Steelers great Bleier in ‘The Play’

Staff report

PITTSBURGH

Four-time Super Bowl champion Rocky Bleier will perform his one-man show, “The Play,” at the O’Reilly Theater, downtown.

The Pittsburgh Public Theater production is based on the former Pittsburgh Steelers running back’s life story.

It was written by Gene Collier, a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports writer and co-author (with Boardman, Ohio, native Rob Zellers) of “The Chief,” the Public’s hit about Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr.

Directed by Scott C. Wise, “The Play” will run for 14 performances between Tuesday and Jan. 7.

The performance schedule is at ppt.org.

Bleier grew up in Appleton, Wis., and lived with his family above his father’s bar, which is the first setting of “The Play.”

The second part takes place in a Pittsburgh bar, where Bleier recalls being selected in the 16th round of the 1968 draft by the Steelers, only to be drafted one year later by the Army and sent to Vietnam. Severely injured, he was not expected to ever play football again. But with personal determination and the encouragement of Rooney and his teammates, Bleier was back at training camp in 1970.

The third part of “The Play” is set in the bar of his Pittsburgh home. There, Bleier looks back on being part of the Steelers dynasty, whose Super Bowl victories include 1975, 1976, 1979 and 1980.

Tickets are $50 and $75 ($15.75 for students and those age 26 and younger) and are available by phone at 412-316-1600, online at ppt.org and at the O’Reilly Theater box office, 621 Penn Ave.

Group discounts are available. Contact Casey Helm at 412-316-8200, ext. 704, or chelm@ppt.org.