The Geneva Theatre Actors Guild will open its 2019-20 season with “Lombardi” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, and 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at the Geneva Theater, 244 Broad St., Lake Geneva.
“Lombardi” officially premiered on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre on Oct. 21, 2010, starring Dan Lauria as Vince Lombardi and Judith Light as Marie Lombardi. The regional premiere was at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater on October 2011, according to a press release from the guild.
The play follows Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi through a week in the 1965 NFL season as he attempts to lead his team to the championship. His story is told in various periods of his life.
“I grew up in Wisconsin, so (Lombardi) was always part of the ether,” playwright Eric Simonson said. “When I started doing a play on him, it was not just to recount a famous man’s life story, it was really to find out and unearth the reasons why this man was famous. He’s a fully dimensional man, a complicated man, more complex than people realize.”
The cast includes James McClure as Vince Lombardi, JaNelle Powers as Marie Lombardi, Michael McCormick as Harold Johnson along with Paul Hornung, Dave Robinson and Jim Taylor. Powers is also directing the play.
The play is presented by GTAG in cooperation with the Geneva Theater and the Friends of the Geneva Theater.
The suggested donation for admission is $10 with proceeds to benefit Special Olympics.
Upcoming shows
The Geneva Theatre Actors Guild will also present these plays/musicals this season with proceeds benefiting area charities:
- “Music & Mayhem” – Oct. 9 and 11, Sundays at 4;
- “The Humans” – Nov. 13 and 15, Lake Geneva Food Pantry;
- “Miracle on 34th Street” – Dec. 11 and 13, Walworth County Tree House;
- “The Gin Game” – Jan. 8 and 10, Agape House;
- “Almost Maine” – Feb. 12 and 14, no charity announced;
- “A Couple of White Chicks Sitting Around Talking” – March 11 and 13, Twin Oaks;
- “Belles” – April 8 (no performance on Good Friday), Daughter of the American Revolution;
- “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” – May 13 and 15;
- A to be determined children’s play, June 10 and 12.
All the plays are at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. on Friday, with the exception of April 8, which will have both a 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. showing.
