June 28, 2018 500 AM
ALPINE – Theatre of the Big Bend celebrated the opening of its 53rd season by spreading some baseball fever with Bleacher Bums, a nine-inning comedy written by actor Joe Mantegna. Directed by Bret Scott, Sul Ross State University assistant professor of Communication, Bleacher Bums chronicles long-time Chicago Cubs fans attending an afternoon game in the Wrigley Field bleachers. The comedy opened to an enthusiastic crowd last Friday, June 22. Some of the comments from patrons include: “This is just like being at a baseball game, except it’s funny!” “Wow! Totally unexpected!” “I feel like I’m a Cubs fan now. and, I don’t even like baseball.” “The cast is amazing! That cheerleader character is crazy!” “So. Much. Fun.” “I didn’t know what to expect, and I was totally blown away. I felt like I was seeing the whole game right along with the actors.” “Bleacher Bums is a play about hope,” said Scott. “Every baseball fan, and especially every Cubs fan, has to be an optimist. I like to think that when the love of baseball is handed down through generations, what’s really being taught is how to hope, and how to cheer for your team even when they’re terrible. “There’s a lot of value in being able to laugh in the face of long odds and long seasons, and Bleacher Bums celebrates the everyday optimists.” Performances of Bleacher Bums continue this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (June 29-July 1) at the Kokernot Outdoor Theatre. Curtain is at 8:15 p.m. each evening. Tickets are on sale at www.sulross.edu/tobb.
