Scene One: Nora and Frank on Airplane
Nora:
Do you think it's all right? To leave the boy at college?
Do you think it's all right? Who knows what will happen?
Frank (who now wears a toupee, removing it and combing it carefully):
Yes I think it's all right Yes I think it's all right
Nora:
I've had so many doubts. I know I'm not a mother
The way I should have been. But what could I do?
A child cannot hear you, and then he's grown and gone
He's on his own, and free at last from you...
The danger of higher education
Is it worth it to know so much,
When you already learned the biggest lesson of all?
OH well, it's up to him now.
He's grown. He's on his own.
That's what I tell myself. Maybe tonight he'll call....
Frank, echoing:
Maybe tonight he'll call...
SCENE TWO: Tommy Meets His Roomate
Tommy:
All alone. At last. On my own. From the top of the mountain,
To the dorm room of a school.
The thing to do. The proper thing. I could have run away,
I could have been a fool.
No one here to understand me...
Yet some who'll reprimand me.
There's so much you have to learn
When you've been deaf, dumb and blind...
I'll stick it out, as long as I can...
Roomie:
Do you mind?
Tommy (inside his head):
I learned already, you can't tell what's on the inside
By looking at the outside.
So I never shave.
But I see that here at college, appearances may matter.
I'd better not show my chest.
I better behave.
(Roomie examines face in mirror: No Zits)
Tommy:
It's not that I mind. But I ask you, is that fair?
All men are created equal, but not their complexions.
Oh I assure you. It's not that I care. I'm above that.
Yet I can see I wouldn't pass inspection.
Roomie (not hearing, not looking at Tommy):
HI, I hear your name is Tommy, and soon you will know mine,
From the callers on my telephone line.
They'll be leaving hundreds of messages, stopping you in the hall,
I'm a very popular person, if I do say so at all.
Tommy (in his head):
Mother! Where are you?!
How could you have left me in this place?
Mother! Where are you?!
I almost can't remember my own face.
SCENE 3: Uncle Ernie's Return "Look After The Boy"
Nora (draping herself across a chair):
I suppose that what I feel is perfectly normal.
I suppose every mother suffers as I
Once her child no longer needs her constant attention.
But still I can't let it go, I can't let him fly.
Frank, do you think that I'm too possessive?
Do you think that I'm holding on too tight?
Should I take a cruise...try to forget...Frank?
Frank:
No I think you're all right.
Nora:
I'm all right, I'm just fine, but I'm coming undone
If only there was someone watching over my son...
CUT TO Uncle Ernie, sitting on organ, looking thoughtful.
Frank:
She's getting restless!
What can I do!
I am sure you know how women are!!
She's talking about having other children!
I just don't want this thing to go that far.
I must allow that when I first saw Nora,
I thought she was a star right from the sky.
I didn't mind the boy...she loved him so...
But I like it better now, just her and I.
What can I do to make her settle down?
What can I do to show her he'll be fine?
Uncle Ernie:
Brother, you've got no cause to worry.
The solution to your problem's plain to see.
I can't believe you didn't come to me sooner...
But the solution to your problem is ME!!
As you know I never finished college.
But now I think I must get my degree.
Tell Nora not to worry
I'll hurry off to Tommy
Tell her I'll look after the boy!
Frank:
What a sweet relief! All my troubles simply over!
Ernie:
Now that I'll look after the boy!!
Frank:
Wait 'til I tell Nora! I'm really in the clover!
Ernie:
Now that I'll look after the boy!
Frank:
Nora will have peace; you're really quite a brother,
You must have been your family's pride and joy,
Someday I'll repay you, one way or another
Ernie:
No need for that! Just give me my hat!
And I'm off-
And I'll look after the boy.
Frank:
You'll look after the boy!
Together:
I'll...
You'll....
...look after the boy!!
SCENE 4: One Of The Crowd (Tommy's Freshman Theme)
Tommy (seated in the middle of the campus lawn):
Don't think that I'm not grateful.
I know how much this costs.
But is the price they're paying
Worth all that I've lost?
There's no one here who knows what my name means
And that can make me no one, a person from a dream
They look right through me if I speak aloud.
Here I'm just one of the crowd.
Crowd:
This is the place where the beginning ends
We're growing up now; we're our own best friends
In the interest of knowledge they send us to school
And if that makes them happy, then that makes it cool.
There's a place for you here, but you have to find it!
No one will show it to you.
And if you can't find it you'll never fit in
And you'll never be in our Who's Who!!
Teachers:
So what is your talent and what is your gift
And how do you want to excel?
What was your grade average back home?
And we do so hope you do well!
Be quiet in class but we want input too
We have to know we're getting through to you!
Students:
We're the future! The beginning of a brave new day!
That's what they have led us to believe!
We can save the world and we can make it pay,
And we'll know it all before we leave.
Tommy:
I once learned how to love.
I saw myself.
I knew I was no more than who I am.
Can I keep what I learned?
Remain myself?
Or am I to this growing up condemned?
I don't want to be just one of the crowd,
Silent in myself, but singing loud.
(One student stands motionless in front of Tommy)
Student:
What's your name? I can see your mind,
Written in your eyes.
Who are you? I can see you've been
Where being dies.
But you're awake. And I can hear you singing.
And now that you're awake your eyes are open
You have to see, you have to watch yourself.
Remember who you are. You know your own name.
You may feel lost for now. But you'll be found.
There's no being one of the crowd.
Tommy:
At least I'm still singing out loud...
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
If anyone is confused, this is sort of based on our experiences in college life. At least parts of it. Since Uncle Ernie appeared he has made me kind of nervous, but I suppose that's to be expected. And I have the horrible feeling that the Who would not approve of all this, but I am doing it anyway because I never noticed that THEY cared what people thought of THEM, and Pete did Stage Up Tommy. So Pete at least, I think, would understand. As he so rightly said, "Tommy is bigger than the Who. It is bigger than me. I should have realized that from the very beginning."