CATCHING THE MOON Comes to Children's Theatre of Charlotte This Month

Children’s Theatre of Charlotte has produced a brand-new blues musical about Toni Stone, the first woman to play professional baseball in the big leagues. “Catching the Moon: The Story of the Young Girl’s Baseball Dream,” tells the story of the baseball legend in her formative years when she was known as the resilient and determined Marcenia Lyle, and how one random act of kindness propelled her to greatness. The show has its world premiere on Mar 9 and is the newest addition to The Kindness Project, an initiative created by the Theatre in 2017 to develop and commission original plays for young audiences that are grounded in actively displaying kindness towards others.

Performances run March 9-24.

The inspiring musical has been adapted for the stage by Nichole Jackson and Tyrone L. Robinson from the picture book written by bestselling and award-winning author, Crystal Hubbard, with illustrations by Randy DuBurke. The author has written over 30 books in her career, many of which focus on inspiring moments in Black history. 

Director James Webb cannot wait for audiences to experience the show. “This story is an American story. It represents the heart of what America is about, that if you work hard and you have big dreams in this country anything is possible.” He continues, “I think that when students get to see this story come to life on stage, I just think it’s going to be an excellent treat. It’s really a family story. It’s for all of us. It’s for that ten-year-old inside of all of us that dreamed uninhibited dreams and believed that we could be and have and do anything we wanted. I hope that this story reminds us that is still possible.”

The production will feature 16 original songs composed by Tyrone L. Robinson with orchestration by Music Director Bill Congdon. Tod Kubo will lead the cast through stylized jazz choreography skillfully mixing the athleticism required in baseball and dance. Scenic Designer Ruben Arana-Downs has transformed the Wells Fargo Playhouse into a baseball field where Marcenia’s home and the town’s shops will appear under Dave Carr’s lighting designs. Finally, Kristy Hall's costume designs and Tyler Knowles’ sound designs will provide a tactile visual and audio experience that will make you feel you’ve been transported back in time to watch this baseball dream come true.

“Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream” joins the legacy of other inspiring plays originally produced at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte: “Last Stop on Market Street,” “A Sick Day for Amos McGee,” “The Invisible Boy,” and “Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba.” They are also thrilled to announce that “Tiara’s Hat Parade” by Kelly Starling Lyons will be the next Kindness Project production in the 2024-25 season. 

For more information regarding “Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream,” The Kindness Project, and Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s 2023-24 season, please visit ctcharlotte.org. 

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