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A trailblazing spirit

Toni Stone

  • Credits

    Arena Stage in Association with A.C.T. Presents
    The Roundabout Theatre Company’s Production of
    Toni Stone
    By Lydia R. Diamond
    Directed by Pam MacKinnon
    Choreographed by Camille A. Brown

    In Association with Samantha Barrie

    Toni Stone runs approximately two hours and 20 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

  • Location

    Kreeger Theater

 

 

Due to a non-Covid-related health ISSUE, the remainder of the run of “Toni Stone” has been cancelled. 

Audiences can still enjoy the show at our community event at Nationals Park this Sunday, September 26 at 7:30.We were proud to share the remarkable story of Toni Stone and how she blazed a trail for Black women in sports

History is filled with trailblazers and Toni Stone was one of them. Considered a pioneer, Toni Stone is the first woman to play baseball in the Negro Leagues, also making her the first woman to play professionally in a men’s league in the 1950s. Against all odds, Stone shattered expectations and created her own set of rules in the male-dominated sports world. Based on Martha Ackmann’s book Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, award-winning playwright Lydia R. Diamond (Smart People, The Bluest Eye) tells the dynamic story of Stone’s journey of perseverance and resilience just to do what she loved the most — play baseball.

Commissioned by Roundabout Theatre Company and Samantha Barrie. 

Toni Stone received development support from the Resident Artists Program at Arena Stage, Washington, D.C.

Prime Sponsorship for Toni Stone and Arena Stage is generously provided by Beth Newburger Schwartz. Supporting Sponsorship for Toni Stone is generously sponsored by: AT&TSusan and Steve BraloveExelon, and Sue Henry and Carter Phillips.
Contributing Sponsorship for Toni Stone is generously provided by Charles Schwab.

This production is rated PG-13. It contains coarse and mature language that may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

Cast

GILBERT LEWIS BAILEY II

Spec/Gabby

ALDO BILLINGSLEA

Alberga/Rufus

DEIMONI BREWINGTON

Jimmy/Father O’Keefe

JABEN EARLY

King Tut/Supervisor

SANTOYA FIELDS

Toni Stone

KENN E. HEAD

Millie/Willie

RODNEY EARL JACKSON JR.

Elzie/Dance Captain

SEAN-MAURICE LYNCH

Stretch/Syd/Fight Captain

JARROD MIMS SMITH

Woody/Mother

Creative

LYDIA R. DIAMOND

Playwright

PAM MACKINNON

Director

CAMILLE A. BROWN

Choreographer

RICCARDO HERNÁNDEZ

Set Designer

DEDE AYITE

Costume Designer

ALLEN LEE HUGHES

Lighting Designer

BROKEN CHORD

Sound Design and Original Music

COOKIE JORDAN

Hair and Wig Designer

JAY STATEN

Associate Choreographer

RICKEY TRIPP

Associate Choreographer

ELISA GUTHERTZ

Stage Manager

KURT HALL

Assistant Stage Manager

Multimedia

Photo of Santoya Fields by Tony Powell.
Photo of Santoya Fields and the cast of "Toni Stone" by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Santoya Fields, JaBen Early and Sean-Maurice Lynch by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of the cast of “Toni Stone” by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of the cast of “Toni Stone” by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Kenn E. Head by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Santoya Fields by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Santoya Fields and JaBen Early by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Aldo Billingslea and Santoya Fields by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Kenn E. Head, Santoya Fields and the cast of “Toni Stone” by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of the cast of “Toni Stone” by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Kenn E. Head and Santoya Fields by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Sean Maurice-Lynch, Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., JaBen Early and Santoya Fields by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Jarrod Mims Smith and Santoya Fields by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of the cast of “Toni Stone” by Ryan Maxwell Photography.
Photo of Director Pam MacKinnon and the cast of “Toni Stone” by Ryan Maxwell Photography.

In The News

The Hall of Very Good Podcast

A conversation with Lydia R. Diamond 

Broadway World

Photos: Arena Stage hosts streaming of Toni Stone at Nationals Park

DC Metro Theater Arts

Final inning for Toni Stone is a fans outing at Nats Park

Radio Sputnik

A conversation with Tony Award-winning director Pam MacKinnon

WTOP

Toni Stone chronicles first woman in Negro Leagues at Arena Stage, Nationals Park

The Washington Post

Arena Stage teams up with the Washington Nationals for a simulcast of the baseball play Toni Stone

WPFW

Interview with Santoya Fields, taking on the trailblazing role of Toni Stone

Share America

Meet Toni Stone, who broke barriers in baseball

Theatrely

Lydia R. Diamond on Arena Stage's Toni Stone and contradictions in Black performance 

Washington Informer

Arena Stage premieres play about Toni Stone's complexities 

MD Theatre Guide

Toni Stone hits it out of the park at Arena Stage

Broadway World

BWW Review: Toni Stone at Arena Stage is a grand slam

DC Metro Theater Arts

Thoroughly enjoyable Toni Stone gets a hero's welcome at Arena Stage

WHUR

Serving up history on the stage - interview with JaBen Early 

On Stage Blog

"Do it because this is your 'why'" - Chatting with Rodney Earl Jackson Jr. 

Radio One

DC Grays General Manager chats about collaborating with the cast of Toni Stone

The Washington Post

Toni Stone takes some big swings in Arena Stage's winning return to live theater

WAMU

Get Out There: Toni Stone at Arena Stage

Playbill

Arena Stage launches 2021-2022 Season September 3 with Toni Stone 

District Fray

Theatre + Baseball Collide: Toni Stone slides into Nationals Park

The Washington Informer

Arena Stage poised to present story of unsung heroine Toni Stone

The Southwester

DC native choreographs success at Arena Stage

Woman Around Town

Pam MacKinnon talks about directing Toni Stone at Arena Stage

WTOP

The story of Toni Stone comes to life in the nation's capitol 

MD Theatre Guide

'A Quick 5' with Deimoni Brewington in Toni Stone at Arena Stage

DC Metro Theater Arts

Why Toni Stone's story needs to be told: A Q&A with Santoya Fields

DC Grays Baseball

DC Grays work with Arena Stage

K Street Magazine

Arena Stage to Simulcast Toni Stone at Nationals Park 

Broadway World

Arena Stage to Host Free Live Simulcast of Toni Stone at Nationals Park

Broadway World

Photos: Inside First Rehearsal for Toni Stone at Arena Stage 

Broadway World

Arena Stage announces Toni Stone cast and creative team

Live Simulcast at Nationals Park

Join Arena Stage for a live simulcast of Toni Stone at September 26.  

Learn more