In 'The Who's Tommy,' Ali Louis Bourzgui Is A Reimagined 'Pinball Wizard' For The Ages

LOADING ERROR LOADING Audiences fortunate enough to catch Broadway’s new revival of “The Who’s Tommy” are likely to leave the theater buzzing about Ali Louis Bourzgui, whose portrayal of the title character is both deeply moving and delightfully weird. Before long, Tommy’s penchant for arcade games makes him a local celebrity, as noted in “Pinball Wizard,” the musical’s centerpiece and a beloved staple of classic rock playlists. “We made a compromise that I’d go to a liberal arts college so that I could get theater classes but also have a backup plan.” These days, Bourzgui describes his dad as “one of my best friends,” noting: “He has the ‘Tommy’ logo as wallpaper on his phone.” Bourzgui is also cognizant of the fact that having been raised Muslim, he is representing a long-overlooked community on Broadway. Watch Ali Louis Bourzgui, Pete Townshend and the cast of “The Who’s Tommy” perform songs from the musical on “The Tonight Show.” “There’s an issue right now with our generation feeling the need to change things, but a lot of us are following influencers on social media,” he said.