Lombardi, a new American play from Academy Award-winning playwright Eric Simonson, is based on the best-selling Vince Lombardi biography “When Pride Still Mattered”, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Maraniss.
Sport produces great human drama and there is no greater sports icon to bring to theatrical life than a man recognized not only as one of the greatest coaches of all time, but one of the most compelling and oft-quoted individuals in American pop culture in the 20th century. Though football’s Super Bowl trophy is named for him, so few know the real story of Vince Lombardi the man – his inspiration, his passion, and ability to drive people to achieve what they never thought possible. In a time when people continue to look for shortcuts to success, his story demonstrates that hard work, discipline, respect and time are the crucial elements to victory.
But a book is one thing and a play quite another. And theater in the round, where minimal scenery must come up from below the stage and sink back again in order not to block anyone's view, is another tough nut to crack. Especially if there are only three football players along with the journalist and Marie, the coach's stoical wife, to lend support to the protagonist. There are some slide projections, to be sure, but much -- perhaps too much -- is left to the imagination.
Like the Packers' bread-and-butter play — 49 Power Sweep — the drama generates power from its simplicity. Performed on a spare 360-degree circular stage without an intermission, director Thomas Kail's production makes effective use of vintage football footage and the evocative music that fans will recognize from grainy NFL documentaries. But there is a sitcom flavor to the play's comic rhythm and well-worn themes, and while the conclusion leaves the question of Lombardi's true character unanswered, the conflicted narrator himself seems to prod the audience to side with the legend. Of course, Lombardi is not a show to diminish its hero, and with Lauria and Light's sterling duet, fans can rest assured that their champion's legacy is secure.
2010 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Featured Actress in a Play | Judith Light |
2011 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Judith Light |
2011 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Set Design | David Korins |
2011 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Set Design | Zachary Boroway |
2011 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Play | Judith Light |
2011 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play | Judith Light |
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