Tony-nominated actor Derek Klena has traded Broadway for the Savannah Bananas, a barnstorming baseball club that fuses choreography with curveballs. Klena, known for roles in "Moulin Rouge!" and "Dogfight," made his debut in February with a choreographed sing-and-dance entrance before taking the mound. His fastball still clocks in the 80s.

The Bananas have built a cultural phenomenon around 11.5 million TikTok followers and a fan-first model that sells out stadiums traditional baseball has struggled to fill. Pasek and Paul, the songwriting duo behind "La La Land," connected Klena with Bananas founder Jesse Cole, calling it "your Troy moment" — merging two passions on a national stage.

Klena's role costs him nothing in money but demands everything in time. He'll audition for theater roles during the demanding baseball schedule. The Bananas operate like an SNL production, with 30 to 40 percent of skits refreshed each weekend. When Klena sauntered from the outfield to "Shut Up and Dance" at his debut, the merger of Broadway and baseball was complete.