“Something More Than a Game” at the Warehouse Theatre in #Greenville @WarehouseGVL

Something More Than a Game at Warehouse Theatre

Thankfully, John, Megan and I were able to fit a night into our busy schedule this month to see “Something More Than a Game” at Greenville’s Warehouse Theatre last Saturday night… and I’m so glad we did!  I am also pleased that we arrived early enough prior to the performance to hear the playwright, Jayce Tromsness, speak to hte audience about his experiences which led to the creation of this wonderful historical play.  Also of interest to me since I am a native Greenvillian of “middle age”, were some of the references to familiar names and places that I remember hearing and seeing as a child.  The play was also ironically seen at the same time by two Greenville icons:  Nick and Emilie Theodore and Dick and Tunky Riley!

I loved how Tromsness wove the story through the old newspaper adage, “When the legend outweighs the facts, print the legend.”  This quote was the basis for the plot that easily carried the audience from present day to 1919 and back again.  The story is told through the relationship of a father and his daughter regarding the myth and legend of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the 1919 Black Sox scandal.  More than the scandal and the game, the play delves much deeper into the family dynamics and relationship of a father and his daughter.  The audience soon feels such compassion for Joe Jackson that the event in question takes back seat to Joe’s life and obvious love of the game of baseball.

John and I are not big sport fanatics, so I was a little concerned with how much I would enjoy this play.  But I was delighted with the story and the actors were so perfectly matched to the characters of the play that once again, The Warehouse Theatre enchanted my family!  The next time I’m walking through WestEnd in downtown Greenville, I think I’ll pause a little while to admire the statue of Shoeless Joe =)

Pamela McAbee Hoyt – @PamelaHoyt