Premiere Stages presents "Effa Loves Baseball"

Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 09/15/2026

Artwork by Yadira Hernández

(HILLSIDE, NJ) -- Premiere Stages presents Effa Loves Baseball across two weekends from October 15-25, 2026 at Enlow Recital Hall. In this Liberty Live Commsion play, Effa Manley manages the Newark Eagles, a team she wants to take all the way to the Negro League World Series.

Effa battles the press, coaching staff, segregation, and sometimes herself to win at the business of the game she loves most of all. She doesn’t worry about what it will cost her, even if it’s everything. Effa Loves Baseball is about the first woman inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Directed by marcus d. harvey, the play was written by Pia Wilson.

Performances take place Thursday, October 15 at 7:30pm; Friday, October 16 at 7:30pm; Saturday, October 17 at 3:00pm & 7:30pm; Sunday, October 18 at 3:00pm; Thursday, October 22 at 10:30am; Friday, October 23 at 7:30pm; Saturday, October 24 at 3:00pm & 7:30pm; and Sunday, October 25 at 3:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online. Enlow Recital Hall is located at 215 North Avenue in Hillside, New Jersey.

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This program is made possible in part by a 2026 HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of County Commissioners.

The Creative Team includes: marcus d. harvey, Director; Frank D. Oliva, Set Designer; Niiamar Felder, Costume Designer; Zack Gage, Lighting Designer; Joanna Lynne Staub, Sound Designer; Ellie Sweeney, Props Master; Sanjana Taksar, Intimacy Choreographer; Mo Lehmberg, Scenic Artist; Judy Bowman Casting, CSA, Casting Director; Dale Smallwood, Production Stage Manager; and Roe Manzo, Assistant Stage Manager.

Premiere Stages is committed to producing topical plays and interactive programs that reflect people of all ethnic and racial backgrounds, national origins, nationalities, ancestry, religious groups, gender expression or identities, sexual orientation, political beliefs, ages, abilities and disabilities.

Created in 2004, Premiere Stages is the professional Equity theatre in residence at Kean University. Through its unique partnership with Kean, Premiere’s play development programs, educational initiatives, and professional development opportunities actively embrace the university's academic curriculum while expanding the scope, accessibility, and prestige of the professional programming on campus.

Kean University, New Jersey’s urban research university, is a national institution of higher education recognized for its diversity, innovation and the social mobility of its graduates. Designated an R2 research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, Kean ranks among the top eight percent of U.S. universities for research and doctorate production. Founded in 1855 as a teachers college, Kean has evolved into a thriving research university that supports students as they persist to graduation, give back to their communities and launch successful careers. Kean’s six colleges offer more than 50 undergraduate programs, seven doctoral degree programs and more than 70 options leading to master’s degrees, professional diplomas or certifications, across a full range of academic subjects. With campuses in Union, Toms River and Manahawkin, New Jersey, and Wenzhou, China, as well as Kean Online, the University provides students of all backgrounds an affordable and accessible world-class education.