The Milwaukee Post

By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE — Al McGuire was one of the most successful and color- ful basketball coaches and TV announcers that ever graced the stages of a gym or a TV network. He was known for his brash style and his care for his players, insisting they work hard at the sport as well as leave Marquette University with a degree. He also launched a fundraiser for Children's Hospital, which is still called Al's Run. He often visited the children there and said they inspired him greatly. He grew up above a bar in Queens in New York, where he lear ned to be frugal, hardworking and street smart. Anthony Crivello, a renowned actor, studied McGuire's accent and man- nerisms and makes one feel that Al has been resurrect- ed. Dick Enberg, with whom McGuire worked, was employed by NBC for more than 25 years and later broadcasted for CBS. Over his decades as a broadcast- er and winner of numerous awards, he decided, after McGuire's death from leukemia in 2001, to write a one-man show about him, a fitting choice to showcase a man who was a one-man show himself. On opening night, Enberg came up on stage to give accolades to Crivello as well as to Brent Hazelton, who directed the show. He got a standing ovation himself, one he well deserved for putting together this mov- ing and authentic tribute to McGuire. The stage is filled with memorabilia from McGuire's life, including the bar his father owned. Set and video projection designer Kristin Ellert- Sakowski deserves special notice for creating such an inclusive backdrop for this man's varied career — a stained-glass window to represent his Catholic upbringing, varied Marquette basketball uni- forms, videos of some of the star players from the years leading up to his NCAA basketball champi- onship in 1977, his family and his years working with Enberg. Enberg once said of him, "Frankly, I didn't like the son of a gun when I first met him. He was rude and cantankerous and evasive, but I learned to love the man with his street genius, his wit and wisdom and his complexity." Lucky for us, Enberg recorded many of Al's "McGuireisms," which are included in this show. They are unique and memorable and witty. Al was a master with words, a rarity in a business replete with clichés. I'm sure that many of the members of the audience experienced McGuire first- hand from his coaching and broadcasting years. Many Marquette alumni never left the Milwaukee area, so his fans are legion. His for- mer players came in a stream to visit him after they left school. My niece, who was a nurse at the facility where he died, said he had visitors every day and was much beloved. I am not a big basketball fan, but I watched many of the games and broadcasts just to see him and hear his one-of-a-kind observations. Crivello, a Marquette alumnus and former cheer- leader for the team, actual- ly looks a lot like McGuire and certainly has captured the nuance of his speech patter ns. Thanks to both him and Enberg for immor- talizing the one and only McGuire and the legacy he left behind. It was a joy to remember this complex, fascinating, very human being via their writing and acting talents. January 27, 2017 • Milwaukee County Post • 15 ENTERTAINMENT Michael Brosilow Anthony Crivello is Al McGuire in the one-man play. The set adds character to the Milwaukee Rep's 'McGuire.' MILWAUKEE — The United Performing Arts Fund is celebrating its 50th anniversary campaign in a show-stopping way thanks to a major gift from former Sen. Herb Kohl. Herb Kohl Philanthropies is serving as UPAF's 50th anniversary presenting spon- sor. Kohl, a longtime supporter of UPAF and the arts, said in a news release, "The perform- ing arts are critical to the vitality of the Milwaukee area. It's important for us as a community to rally around the United Performing Arts Fund especially in their 50th Anniversary Campaign. "UPAF's arts education funding and other programs are invaluable assets to the health of our region and make the arts more accessi- ble to a wide variety of peo- ple." Deanna Tillisch, UPAF president and CEO, said, "Herb Kohl has been a gener- ous donor to a variety of non- profit organizations in the Greater Milwaukee area, and his generosity continues to enhance the quality of life for all of us who live in our com- munity." UPAF's 50th anniversary campaign will run from March 6 to June 14 and will be led by co-chairpersons Betsy Brenner, community volunteer; Linda Gorens- Levey, partner, General Capital Group; and Alex Kramer, market leader, The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank. The campaign will official- ly launch at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater with a ret- rospective look back at UPAF's member groups over the past half-century. "McGuire" The drama runs through March 19 at The Milwaukee Rep, 108 E. Wells St., Milwaukee. Call 414-224-9490 or visit MilwaukeeRep.com. At a glance 'McGuire' takes center stage, naturally Herb Kohl Philanthropies sets pace for UPAF 50th anniversary campaign Kohl

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