Josh: The Black Babe Ruth
Closed 1h 20m
Josh: The Black Babe Ruth
77

Josh: The Black Babe Ruth NYC Reviews and Tickets

77%
(31 Reviews)
Positive
84%
Mixed
10%
Negative
6%
Members say
Great acting, Absorbing, Thought-provoking, Relevant, Entertaining

About the Show

This biographical drama about African-American baseball great Josh Gibson returns to Theater for the New City for an encore presentation in honor of Black History Month.

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Member Reviews (31)

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982 Reviews | 343 Followers
70
Strong acting, Well-staged, Relevant, Long, Disappointing script

See it if Strong ensemble cast (3 men, 2 women). Well-chosen projections for social context. Music well-integrated. Transformed space. Ran about 2 hrs

Don't see it if you want strong story telling. Simple plot: Josh Gibson wants to be a major-leaguer. Not a rich portrayal; gets repetitive. Slow pace. Read more

716 Reviews | 219 Followers
70
Enchanting, Intelligent, Quirky, Relevant, Funny

See it if 4 character bio about Josh Gibson’s stymied ambition to break into MLB. Live scenes, slide shows, and singer/guitarist. Informative.

Don't see it if This vanilla bio might be better done as a 60-min TV show. The live drama scenes were colorful but not gripping. Some fun improv w audience.

715 Reviews | 108 Followers
82
Absorbing, Great acting, Great writing, Intense, Thought-provoking

See it if you like a drama about a man who had great talent but also great problems. The acting is excellent and at times very moving.

Don't see it if you don't like a play that discusses racial prejudice. There are some very disturbing film involving lynching. Do not bring young kids. Read more

655 Reviews | 129 Followers
90
Absorbing, Great acting, Entertaining

See it if Tells some of Josh story/baseball how he always was trying to get into the major leagues of baseball. You don't have to like baseball.

Don't see it if No reason not to see this play. Read more

670 Reviews | 156 Followers
75
Informative, Great singing, Thought-provoking, Dated

See it if you are interested in baseball in general, the Negro Leagues in particular or in life in Black America in the years during & after WWII.

Don't see it if you have an aversion to the longstanding, somewhat musty conventions of telling a biography on the stage. Read more

520 Reviews | 107 Followers
29
Cliched, Fluffy, Overrated

See it if You want to see a play about A historical black icon

Don't see it if You are expecting this to be about baseball Read more

459 Reviews | 117 Followers
90
Entertaining, Great writing, Great acting, Masterful, Resonant

See it if you want to see a show which seamlessly integrates how societal and personal demons can destroy a man

Don't see it if you want to fantasize that social issues do not effect peoples lives Read more

426 Reviews | 99 Followers
65
A series of loose vignettes rather than a play., Energetic, Using stereotypes as a shorthand for character.

See it if You don't mind untempered stereotypes. If you think that vignettes make up a play.

Don't see it if You want to learn anything indepth about Josh Gibson/ Satchel Paige and the Negro Leagues. Read more

Critic Reviews (1)

Front Row Center
February 13th, 2018

"A baseball story through and through, with draw and delight for fans of theater, fans of history, and baseball fans more used to taking a seat in a stadium than a theater...A live multimedia event...Expertly told by four actors who give us clearly drawn characters. Their performances can only be called excellent...It is a compliment to Jones’ writing and the performance as it plays that the characters all have a moment...Josh Gibson deserved to play on a larger stage. So does this play."
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