See This Show

Last night we went to see Patrick Link's latest show and it was great!  In his latest work Patrick talks about something that not a lot of people want to talk about: the clear link between America's favorite sport and life-ending injuries.  One of the best things about the show is that it articulates and addresses all the reasons why this is hard to talk about.  I have some experience with football from managing a high school team, but even if you don't like football you should see this show.  It deals with issues that are far bigger than just football, like living with family, dealing with memory loss, and the various ways that we all find to deal with death.

The acting was superb last night and definitely includes some faces you would recognize. There were clearly some West Wing fans in the audience last night who were excited to see Ron Canada in such an intimate venue. He portrays an old bear who seems to have escaped the effects of a long NFL career and has to reconcile his love of football and the inescapable facts of the dangers of the sport. His is the standout performance, but the cast of four is universally strong. And the Ensemble Theatre is great venue for cozy, living room feel of the set. It's small and friendly and there are no seats without a great view. Plus they have a terrific track record of hosting some of the best off-Broadway shows we've seen. It's always a great experience.

Nedra McClyde & Ron Canada in Headstrong (from the ensemble theater website).