Second Stage Theater presents a revival of the Tony Award-winning ‘Best Play’ Take Me Out, written by Richard Greenberg and directed by Scott Ellis. Take Me Out is at the Hayes Theater in spring 2022.
Revolving around a mixed-race baseball star named Darren Lemming, who comes out as gay and is confronted off the field by deep-rooted, homophobic and racist prejudices, Take Me Out is as relevant today as it was at the time of its original premiere in 2002.
Take Me Out was first staged at the Donmar Warehouse in London and subsequently at the Public Theater in New York as a co-production between the two companies. It would transfer to Broadway in February 2003, with Daniel Sunjata reprising the role of Darren Lemming, and would go on to win three Tony Awards that season, including ‘Best Play.’
Casting for the initial 2020 run included Jesse Williams (as Darren Lemming), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (as Mason Marzac), and Patrick J. Adams (as Kippy Sunderstrom), alongside Julian Cihi (as Takeshi Kawabata), Hiram Delgado (as Martinez), Brandon J. Dirden (as Davey Battle), Tyler Lansing (as Jason Chenier), Carl Lundstedt (as Toddy Koovitz), Ken Marks (as Skipper), Michael Oberholtzer (as Shane Mungitt), and Eduardo Ramos (as Rodriguez)
Offering an explosive take on homophobia, racism, class and masculinity in the world of sports, Take Me Out takes a massive swing and knocks it out of the park both as a crucial social commentary and a riveting piece of theatre.
(Photo by Catherine Wessel)
Take Me Out celebrates the personal and professional intricacies of America’s favorite pastime. When Darren Lemming, the star center fielder for the Empires, comes out of the closet, the reception off the field reveals a barrage of long-held unspoken prejudices. Facing some hostile teammates and fraught friendships, Darren is forced to contend with the challenges of being a gay person of color within the confines of a classic American institution. As the Empires struggle to rally toward a championship season, the players and their fans begin to question tradition, their loyalties, and the price of victory.