Theater Productions Such as "Bronx Bombers" Attracts New Crowd to Broadway

At first glance, the theater world and the world of sports would seem like two forms of entertainment that would never mesh despite certain similarities, yet Tony Ponturo and Fran Kirmser have managed to bring the passion of sports to Broadway.

Ponturo and Kirmser have found a nice niche working on sports-themed Broadway productions, injecting the Great White Way with the drama that sports such as football, basketball, and baseball brings to their fans, having produced Lombardi, Magic/Bird, and their latest production, Bronx Bombers, which takes a look at a history of the New York Yankees - from Babe Ruth to Derek Jeter - through the eyes of Hall of Famer Yogi Berra and his wife Carmen.

Peter Scolari, who starred in Lucky Guy, and Tracy Shayne, who starred in Chicago, are set to play Yogi and Carmen Berra when the play moves from Off Broadway to the Circle In The Square Theatre in January. Bronx Bombers, produced with the blessing of the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball (MLB), also stars Francois Battiste (as Reggie Jackson and Elston Howard), Chris Henry Coffey (as Joe DiMaggio), Bill Dawes (as Mickey Mantle and Thurman Munson), Christopher Jackson (as Derek Jeter), Keith Nobbs (as Billy Martin), John Wernke (as Lou Gehrig) and C.J. Wilson (as Babe Ruth).

Ponturo believes that working with the Yankees and MLB was very important in order to bring a realism that sports fans have come to expect with projects focused on their favorite sports and their key figures.

"What we did was we reached out to the NFL for the Lombardi play, and to the NBA for the Bird and Magic play, and Major League Baseball for Bronx Bombers because authenticity was important," said Ponturo to the LatinoPost.com. "What gives us great excitement and encouragement is when ex-players and ex-coaches tell us that they really felt like they went back in time to that time and place."

Ponturo points out that the leagues were eager to work with them to give the plays a genuine feel, allowing the production company to use the teams and league logos, helping add as much realism to the productions in order to give sports and theater fans a different look into the drama that drives sports.

"The leagues were happy to work with us because we're bringing the stories behind sports figures and teams to this forum of entertainment," said Ponturo.

Tapping into the sports world for material has attracted a new audience to Broadway, an audience that is used to going to loud and cavernous ballparks, stadiums, and arenas than attending a theatrical production.

"We have had people tell us that this was their first time going to the theater or that this was their husband's or brother's first time at a play," said Kirmser. "We'll see people who maybe they got their tickets as a gift and it was their first time in the theater, not knowing about such things as intermission or that the theater is a more intimate experience than they realize. It's been a fun experience to see that happen."

Kirmser says that working on productions such as Bronx Bombers and Magic/Bird has also exposed Broadway fans to the stories behind the scenes that humanize the larger-than-life characters that sports fans have grown to idolize.

Kirmser noted that legendary Green Bay Packer head coach Vince Lombardi's fiery speeches transcended the football field, uplifting people during a rough economical period in the country's history. Kirmser says that those leadership traits not only resonate with sports fans but theater buffs as well.

"When we worked on the Lombardi play, we wanted to explore his leadership qualities onstage. Theater fans can relate to these qualities whether it's Vince Lombardi or Richard III," says Kirmser to LatinoPost.com. "These speeches were rooted in what it takes to be a leader and what better way to show these traits than through thespians."

For tickets to Bronx Bombers, which premieres January 10, 2014 at the Circle In The Square Theatre in New York City, you can purchase via the TeleCharge.com Web site.