Hayes brought to life on stage

Actor Jeff Hall portrays legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes in a one-man play Saturday evening at the Franciscan Center at Lourdes University. Hayes won 13 Big Ten titles and three national championships in his 28-year career as the Buckeyes head coach, compiling a 205-61-10 record. Enlarge

Walter Adamkosky was teaching an advertising copy editing course at Ohio State in the early 1980s when he asked his students for their opinion of former Buckeyes football coach Woody Hayes.

"Isn't he the guy who hit that football player?" one student responded.

Adamkosky felt compelled to do something. The things that had made Hayes such a positive presence -- his teachings, his philosophies on life, and his constant reminders to help others -- were at risk of being forgotten. So Adamkosky wrote a play about Hayes. Or maybe it was a motivational speech. Or a lecture. Actually, it's all of the above, and his work will be on display for a local audience this weekend.

Actor Jeff Hall stars in Woody, a two-hour stage play on the life and teachings of the venerable coach that comes Saturday to the Franciscan Center at Lourdes University.

Tickets for the show, which begins at 7:30 p.m., are $25 and can be purchased by calling 419-824-3999. Say "Beat Michigan" when placing your order and $5 will go to the Ohio State University Alumni Clubs of Lucas and Wood Counties.

Saturday's presentation will be the group's fifth overall and the first outside of the Columbus area.

"We show the warts and all," Adamkosky said. "God knows he wasn't perfect. We show the good, the bad, and the ugly of Coach Hayes, but that's what he was."

By the end of the show, Adamkosky said, the audience will understand what led to Hayes striking Clemson's Charlie Bauman in the 1978 Gator Bowl, an act that led to Hayes' unceremonious firing after 28 years as OSU's head coach.

Adamkosky, a native of Columbus who attended OSU and taught at the university, interviewed Hayes' former players and assistant coaches while composing the script. Hayes died in 1987 before Adamkosky had a chance to speak with him but he did meet with Hayes' late wife, Anne.

The performance offers a peek behind the curtain into the life events of Hayes that inspired him to adopt his pillars of success -- education, outworking your opponent, and paying forward the kindness shown by others.

Hall, who is the show's only actor, moved to Columbus in 1978 after working on various projects in New York and the surrounding states. His acting background includes stage productions and small roles in soap operas. His strong resemblance of Hayes intensifies when he puts on OSU practice attire similar to what the coach wore.

"It's been quite a trip for the last year to be able to study and become Woody," Hall said.

"It's been fun. It's been a trip where everywhere I go somebody has met Woody. Somebody has a story about Woody."