Shadowball is a jazz opera with music composed by renowned British jazz pianist Julian Joseph and a libretto by British-Guyanan writer Mike Phillips.

"'Shadow Ball' refers to a common pre-game feature during which Negro League players warmed up by staging mock games with an imaginary ball. Though unintended, this pantomime was an apt metaphor for the exclusion of black people from Major League play in America for over 60 years. Using the stories of Black Baseball players in the 1930s-40s, and their jazz compatriots who often suffered similar racial prejudice, Shadowball is designed to inspire young people to achieve despite the odds."

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