Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!
Synopsis

by Rita Jacobs

Act I
1940: The place, London. Against the backdrop of World War II, we see The Walkers meeting, courtship, and marriage. Captain Walker (played by Daniel Rabone) is soon deployed to the front and is captured and placed in a POW camp. Back in London, two officers deliver the tragic news to the pregnant Mrs. Walker (Jackie Duffy) that her husband will probably never return home alive.

1941: A nurse hands Mrs. Walker her newborn son.

1945: Captain Walker is rescued by the Allied Forces and returns home only to find his wife celebrating her birthday with her lover (Matt Kossack) and 4 year old Tommy(Abigail Dickson) . While looking into a mirror, Tommy sees a furious Captain Walker shoot and kill the lover. The Walkers realize what Tommy has witnessed and madly repeat to him "You didn't hear it! You didn't see it! You won"t say nothing to no one!"

As the police arrive to investigate, Tommy refuses to turn away from the mirror. The Narrator (Tommy's older self)(Sean McLaughlin) appears, visible only to Tommy.

Captain Walker is found not guilty on the grounds of justifiable homicide. When Tommy has absolutely no reaction to the verdict, The Walkers wonder what is happening to their son who appears to have become deaf, mute, and blind. A battery of doctors examine Tommy, but are unable to help him

1950: The Walker family celebrate Christmas. At dinner, all the guests ponder 10 year-old Tommy's (Claire Dickson) plight.

As the Walkers prepare for an evening out, they wonder if they have chosen a suitable babysitter for Tommy in his uncle, Ernie(Eric Ruben) who seems to be drunk Once alone with Tommy, Uncle Ernie molests him.

Tommy's next babysitter, Cousin Kevin (Eric Dwinnells), taunts him mercilessly and then takes him to a youth center where, to everyone's amazement, Tommy plays pinball brilliantly. Encouraged, The Walkers put Tommy through another series of test and doctors, but they are also unable to help Tommy.

The now desperate Mr. Walker is then approached by The Hawker (Jack Gaede ), a pimp who promises a miraculous cure for Tommy. His cure is The Acid Queen (Linda Goetz), a prostitute/junkie. Mr. Walker snatches Tommy back in horror and escapes with him.

1958: A two frustrated former pinball champions complain to Cousin Kevin about Tommy and his amazing skills as an excited crowed awaits his appearance at a local arcade.

Act II
ACT II

1960: Tommy has become a local legend and a point of honor for the local lads and lasses. Mr. Walker, still searching for a cure, convinces Mrs. Walker to take Tommy to a Specialist (Joan Oustifine) for more advanced testing, but they are still unable to cure Tommy.

On the street, a group of local teens, lead by Cousin Kevin, surround Tommy, mock him, and carry him home. The Walkers, at their wit's end, consider institutionalizing Tommy. As Tommy stares in a mirror, Mrs. Walker desperately tries to reach him and smashes the mirror.

With the mirror in pieces, Tommy is cured. He runs away from home and his cure becomes big news. He is an overnight national sensation.

1961-63: Tommy is idolized by the public and the press and begins appearing at stadiums where Cousin Kevin and the local lads act as his security force and Uncle Ernie tries to capitalize on his celebrity.

Teenie-bopper Sally Simpson (Abby Rose) manages to get on stage and touch Tommy, she is then beaten by Cousin Kevin. Tommy rescues Sally, realizing how caught up in the celebrity machine he has become. He tends to her warmly and invites the entire audience to his house. Once there, Sally asks him how she can be more like him. He insists there is no reason to be like him. Who she is already is enough. Disenchanted by his answer, the crowd turns on Tommy and storms out. Tommy turns back to the mirror and for a moment seems to be returning to his autistic sate. However, he then turns to his family and embraces them. Tommy is now at peace with his family, his past, and himself.