Two weeks ago, as Cincinatti and Los Angeles were getting ready to battle for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LVI, all of us football fans were talking about our favorite football movies, be they KNUTE ROCKNE: ALL-AMERICAN ("Win this one for the Gipper!") THE WATERBOY ("Stop playin' that fooseball!"), JERRY MAGUIRE ("Show me the money!") or THE LONGEST YARD ("I think he broke his EXPLETIVE neck!")
While the Noor Theatre Company's world premiere effort FIRST DOWN, (by award-winning playwright Sevan)set in the high stakes, anything-goes world of professional football, makes extensive use of such iconic images as the NFL Shield, team logos, and even an NFL sponsor, Aquafina, (And this time, I'm NOT talking about the Asian-American performer who stole the Super Bowl with a Disney + commercial featuring goats dressed up as famous Disney, Marvel, Star Wars,Pixar,and Matt Groening characters!)it may rub some fervent NFL fans, particularly those who believe the last election was rigged, and owners should sack (as in fire) players like San Francisco 49er Colin Kapernick for taking a knee while the National Anthem is played, the wrong way, and I admit, I was a little bit uncomfortable as the play was just getting started, but, while it questions the National Anthem, and even, what many scribes have decried as the hypocrisy of the league itself (slogans like "It Takes All Of Us" and "Stop Hate" painted on the field and beamed from the Jumbotron while coaches and players have accused the League front office of racism, it takes full advantage of the freedom of speech which the Star-Spangled Banner itself represents (or, is supposed to represent) to tell the story of George Berri, (Peter Romano) an NFL superstar from Montana with the world at his feet who decides to reveal to the world that he is really a Muslim American of Arab descent. by praying to Allah at the Super Bowl. Romano leads a brilliant supporting cast (Larry Bull as his coach who believes football brings out the best in America,Hend Ayoub as his manager who tries to convince him he's throwing it all away, and Olivia AbiAssi, whose desire to hang onto traditions such as wearing a hijab in public,ranks up there with portrayals in works such as FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and PLAIN AND FANCY) who are to theatre what the Monsters of the Midway, the Purple People Eaters, and the Steel Curtain have been to the Super Bowl: a formidable team that requires attention. If you love or hate football, or good theatre,make an end run to 59 E 59 Theatre C (That's both its name and address) before March 5th or score a ticket at http://www.noortheater.org . The Super Bowl may be over and the Combine and the Draft are just around the corner, but this powerful drama, which simultaneously celebrates, indicts, and reflects football, is a great way to get your kicks. On a scale of Fumble to Touchdown, this play kicks the old pigskin, with all due respect to its talented Muslim crew, right over the uprights!
Super Steve
P.S. A tip of the helmet to FOX Sports Play-By-Play Commentator Kevin Burkhardt for delivering the keynote address at Temple Emanu-El's Gather Sports Fan Group's Super Bowl Party, as well as the few, the proud, (Not Marines1) who Zoomed on over to our Super Bowl Party. Stand by for details on our next big event!
