Bucks County Playhouse Holds Talkbacks For TOMMY AND ME

 Bucks County Playhouse announced a series of post-show talkbacks with Ray Didinger and guests, following Tuesday and Thursday evening performances of Didinger’s hit play, “Tommy and Me.”

The talkbacks are free to anyone attending the Tuesday and Thursday performances. (Note: An additional talkback is scheduled following the 7:30 pm performance on Wednesday, June 14).

At press time, the line-up includes a variety of Philadelphia sports journalism and broadcasting icons — including recently retired WIP morning show host, Angelo Cataldi, who for three decades was one of the dominant voices in Philadelphia Sports radio. The series will also include the children of Hall of Fame Eagles player, Tommy McDonald and more.

The current talkback schedule includes:

Thursday, May 25 • Ray Didinger with Glen Macnow, WIP sports radio and special guests Tommy McDonald’s children, Tommy Jr., Chris, Sherry and Patricia.

Tuesday, May 30 • Ray Didinger and Cast

Thursday, June 1 • Ray Didinger with Mike Sielski, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and author of “The Rise”, the story of NBA great Kobe Bryant.

Tuesday, June 6 • Ray Didinger and with Angelo Cataldi, the WIP sports radio host making a rare post-retirement appearance, and Cast.

Thursday, June 8 • Ray Didinger with Jack McCallum, Sports Illustrated writer and author of the best-selling book “Dream Team,” the story of the 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball team.

Wednesday, June 14 • Ray Didinger with Michael Barkann from NBC Sports Philadelphia and actor Gordon Clapp.

Thursday, June 15 • Ray Didinger and a guest to be announced.

Directed by Nick Corley, “Tommy and Me” recalls a seminal time in Didinger’s life when he helped his idol, Philadelphia Eagles legendary wide receiver Tommy McDonald, gain his place in the NFL Hall of Fame. Emmy-winner and Tony-nominee Gordon Clapp, who played Detective Greg Medavoy for all 12 seasons on ABC’s “NYPD Blue,” stars as Tommy McDonald.

Magical things can happen when a boy meets his sports idol. Legendary Sports journalist Ray Didinger’s lifelong relationship with famously tough, Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver, Tommy McDonald, led both down an unexpected path — straight to Canton, OH and the National Football League’s Hall of Fame. “Tommy and Me” is a valentine to the relationship between sports stars and fans everywhere.

Gordon Clapp appeared on Broadway in the 2005 revival of “Glengarry, Glen Ross” for which he was nominated for a Tony. He received a Theatre World Award for his performance. Other Broadway credits include “The Great Society” (Lincoln Center) and “To Kill A Mockingbird.” In addition to “NYPD Blue” (12 seasons, Emmy, SAG Award), TV viewers know Clapp from appearances on “Damages,” “Chicago Fire,” “Mare Of Easttown,” “American Rust,” and “Deadwood.”



Starring opposite Clapp, is Broadway veteran Karl Kenzler in the role of Ray. Kenzler appeared on Broadway in the “Fiddler on the Roof” (2015 revival), “You Can't Take It with You”, “Mary Poppins”, “Twelve Angry Men”, “The Caretaker”, “Dinner at Eight”, “The Heiress.” Rounding out the cast are William Bednar (“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” – San Francisco) as young Tommy, and Jacob Beser and Matthew Lamb (New York Theater Workshop’s “Merrily We Roll Along”) alternating in the role of Young Tommy. Understudies are Bruce Sabath (2006 Broadway revival of “Company”) and John Brodsky.

“I'm delighted to bring the story of ‘Tommy and Me’ back to the Bucks County Playhouse,” says Ray Didinger, playwright and award-winning journalist. “We had a wonderful run there last spring. We had full houses almost every night with many in the audience wearing Eagles green, but the story of my friendship with Hall of Famer Tommy McDonald connected with even non-football fans. It's a story about little boys, their heroes and dreams coming true. Those are themes that will resonate with anyone.”

Ray Didinger was the first print journalist inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. As a columnist for the Philadelphia Bulletin and Philadelphia Daily News, he was named Pennsylvania Sportswriter of the Year five times. In 1995, he won the Dick McCann Award for long and distinguished reporting on pro football, and his name was added to the writers’ honor roll at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also won six Emmy Awards as a writer and producer for NFL Films. He has authored or co-authored twelve books including “One Last Read: The Collected Works of the World's Slowest Sportswriter” (Temple) and “The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies.”

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