In 1973, playwright and Scranton native Jason Miller won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as the Tony Award for Best Play, for That Championship Season.
Set in Scranton, PA, the plays tells the story of four friends and their former basketball coach as they reveal themselves and are honest with each other for perhaps the first time in their lives. By the end of the evening, they are reminiscing about their 1957 championship basketball season.
THE 1973 PLAY
The play opened on Broadway at the Booth Theatre on September 14, 1972 and played for nearly two years, closing April 21, 1974.
Besides Miller, TCS also won a Tony Award for director A.J. Antoon, as well as nominations for actor Paul Sorvino, lighting designer Ian Calderon and scenic designer Santo Loquasto (Santo himself is a Wilkes-Barre native).
THE 1982 FILM VERSION
In 1982, Hollywood came to Scranton, PA, where they made the film version of TCS. Written for the screen and directed by Jason Miller, the film starred Paul Sorvino (the only actor from the original stage play to recreate the same role in the film version), Stacy Keach, Bruce Dern, Robert Mitchum, and Martin Sheen.THE 1999 TV REMAKE*
In 1999, Paul Sorvino directed (and starred as the coach in) a made-for-TV remake of TCS, starring Vincent D’Onofrio, Gary Sinise, and Tony Shalhoub.
To place a hold on the text of Jason Miller's original 1973 play, click here. To borrow the DVD of the 1982 film (shot in Scranton), click here. The 1999 remake is also available; click here to reserve the DVD or click here to reserve the VHS.
A big holla and thanks to Elizabeth Davis for the suggestion.
*The 1999 remake of That Championship Season will be screened Friday, August 19th at 7:45 at Nay Aug Park. Click here for details. (NOTE: This event has passed and it remains listed here strictly for archival purposes.)
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