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“Bleier rose to the occasion — he hit it out of the park, to jump-cut to another sport.”

“In the Super Bowl end zone, it was Lynn Swann picking him up and other star teammates congratulating him. On Tuesday night, Rocky Bleier was the star, carried off stage by a hero’s standing ovation.”

Pittsburgh Tribune

“[…] it’s difficult to imagine a more engaging, comfortable presence than Bleier’s. The evening is very much like hanging out at your favorite bar, while one of the locals spins out several entertaining yarns about his life.”

“[Playwright] Gene Collier […] has crafted a script informed with a refreshing intelligence, non-linear structure and welcomed restraint.”

 

Pittsburgh City Paper

“The son of a bar owner from Appleton, Wis., who went on to be a Notre Dame football captain, a Vietnam wounded warrior and a 1,000-yard rusher during the Steelers’ 1970s dynasty years, has enough stories for several lifetimes, actually, and certainly enough to fill 90 compelling minutes.”

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In a show that’s both authentic and highly theatrical, Steelers legend ROCKY BLEIER tells his true story live.

Four-time Super Bowl champion Rocky Bleier performs his one-man show, The Play, based on his almost unbelievable life story. Directed by Scott C. Wise and written by Gene Collier, a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports journalist and co-author of The Chief, The Pittsburgh Public Theater’s hit about Steelers founder Art Rooney, Sr, The Play takes the audience into three bars from Rocky’s life where he tells stories of family, war, and the heart of Steeler Nation.

In The Play, Rocky Bleier recalls being selected in the 16th round of the 1968 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, only to be drafted one year later by the Army and sent to Vietnam. Severely injured, he was expected to never play football again. However with personal determination and the encouragement of Steelers owner Art Rooney and other team members, Rocky was back at training camp in 1970 where he became an indispensable part of the Steelers dynasty, whose Super Bowl victories include 1975, 1976, 1979, and 1980.

Journey through the decades via familial anecdotes, tales of Steelers glory, and multimedia projections that bring Rocky’s remarkable story to life. This heartfelt and inspiring memoir is perfect for sports fans of all ages.

 

 

The Play premiered at Heinz Hall in 2015. The design team for The Play is Anne Mundell (Scenic), Ted Pappas (Costumes), Andrew Ostrowski (Lighting), and Steve Shapiro (Sound). Maria Scheller is the Production Stage Manager.