Not only is this a theatrical experience, it's a concert. The band totally rocks out. Lead guitarist Sam Burrous is the most visible on a high platform above the stage, seriously burning calories. The husband and wife team of Jill and Simon Taylor, on trumpet and bass respectively, fill out the sound with drummer Dale McFarlin pumping the beat continuously for the entire two hours.

There are 34 familiar rock 'n' roll songs in this production. I wanted to sing along but was way too busy watching the nearly frantic pace of the action, the props flying around, the costume changes and the actors all staying in character, whether they were in the spotlight or not.

The opera opens with "It's a Boy, Mrs. Walker, It's a Boy," in which the audience meets Tommy, who is born while his father is in service during World War II. His mom, Mrs. Walker - played with strength and conviction by Rachel Landon, who was imported from Indiana for the role - takes a lover, believing her husband to be dead. On the night of her 21st birthday, Capt. Walker returns and, in a fit of passion, shoots and kills the lover.

The murder is reflected in the living room mirror and witnessed by 4-year-old Tommy, played by Quinn White. His parents entreat him to forget everything about the horrifying event, and Tommy responds by becoming deaf, dumb and blind.

The boy's sole pleasure seems to be playing pinball ("Sensation").

This show features a large chorus, and all the actors need to dance and sing. Damian Norfleet's luscious voice, in particular, stands out. Some of the choreography by Alyson Blume is spectacular, particularly at the end of the first act when Tommy is crowned pinball king ("Pinball Wizard").

There are lots of wonderful details, like British money being counted and exchanged (mostly for a host of medical charlatans who vie for the chance to "heal" Tommy). Another nice touch: The trap door in the stage floor that creates the illusion of parachutists (including Capt. Walker) jumping out of their planes at the very beginning of the show, later forms a huge T-shaped underlit grid for when Tommy achieves rock star status.

There are literally hundreds of hours of effort in this production. The pinball machines alone are stunning works of art with hand-painted glass (by Jennifer Morrell) that look like authentic 1950s replicas.

Rory Stitt is brilliantly cast in the role of the adult Tommy. For those who remember his renditions of Dr. Frank N. Furter in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" or Hedwig in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," you already know what a powerful stage presence he creates. Stitt has a unique tenor voice, but even more striking is his gripping command of the stage. His movements and facial expressions are spare but riveting. He is utterly believable as a cult figure.

The climax of the show for me was Stitt's haunting rendition of "I'm Free," after his mother destroys a mirror in frustration, noticing that Tommy stares at himself but seems to connect with no one else ("Smash the Mirror").

The finale is ambiguous. Does Tommy happily reunite with his family after deciding stardom is not his true path? Does he finally begin his journey of unfettered self-discovery? Or is he left shattered by his fans' rejection ("We're Not Gonna Take It") after he tells them that the "secret" to his success was finally becoming more like them?