Football and Deer Hunting

We are in the midst of football season and deer hunting is right around the corner so what could be better than plays about these activities if Wisconsin Wanderers don't have game tickets or rifles!

Actually, Lombardi, based on the book When Pride Still Mattered by David Maraniss, was about the man himself rather than actual football. Most of the play, as presented by the Milwaukee Rep at the Milwaukee Center, took place in the Lombardi living room and in his coach's office. The famed coach's player interactions were mostly with Paul Hornung, Dave Robinson, and Jim Taylor, some of the greats from the 1960s. We saw Lombardi with his wife, Marie, and gained insights into why he was such an inspirational man.

One of the many banners decorating the stage.

We learned that the phrase attributed to the great Vince Lombardi - "winning isn't everything, it's the only thing" - originated with another coach who coined it decades before Lombardi came along. To Lombardi it was the pursuit of excellence that mattered most. 

The Milwaukee Rep has extended the run of  Lombardi so it's still possible to see the play. If you're a die-hard Packer fan, you'll appreciate the image that's flashed on the wall at the end of the play. 

At the end of last week we enjoyed Deer Camp, the Musical at the Shauer Arts & Activities Center in Hartford. One of the stars was "my brother, Darryl" and another was "my other brother, Darryl" from the Newhart show. So it was a reunion of sorts for them.

The show was a hoot! Four guys, two of whom were full-figured, sang and danced and we laughed and laughed. From the songs about their wives to the"grunt horn" song to the dance of the Chippendales, the actors kept us in stitches throughout the play. It was great fun and an enjoyable evening out now that camping season has ended.