Ballet of The Who’s 'Quadrophenia' to debut in New York in November

Pete Townshend attends the press night after party for Pete Townshend's "Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet" at Sadler's Wells Theatre on June 25, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)
By Jill Lances

The Who's rock opera Quadrophenia debuted as a ballet in the U.K. back in May, and now the production is coming to America.

Pete Townshend's Quadrophenia, A Rock Ballet is set to run at New York City Center from Nov. 14 to Nov. 16. Directed by Rob Ashford, the production features the orchestral version of the album by Townshend's wife, Rachel Fuller, recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

The ballet is choreographed by Paul Roberts, with rising star Paris Fitzpatrick playing the central character, Jimmy.

"Quadrophenia is the only Who album that I solely composed and produced, and the movie that followed in 1979 launched the careers of some of the finest young actors of the time," says Pete, noting that after he heard Fuller's orchestral score "my first thought was that it would make a powerfully rhythmic and emotionally engaging ballet."

Pete adds that after the project was workshopped in 2023, "I knew we had something that would resonate with new audiences, and also bring joy, as it had in its other iterations for decades."
The story, set in Brighton, England, in 1965, follows a young working-class mod named Jimmy on a journey of self-discovery. The album's title was inspired by Jimmy's four-way "split personality," with each member of the band representing a different facet of that personality.

Tickets for Quadrophenia, A Rock Ballet go on sale Thursday for Friends of City Center; tickets go on sale to the general public Sept. 11. More info can be found at nycitycenter.org.

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