A new Black theater is premiering their first show this week.
The Indianapolis Black Theatre Company (IBTC), which premiers its first show of its inaugural season “Toni Stone” Sept. 19-Oct. 6, is here to create sustainable theater for the Black community.
Operating out of the District Theatre, The Indianapolis Black Theatre Company aims to not only be a space to support Black actors but offer training and economic structure for Black theater professionals — including directors, playwrights, lighting and sound technicians while creating sustainability and working closely with other local organizations.
“There needed to be an organization that could help with training and support and providing economic structure for people who wanted to do this professionally … but it was exclusively focused on the Black community,” founding artistic director Ben Rose said. “In order for us to grow this whole scene, there are several different theater companies and cultural arts organizations that need to work together to create that scene.”
“Toni Stone” follows the life and legacy of the legendary Hoosier Toni Stone, who was the first woman to play professional baseball in the men’s major league and the first Black woman to play for the Indianapolis Clowns, a Negro American League team. The play, which was written by Lydia Diamond and first premiered Off-Broadway in 2019, is based on the book “Curveball, The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone” by Martha Ackmann.
Rose said a friend of his introduced him to the play and Stone’s story caught his attention as one he wanted to tell on the IBTC stage.
“It just feels really good to be able to do something that’s about our hometown and present that to the community,” Rose said. “So, it was kind of a no-brainer once I read it; it has some relevance to our community, (and) it just makes sense to push forward with it.”
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At its heart, “Toni Stone” is a hometown show, which makes it an ideal choice for their inaugural show, Rose said. Stone broke barriers for women in the professional league at a personal cost — she was not welcome by the white community or many of the men on her team, and her personal relationships also caused problems.
However, she was able to overcome those things and triumph.
“The shadow of white supremacy is still very much prevalent,” Rose said. “It’s just not talked about as much because people don’t necessarily see (it in) the arts, they see it as a place where people all get along and are happy, but there are barriers there, and so IBTC is looking to create sustainability.”
“Toni Stone” and the official launch of the Indianapolis Black Theatre Company has been in the works since November 2023, Rose said. Since gaining funding, they have been building the infrastructure needed for a sustainable theater organization, such as getting a website up and running, organizing their 2025 season and preparing to announce a playwriting competition. Earlier this year, IBTC tested the possibility of touring shows around the state with a “cold production” of “Platanos y Collard Greens.”
“Toni Stone” premieres on The District Theatre’s Mainstage Sept. 19-Oct. 6. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased at indyblacktheater.org. The show contains adult language and content and is recommended for audiences 16 years and older. For more information and showtimes, visit indydistricttheatre.org.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
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