four year old Tommy in his nighthirt only is in white.
Cousin Kevin : Red
Uncle Ernie : Green
OVERTURE:
Shades of Gray : Black and white WW2
When scene shifts to 22 Heathfield Gardens: Normal colors, real story begins
After Shooting : Colors are saturate and increasingly vivid to reflect Tommy’s disturbed state of mind…even nurses and doctors are in raspberry and chartreuse
Later in the 1960’s it shifts back to black and white to emulate newsprint and early television.