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.
The acting is brilliant, the story's compelling and there are genuine moments of triumph, tension and despair. Dan Lauria, best known for his work as Kevin Arnold's father on 'The Wonder Years', is a spitting image of Lombardi, while actress Judith Light plays his wife, Marie. Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor and Dave Robinson are all central figures, as well.
If you know who Vince Lombardi is, the play is most likely exactly what you'd expect it to be: a portrait of decent, honorable figure who earns the devotion of his players by tough-loving them into the best they're capable of being. If you don't know who he is, you can simply disregard the scattered names from the past and sprinklings of sports jargon, and Lombardi stands as self-explanatory. Just remember that if you hear a few chuckles and/or applause for some seemingly random lines ('We didn't lose; we just ran out of time.') it's because the evening does embrace quite a few beloved sports clichés; but Lombardi is such an earnest play that the clichés seem perfectly natural in context.
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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