- - Broadway Star Derek Klena Joins the Savannah Bananas, the Viral Baseball Team Taking Over TikTok

Dave QuinnJanuary 1, 2026 at 12:45 AM

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Clay Rice-Thomson | @clayricethomson

Derek Klena -

Tony-nominated actor Derek Klena is joining the Savannah Bananas, a viral baseball team known for its theatrical games

Klena announced the news with a music video featuring a reimagined version of "Go the Distance" from Disney’s Hercules

The Savannah Bananas blend baseball with entertainment, drawing comparisons to the Harlem Globetrotters and millions of online fans

Broadway favorite Derek Klena is stepping into a very different spotlight.

The Tony-nominated star, 34, has joined the Savannah Bananas, the breakout baseball team at the center of the fast-growing Banana Ball exhibition league, which blends athletic competition with full-scale entertainment.

Klena — best known to theatergoers for leading roles in Jagged Little Pill, Dogfight, Anastasia, Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Wicked — announced the news on social media with a characteristically theatrical flourish, sharing a music video to Instagram on Monday, Dec. 29 as a joint collaboration with the team.

Bruce Glikas/Getty

Derek Klena in November 2025 at the opening night of Broadway's 'The Queen of Versailles' in New York City

In the clip, the actor performs a cover of "Go the Distance" from Disney’s Hercules, but with lyrics that marks his journey from the theater to the sport.

"I will find my way, I can go the distance / I’ve embraced the stage but that’s not all I know," he sings. "And though every mile has been worth my while / I would go most anywhere to find the greatest show."

After discovering a bright yellow baseball branded with the Bananas logo in his bag, Klena soon emerges on the field in full Savannah Bananas gear, proclaiming in song that "destiny and fate have led me right where I belong."

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According to the video, Klena has a background in baseball, having played it as a kid.

His path to Broadway began in New York’s Off-Broadway scene, where he emerged as a standout in the 2012 revival of Carrie. That performance quickly put him on the radar of acclaimed songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who cast him as the romantic lead in Dogfight.

He soon made the leap to Broadway, joining the 10th anniversary company of Wicked as Fiyero before originating the role of Michael in Jason Robert Brown’s The Bridges of Madison County. In addition to his stage work, Klena has appeared on television series including Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Quantico, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Blue Bloods, Law & Order: SVU and The Carrie Diaries.

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Derek Klena attends Variety's 'The Business of Broadway' event at The Pool on Oct. 2, 2023 in New York City

Klena's background in performance will surely come in handy in his new venture.

The Savannah Bananas are the flagship team of Banana Ball, a league founded in 2023 that reimagines baseball as a high-energy, fan-first spectacle.

Games feature choreographed dance numbers, playful rule changes, elaborate walk-up routines and constant audience interaction—often drawing comparisons to the Harlem Globetrotters, but with baseball bats instead of basketballs.

Designed with short attention spans and viral moments in mind, Banana Ball has found a massive following online, with TikTok and Instagram clips regularly racking up millions of views. What began with the Savannah Bananas has since expanded into a six-team league, including rivals like the Party Animals, turning the once-quirky experiment into a full-scale touring phenomenon.

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The Bananas, based in Savannah, Georgia, routinely sell out stadiums across the country, drawing crowds that include die-hard baseball fans, families and first-timers curious about the showmanship. Their games prioritize pace and entertainment, with no bunting, no mound visits and (best of all) a two-hour time limit.

Banana Ball’s preseason begins February 26, with the regular season kicking off April 16. For ticket information, visit the team's website.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”