Play to Win
by James De Jongh, Carles Cleveland, Jimi Foster

Name: Play to Win
Brand: James De Jongh
SKU: 9780573693809

Off-Broadway

Play to Win Book Cover — Play to Win Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

60 mins 1940s/WWII Role(s) for Black Actor(s) Unit Set/Multiple Settings Period Costumes

Synopsis

Play to Win is a bright, snappy one-hour musical about the man who broke the color barrier in professional baseball.

Although the show is aimed at young audiences, all ages will enjoy this portrayal of Jackie Robinson's determination to be the best, despite seemingly insurmountable racism.

Characters include Rachel, the girl Jackie met in college and later married; Branch Rickey, the owner of the Dodgers who dared to sign Robinson; and Satchel Paige, the great Black pitcher who acts as narrator and plays various other roles throughout the play.

Press Reviews

"A ball for kids!... [The] music is upbeat, bouncy and memorable."
— The New York Post

"A snappy one-hour musical about how baseball became a truly all-American game... a joyous and very smart celebration not only of one man but of a nation and its favorite pastime as well. There are dark moments of racial bigotry, struggle and failure in it. But Robinson's triumph at the end – his first home run in the majors – is a victory for humanity, and the last song sung by the cast in praise of baseball might well be a hymn to everybody."
— The New York Times

"Jimi Foster's music... is upbeat, bouncy and memorable. There is something especially satisfying about coming out of a musical about baseball and being able to hum the music from it."
— The New York Times

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Rachel A Black actress who plays Rachel Robinson and other roles	female	—	A Black actress who plays Rachel Robinson and other roles
Satchel A Black actor who plays Satchel Paige and other roles	—	—	A Black actor who plays Satchel Paige and other roles
Branch Rickey A White actor who plays Branch Rickey and other roles	—	—	A White actor who plays Branch Rickey and other roles
Colonel A White actor who plays the Colonel and other roles	—	—	A White actor who plays the Colonel and other roles
Jackie A Black actor who plays Jackie Robinson	—	—	A Black actor who plays Jackie Robinson