(Courtesy of Jonathan Michaelsen)
Along with being a professor of acting and directing at multiple universities, Jonathan Michaelsen is a long-time football fan. That means he's seen the tension between the academic world and college football - the university's mission is to educate, but there's a lot of real joy and excitement in the game. He decided to write a play about that tension, and he brought in his colleague, theatre professor Ansley Valentine. Based on lots of research, they ended up with a play about all the people it takes to make sure the players - the most visible part of college football - can get on the field and play.
Jonathan Michaelsen and Ansley Valentine's new show is On the Line: A College Football Play. It runs at the Ted Jones Playhouse, here in Bloomington, Indiana, Thursday, May 18 through Saturday, May 20. You can find ticket information at buskirkchumley.org.