Steelers legend and Vietnam veteran Rocky Bleier brings 鈥楾he Play鈥� to Uniontown
When Pittsburgh Steelers legend Rocky Bleier performs his autobiographical show 鈥淭he Play鈥� on stage, he hopes it tells a compelling story about his life while also opening the door for his fellow combat veterans to talk about their wartime experiences.
Many already know Bleier鈥檚 story in how he was drafted into the military and overcame severe injuries to his legs and feet while fighting in Vietnam to become a Super Bowl champion with the Super Steelers of the 70s.
Over the years, he鈥檚 used his platform to motivate and inspire others. But he鈥檚 also tried to become a conduit for lesser-known veterans 鈥� especially those from his era 鈥� who weren鈥檛 greeted with the same type of respect as he received while rehabilitating from his battle wounds to star in the NFL.
鈥淗e never got any praise or any thank you. He was called a 鈥榖aby killer.鈥� He repressed his feelings and went back to his life the best he could. He couldn鈥檛 talk about it,鈥� Bleier said of many Vietnam veterans. 鈥淪o in some cases this venue, at least for me, opened that up.鈥�
A half-century after his military service and return to the football field, standing on stage recounting his life through 鈥淭he Play鈥� is still an emotional experience. Even with 53 pages of rehearsed lines, the story is still impactful for Bleier as he tells it to audiences.
鈥淪ometimes I catch myself,鈥� Bleier said. 鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 still emotional, even after all these years.鈥�
Bleier is bringing 鈥淭he Play鈥� to the State Theatre Center for the Arts at 37 E. Main St. in downtown Uniontown for a one-night performance Saturday, Oct. 15. He was invited to bring the one-man show to Uniontown and happily agreed to help the State Theatre celebrate its 100th anniversary this year.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy to be a part of that celebration,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want this to be a great appearance for the theater.鈥�
鈥淭he Play鈥� was co-written with Pittsburgh sports journalist Gene Collier and it debuted at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh in September 2015. What was supposed to be a one-time performance soon turned into a multi-night show at the Pittsburgh Public Theater a year later. He soon took his act on tour with several places that are especially meaningful to him, such as his hometown of Appleton, Wis., and his collegiate home in South Bend, Ind., but he also has visited Tampa Bay and Des Moines.
鈥淚鈥檓 big in Iowa, for whatever reason,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥淭he response has been, from my point of view, very humbling, very tremendous. People loved it and so on, and it kind of caters to a lot of different people.鈥�
While the 76-year-old Mount Lebanon resident is used to speaking in front of large audiences, he鈥檚 not an actor, so the experience of memorizing lines from a script 鈥� albeit about his own life 鈥� was a challenge. He was especially nervous during that first performance in 2015, but he鈥檚 become more comfortable on stage with periodic shows now and again.
鈥淚t鈥檚 gotten better, hopefully, over the years,鈥� he said. 鈥淓very audience is different. I haven鈥檛 done it every night like you鈥檙e on Broadway. I鈥檓 now back in rehearsal.鈥�
The show begins with Bleier settled in a neighborhood bar in Appleton as he explains his upbringing and time as the captain of the University of Notre Dame football team. It later transitions to a bar in Pittsburgh where he talks about being drafted twice 鈥� once by the Steelers and then later by the U.S. Army. The Steelers told Bleier they would hold a spot on the roster for him after he returned from war, but that seemed unlikely when he was shot in the left leg during battle and his right foot was severely wounded by a grenade.
The show examines the doubts Bleier had in contrast with his determination to succeed.
鈥淚 came back to a high-profile position, so I was asked (questions) while I was trying to make a football team. Now all of a sudden I had to think of it. And because of that I had some recognition for it,鈥� Bleier said of how he was able to talk about his service immediately after returning from war.
He knows not everyone who served had that same opportunity, which is why 鈥淭he Play鈥� has been especially meaningful to many veterans.
鈥淭o some degree, I try to put this in perspective: The Vietnam veterans who had returned those many years ago from the conflict (in Southeast Asia) repressed their feelings and had no opportunity to talk about their story or experience, and still have not talked about it to some degree with their families,鈥� Bleier said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an important conduit to give some insight to emotions and thoughts that took place.鈥�
But Bleier鈥檚 story speaks to anyone as he discusses his will to succeed and overcoming obstacles in the way. Bleier ends the final act with him inside a home鈥檚 basement bar offering the audience a chance to be reflective not just on his life, but also their own.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about the randomness of life and everything that takes place,鈥� Bleier said. 鈥淧eople say things happen for a reason. Not necessarily. They happen and then you find the reason out later.鈥�
Go to www.statetheatre.info for more information about the 鈥淭he Play鈥� or to purchase tickets online.