Peter Straker returns to The Who’s Tommy at Theatre Royal Stratford East

This new production begins a UK tour next month.

It has been announced that original cast member Peter Straker will return to the The Who's Tommy for a new UK tour which runs at Theatre Royal Stratford East from 7 to 17 June 2017.

After playing the Narrator in the original West End production in 1979, Peter Straker will take on the role of Acid Queen. He will be joined by an inclusive cast of Deaf and disabled and non-disabled actors which includes: William Grint (Tommy), Donna Mullings (Mrs Walker), Max Runham (Captain Walker), Peter Straker (Acid Queen), Lukus Alexander (Cousin Kevin), Amy Trigg (Sally Simpson), Garry Robson (Uncle Ernie), Alim Jayda (Lover), Becky Barry, Julian Capolei, Amelia Cavallo, Stacey Ghent, Robert Hyman, Matthew Jacobs-Morgan, Natasha Julien, Adam Langstaff, Natasha Lewis, Shekinah McFarlane, Tony Qunta, Hearns Sebuado, Steve Simmonds and Anthony Snowden.

Directed by Kerry Michael it features designs by Neil Irish, musical direction by Robert Hyman, choreography by Mark Smith, lighting design by Arnim Friess and sound design by Andrew Johnson.

The new UK tour, produced by the New Wolsey Theatre, runs from 30 March to 1 July with an official opening in Ipswich on 4 April 2017.

The Who's Tommy is an iconic rock opera based on the concept album composed by Pete Townshend, originally released in 1969. A film was made in 1975 with a cast that included Tina Turner and Elton John before making its stag debut at the Queen's Theatre in 1979. A 1992 Broadway revival featured an expanded book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff with additional music and lyrics by John Entwistle and Keith Moon.

Director Kerry Michael said of the news: "For Tommy, we have gone back to the concept album for our inspiration and mounting a new production of this iconic rock musical with such a big and diverse cast so exciting - vibrate, surprising full of amazing songs."

This production will have embedded creative use of Audio Description, Captioning and British Sign Language in all performances. Tickets for the run at the Theatre Royal Stratford East are now on sale.