Veteran actor Cotter Smith has performed in major motion pictures -- most recently "Friends with Kids" -- primetime TV shows -- like NCIS and L.A. Law -- and Tony Award-nominated plays.
But there was one role where Smith first thought he had bitten off a bit more than he could chew.
"Initially when it came to me, I didn't realize what an enormous icon he was," Smith said of his role as Marquette coach Al McGuire in the one-man play Coach: The untold story of college basketball legend Al McGuire.
"It was daunting creating someone that everyone loved so much."
Smith, who first performed the play at Marquette in 2005, will recreate the role later this month on the 35th anniversary of McGuire's national championship. The show runs March 28-29 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
Smith is a close friend with sportscaster Dick Enberg, McGuire's broadcast partner for 10 seasons. Enberg, who will answer audience questions after the opening-night performance, got the idea for writing the play when he was asked to speak at the coach's memorial service.
"He couldn't think of how to do it," Smith recalled. "So he ended up using phrases that Al had spoken. There are so many and they are so memorable."
Enberg approached Smith about playing McGuire and Smith, whose wife Heidi Mueller-Smith is from Milwaukee and directs the play, readily agreed.
Enberg and Mueller-Smith gave the actor some valuable advice about portraying a legend.
"They told me it wasn't so much about becoming him," Smith noted. "It was about giving the audience the chance to spend another hour with him because they miss him so much."
Playing McGuire -- equal parts coach, philosopher and poet -- is one of the most enjoyable assignments of Smith's career.
"He approached life with such appetite," the actor explained. "The play really has a lesson in how to just grab your life and live every day to the fullest. He did that with honesty, humor and such an offbeat perspective."
Audience members frequently display knowing smiles when hearing Smith channel McGuire's street-smart wisdom.
"Anyone who came in contact with him, whether they played for him, worked for him or just had glancing contact with him, everyone has an Al story," said Smith.
"There are a lot of parodies out there," Smith added. "Dick Vitale is a parody of Al."
Former McGuire assistant and current St. Louis head coach Rick Majerus is scheduled to be in attendance for a show later this month, along with several former players, to see a play that is about more than just basketball.
"Al took the metaphor of sports and life and made it incredibly accessible," said Smith. "One of the things that has been most rewarding for me is that so many women were dragged to this play by husbands. They came in with no interest in Al McGuire or basketball but came up to me after the show to tell me how moving and meaningful the play was for them."
"I have the gift of Al's words," said Smith, "and he's worth listening to. ..."
