Sports and life. Two different arenas, two different pursuits, one goal – winning. The question we all face: “What is Winning?”
Is it the actual scoring of points? The tallying up of more wins than losses? Or are the lessons we learn, the relationships we build in the process, more important?
Rounding Third sees through the eyes of two little league coaches on the same team, played masterfully by Matt Bridge (Don) and Blake White (Michael) as they examine just those questions. As Director Tom Evans puts it, Rounding Third “…lets us look at both these aspects of our sporting nature: the deep rooted and archetypal desire to win squared against the hope that we can do so with honor.”
Evans continues, “We passionately want our team to win. We just as passionately want them to do it without cheating, and, if and when they lose, we want them to accept defeat graciously. In our heart of hearts, if we could trust everybody to be a true sportsman, we’d really like to go back to our playground youth where the old saw really could be true: It’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game.”
The show is fast paced and the timing good. The strong writing draws us into the minds of these coaches, helping us understand how life led them to their rationalizations and coaching choices. As an audience member, I found myself examining my own experiences, both as a spectator and a participant in sports. If you’re a parent with children involved in sports, you’ll find the humor and insight here both dead on and wildly entertaining.
For all you women out there who find it almost impossible to get the husband and kids to do “culture,” this is the one for you – theatre disguised as the great American pastime!! So don’t strike out! Step right up to the box office and get your ticket now. Some shows are already sold out.
Rounding Third continues through Nov 9th. Call 342.2057 or log on to www.hiltonheadtheatre.com . On Beach City Rd, just past the entrance to HIlton Head airport.
This review was written by Debbie Hoffman, Sales & Marketing Director for Lowcountry Weekly.
