Coach Lombardi brought to life on stage in Marinette
"Lombardi" by Eric Simonson is a play about legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, focusing on a week in the 1965 season as a reporter tries to understand his drive for perfection. Based on David Maraniss's book, “When Pride Still Mattered,” the play explores Lombardi's intense personality, his relationship with his wife Marie, and his impact on the team, revealing the man behind the icon through the eyes of a journalist.
In this Jan. 14, 1968 photo, Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi is carried off the field after his team defeated the Oakland Raiders 33-14 in the Super Bowl II game in Miami, Florida. Packers guard Jerry Kramer (64) is at right. In November 2026, a stage play is being put on at the Marinette, Wis. campus of University of Wisconsin. (AP Photo)
"Lombardi" by Eric Simonson is a play about legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, focusing on a week in the 1965 season as a reporter tries to understand his drive for perfection. Based on David Maraniss's book, “When Pride Still Mattered,” the play explores Lombardi's intense personality, his relationship with his wife Marie, and his impact on the team, revealing the man behind the icon through the eyes of a journalist.
In this Jan. 14, 1968 photo, Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi is carried off the field after his team defeated the Oakland Raiders 33-14 in the Super Bowl II game in Miami, Florida. Packers guard Jerry Kramer (64) is at right. In November 2026, a stage play is being put on at the Marinette, Wis. campus of University of Wisconsin. (AP Photo)
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MARINETTE -- Few figures are more closely tied to Wisconsin than Vince Lombardi. This November, audiences will have the opportunity to experience the man behind the legend when Theatre on the Bay presents “Lombardi” at the Bayshore Arts Center on the UW-Green Bay Marinette Campus. Performances are scheduled for Nov. 12 to 14 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.
Based on the bestselling book “When Pride Still Mattered” by David Maraniss and written by Eric Simonson, “Lombardi” explores a pivotal week during the Green Bay Packers’ 1965 season. Through the lens of a journalist seeking to understand the coach’s relentless pursuit of excellence, the play offers an intimate look at Lombardi’s leadership, family life and lasting impact on professional football.
“Lombardi is more than a story about football,” said Lauryn Albaugh, director of the Bayshore Arts Center. “It reveals the human side of a legendary figure whose influence continues to shape our region and our culture. …It’s a story that feels both personal and timeless.”
For director Sam Wargula, the production carries special meaning. “I couldn't be more grateful to have ‘Lombardi’ be my first show as a director -- a story so close to my heart and to the community I hold so dear," Wargula said. "Directing has given me the opportunity to give back to my community and to the theater I've been a part of for several years, and I'm proud of the cast and the show we've put together. ‘Lombardi’ is one of the best scripts I've ever read, and I think its story will resonate with die-hard Packer fans and theater fans alike."
The cast includes Ronald Sequin as Vince Lombardi, Jennifer Rickaby as Marie Lombardi, Chase Kazmierkoski as Michael McCormick, Josiah Kaliq as Dave Robinson, Corbin Cody as Paul Hornung and Travis Meyer as Jim Taylor.
The production is directed by Sam Wargula with assistant director AJ Rasmussen. Design and production support are provided by Justin Pilz, Chris Weber and Rebecca Archambault.
Tickets are available online at tickets.uwgb.edu/bayshore or through the box office, which is located at 750 W. Bay Shore St. in Marinette and is open Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 45 minutes before each performance. The box office is cashless.