Lincroft Resident to Play Lead Role In The Who's Tommy

Lincroft resident Eric Harper will be playing a lead role in Phoenix Productions’ upcoming July revival of Tommy, by the Who. This show will take place at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank for a two-weekend run beginning July 15th.

Eric Harper is a well-known actor and member of the Lincroft community. Originally hailing from Mount Olive, Eric moved to Lincroft in August with his family and five-month old new child. Eric is a software engineer, and is a familiar friend to the Phoenix family and Count Basie stage when not in the office. Some favorite productions at Phoenix include West Side Story, Aida, Miss Saigon, and most recently as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees.

In Tommy, Eric plays Captain Walker, a father and former soldier with lingering guilt over murdering his wife's lover after coming back from a POW camp. This event results in Tommy's trauma induced blindness, deafness, and dumbness, and Captain Walker is the effective cause. Having previously performed as the title role of Tommy earlier in his career, Eric used to play the effect, and now plays the cause. “It’s interesting, our director (James Grausam) doesn’t want the audience to be sympathetic to the parents at all,” Eric states. “It’s so interesting to tackle playing a character that doesn’t have sympathetic qualities.” Eric tackles this character with tact and earnest, playing a father unlike the proud, new father he plays in real life.

Based on the iconic 1969 rock concept album by The Who, Tommy tells an exhilarating tale of hope, healing, and the human spirit. The story of the pinball-playing, deaf, dumb, and blind boy who triumphs over his adversities. Featuring the music of one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, Tommy has inspired, amazed, and puzzled audiences for nearly 50 years. Winning five Tony Awards and six Drama Desk awards, this show is a high – energy, one-of-a-kind theatrical event. “It’s the kind of stuff that I would be humming in my head after rehearsal.”, says Eric.

Performances will be on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm, with its run concluding on July 24th. Tickets are available at the Count Basie Theatre Box Office andcan be purchased in person at 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, N.J, by phone at 732-842-9000, or online at www.countbasietheatre.org .

Phoenix Productions is a non-profit community theatre organization that has produced more than a hundred full-scale revivals of Broadway musicals since 1988. For more information on Phoenix Productions or upcoming shoes, please visit www.phoenixredbank.com