The Who’s music shines in Broadway in Tucson musical

But it’s nearly impossible to think hard and deep when the music is coming at you arena-rock-star loud with blinding strobe light sequences and dynamic laser effects to distract you from any moral lesson you might take away from the experience.

If you are uninitiated to the opera art form, “Tommy,” which Broadway in Tucson opened at Centennial Hall Tuesday night, might seem stranger than the idea of the all-American cast singing with pretty impressive English accents.

There is very little spoken dialogue. If you are unfamiliar with the story, you might not be able to fully follow along; unlike opera, there are no surtitles scrolling above the stage that translate what’s being said on stage.

The musical is a stage adaptation of the legendary Brit rockers’ seminal 1969 concept album “Tommy,” penned by Townshend.

The story of Tommy Walker’s descent into sensory-deprived isolation takes place just after World War II when British military captain Walker returns years after being injured and presumed dead. He walks into his home unannounced only to find his wife with another man (“Twenty-One”) and after a confrontation, he kills the man with his young son Tommy, born while he was fighting the war, as a witness.

Tommy’s parents tell the young boy to “see nothing, hear nothing, speak nothing,” which Tommy takes literally, falling into a deep psychological state that leaves him deaf, blind and mute. The only solace he finds is staring into a full-length mirror (“See Me, Feel Me”).

The story follows the couple’s efforts to bring young Tommy out of his isolation (“Sparks”), including seeking help from a sinister drug dealer (“Acid Queen”) in one of the play’s darker scenes.

Another dark scene suggested that Tommy was sexually abused by drunk Uncle Ernie, who was left to watch Tommy one night when his parents went out (“Fiddle About”). This is one of the reasons the play is recommended for people 16 and older.

Perhaps younger audience members, who were in short supply at Tuesday’s opening, can find modern-day relevance in the scenes of Tommy being cruelly taunted and bullied (“Cousin Kevin”). They might also find commonality in Tommy’s obsession with playing pinball (“Pinball Wizard”), although their reference might lean more toward video games.

The impressive ensemble cast was given an outsized role in the 100-minute play, which featured terrific performances by Collin Matthew Flanagan, a remarkable actor and vocalist who affected a spot-on English accent as Tommy; and Mari Grossmann as Young Tommy, whose impeccable timing and acting brought to life the character’s lifelessness in his situation.

The biggest star of the show is Townshend’s music — those iconic songs including “Pinball Wizard,” “See Me, Feel Me” and “I’m Free” — given fresh life by this cast including standout performances from Mia Bergstrom as Mrs. Walker, Zach Fogel as Captain Walker and Kris Lyons as Acid Queen.

The Broadway in Tucson run, which continues through Sunday, is a revival of the original 1993 adaptation and features stunning special effects and video enhancements that move the story from the battlegrounds of World War II to the postwar streets of London.

Lighting effects were pretty dramatic and arguably a bit bright; you might want to consider bringing dark sunglasses if you are sensitive to strobe lights.

For showtimes and tickets, visit broadwayintucson.com.