Sunday, March 23, 2014

Bum Phillips All-American Opera.


When informed of the improbable existence of an opera based on the life of legendary, colorful football coach Bum Phillips, this guy I know from Pittsburgh asked, "Will it feature the nasty Steelers beating up on Bum and his boys?"

Let's hope there's an official DVD, because the run ends on March 30, and it's in neither Pittsburgh nor Houston, but New York City.

Bum Phillips All-American Opera

Written by composer Peter Stopschinski and playwright Kirk Lynn, commissioned and produced by Monk Parrots, Inc. in association with La MaMa, and directed by Luke Leonard, is about an icon of the National Football League and America: O.A. “Bum” Phillips, head coach of the Houston Oilers from 1975-1980. The portrait of this ’70′s football coach utilizes the autobiography, Bum Phillips: Cowboy, Coach, Christian to explore how a man finds resilience and faith in failure, and how a single passion fueled an entire city’s hope. All native Texans, this dynamic team seeks to push the boundaries of what opera can be, as well as both where and for whom it is staged.

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