I must preface my comments here by saying I was never really a Yankees fan. And, I may be getting into some hot water with the die-hards, but I actually grew up a fan of the Rangers. If you know your baseball history, the Rangers were the Senators before they moved to Texas. Remember Damn Yankees? But I digress. I also use the term “fan” loosly, since there are very few MLB players I could name, from last century or this, except for those brought to life in the play BRONX BOMBERS.
I guess that pretty much highlights my point. No matter how you feel about baseball or the Yankees, no matter where you allegiance lies, there is no questioning the impact the Yankees ball club has had on Major League Baseball, or professional sports overall. That is what BRONX BOMBERS is all about.
Even if you know nothing (or think you know nothing) about the Yankees, you will be surprised at how much you actually did know. Or at least that you knew more than you were willing to admit. BRONX BOMBERS will prove that to you.
Beyond the story that unfolds, the entire cast give very strong performances and hold the audience in some form of eventual suspense throughout the show. Particularly convincing was Peter Scolari as Yogi Berra. And Tracy Shayne deserves some applause as well. She holds her own quite respectably as Berra’s wife in a room of headstrong and at times arrogant Yankees.
The dialog tends to drag a bit in act two, perhaps due to there being fewer scene changes. This, however, shouldn’t be a big deterrent. The insertion of a witty line here and there help to move things along, and the characters’ flashback and reminiscence are endearing and keep the audience engaged.
Circle in the Square is the perfect venue for this play and Beowulf Boritt’s set design and Jason Lyon’s lighting design compliment the space nicely. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, so no matter where you sit you’ll feel you are a part of the action.
What really hit home for me (pardon the pun) was not the play itself, but what I experienced as I left the theatre. An older gentleman was walking in front of me and was wearing an obviously authentic, wrinkled and cracked team jack with “Yankees 1961” embroidered across the back. I said to him, “You must have been a big fan.” His response was, “I AM a big fan. Always will be.” That’s what the Yankees are all about. In spite of internal controversy. Whether you’re a fan or not. You can’t help but be inspired by the passion that ensues as the BRONX BOMBERS play to win!
