Applauded for its complex treatment of professional sports and homosexuality, Richard Greenberg’s Take Me Out is a riveting drama driven by the love of baseball. Center fielder Darren Lemming, the star player of the Empires, has seemed to have a charmed life. Unexpectedly, he publicly announces that he is gay--and turns the world of baseball on its head. As Darren’s teammates and fans navigate this new revelation against their preconceived notions of athletics and masculinity, relief pitcher Shane Mungitt is plucked from the Minor Leagues to join the team. All seems fine--until Shane’s racist and homophobic television interview. Now, the Empires must confront their own biases, and Darren (who has always wanted to be envied by others) must deal with the loss of his god-like status. Shane returns to the team for one fateful, tragic pitch, and the world of baseball will never be the same.
Take Me Out guide sections