The Who’s TOMMY has returned to Broadway with an acclaimed revival at the Nederlander Theatre. Leading the production is Broadway newcomer Ali Louis Bourzgui.

While this is the young actor’s New York stage debut, his whole TOMMY journey almost was halted because of his New York goals. Fresh off moving to the Big Apple and securing an apartment, Bourzgui temporarily relocated to Chicago, performing in Layalina at the Goodman Theatre when the audition for the Goodman’s next production, The Who’s TOMMY, came his way.

“I just established these roots in New York and I hadn’t really had an opportunity to finally live there, and I was very excited about that prospect,” he tells Broadway Direct. “So when I saw that this job would then have me be in Chicago for half a year instead of just a few months, I was a little hesitant.”

After talking it over with his team, realizing the show had Broadway aspirations, and falling in love with the material along the way, he knew he had to be part of it. “Even from the initial audition process and the ideas that the creative team already had, I could just tell from the very beginning that it was going to be something really special.”

Hailing from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and performing from a young age at regional staples such as Berkshire Theatre Group and Barrington Stage Company, Bourzgui’s passion for a career in the arts was something he had to prove both professionally and personally. He grew up a proud Arab American, though his father, who immigrated from Morocco, wasn’t at first accepting of his theatrical ambitions.

“I think it’s a common thing in many immigrant households that your parent moves to America and sacrifices a lot,” says Bourzgui. “My dad had had to work a bunch of jobs and climb up the ladder, and he got himself really established here, but he worked really hard for that. When I went up to him and told him I wanted to pursue a career in theater and the arts, that wasn’t something he really comprehended.”

After continuously butting heads with his father, Bourzgui started working to prove that his career path was a viable one. As he started to book work regionally and on tour, his dad got on board. “Now he’s, like, my biggest fan and he comes and sees every show. He’s got the [The Who’s TOMMY] logo on his phone. It was a wonderful journey.”

Now settling into his new Broadway life, Bourzgui remarks that it isn’t unlike the theater process he grew up with. “I’m still used to the actual theater part of it and the showing up to rehearsal. The whole schedule is the same. The only difference is it happens to be in New York and happens to have the title and the pressure of being Broadway, which is fun.”

In The Who’s TOMMY, the titular character witnesses a life-altering event, rendering the younger Tommy (portrayed by child actors) mute and emotionless for much of the show. Bourzgui, whose older Tommy looms for the audience as a narrator of these early events, describes him as “a blank canvas” who is “highly affected by his surroundings, which in many ways is dangerous for him. And he does a lot of listening.” Bourzgui notes that playing Tommy has made him a better listener.

Bourzgui has a constant presence on stage as the titular Tommy, with his showstopping number “I’m Free,” his personal favorite, kicking off a “marathon” of a second act for him. “Once I start singing there, it’s nonstop and I never leave the stage. Singing that song is one of the times I let myself go full rock star and just kind of shred.” He says that rock element is one of the most valuable traits he’s earned in this run.

“The best thing it’s brought me is an education in classic rock, and I love that it gave me an excuse to dive deep and do research on music, which I love to do,” he says. “So I’ve really fallen into the classic-rock rabbit hole and had a blast with that.”

During the show’s run in Chicago, Michael Cerveris, the actor who portrayed Tommy in the original Broadway cast in 1993, came to see the new production. Bourzgui notes that meeting him was an honor, as he has looked up to the Tony-winning actor since seeing his performance in Fun Home. He was able to tell him “the thing I love the most about him is his acting. He always brings this deep care to his characters, which I have always tried to also have.”

The pair also bonded over legendary band The Who’s music pushing their vocal limits, their lower voices finding new heights. “He told me that this show gave him an extra four notes at the top of his range. And I think that did the same thing for me.”

As the New York theater scene heads into awards season, Bourzgui, who just received a Drama League nomination on Monday, April 22, for his performance, is remaining present in his work. “I obviously take it seriously and I don’t take for granted this opportunity, but for me, it’s first about the work and about this show and about telling this story and affecting the audience. However the award season happens, I’m not going to get too flustered by it.”

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You can catch Bourzgui starring in The Who’s TOMMY, now on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre.