BWW Reviews: THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON Presented By Dramatic License Productions

Though actor/playwright Jason Miller may be best remembered for his turns as troubled priest Father Damien in The Exorcist (and Exorcist III: Legion), he should probably be thought of for his Pulitzer-prize winning work, That Championship Season. It's a powerful piece that, on the surface, follows a group of ex-high school basketball champs as they attend an annual reunion at their old coach's house. But on a deeper level, it's an examination of the philosophy of winning at all costs and how that applies to the worlds of sports and politics, as well as life in general. Dramatic License Productions has put together an exceptional presentation of this show that features a particularly strong cast and sensitive direction.

It's the 20th anniversary for the Pennsylvania state basketball champs, and the team is now in their late 30's. But, despite their claim to fame, each of them seems to be having a mid-life crisis of some kind or another. Tom Daley has turned into a full blown alcoholic, and his older brother James has become a pitiable figure in town as the resident junior high principal, who compromised his dreams early on to take care of his ailing father. By contrast, studly Phil Ramono has achieved considerable success as a businessman, but he's debating whether or not he should continue to financially back his friend and former teammate George Sikowski in his quest to continue as the mayor of their small town. George has become an ineffectual leader, facing an uphill battle in his current campaign, and married to the town slut. As they gather at the home of their former coach each of them hides a dirty, dark secret, and inevitably, each one comes spilling out in dramatic fashion.

Kevin Beyer anchors this production as Coach. He delivers an impressive performance as the grizzled, out of touch, and decidedly old-fashioned coach, who nonetheless is still able to passionately direct the lives of these men in much the same manner as he would have between the paint on the hardwood during an actual game. R. Travis Estes is also very good as George, and he makes you root for him, even though you know he's not the right man to lead their town back to prominence. Charlie Barron and B.Weller are both convincing as the Daley brothers. Barron enhances the cynicism at the core of his character, Tom, while Weller mines the self-pity that courses through James. Cameron Ulrich has a nice brash quality that really fits Phil well.

Alan Knoll does stellar work guiding this talented ensemble. He keeps the action clear and focused, and he keeps the pace moving along briskly. The only misstep here is in trying to change the time period. The dialog and attitudes, and in particular some of the political references, really smack of the 1970's, but this slight change doesn't really alter or lessen the impact of the drama, so it's a minor quibble. Courtney Sanazaro's scenic design is nicely realized and appointed, guaranteeing a genuine sense of authenticity for the proceedings. Bess Moynihan's lighting complements the action and mood, and Jane Sullivan's costumes fit the characters well.

Dramatic License Productions' powerful presentation of That Championship Season continues through August 22, 2010 in the Artopolis section of Chesterfield Mall.

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