During the 1950's, three of baseball's greatest centerfielders, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider, battled for supremecy in New York sporting history. A world premiere doo-wop musical willie, mickey & the duke celebrates the three Hall of Famers with a nostalgic story of five kids growing up in 1956's Queens.

California Repertory Company will premiere the musical Nov. 1-23 at Long Beach's Edison Theatre. Joanne Gordon directs.

With music by Matt Vinson and lyrics by Howard Burman, willie, mickey & the duke takes place after the high school graduation of the five character cast, made up of four boys and a girl. The boys are all members of the same stickball team with three particularly mirroring the personalities of their heroes, the New York Giants' Mays, the New York Yankees' Mantle and the Brooklyn Dodger's Snider. All sung a cappella in doo-wop style, the songs in the score include "I Saw It on the Radio," "Steps of Love," "Marilyn," "Here's to Those," "Blue Flame Roadster," "Playing Catch With My Dad" and "Lies."

The cast of willie, mickey & the duke is Kelly Hinman, Heidi Godt, Jay Wallace, Wilson Bell and Wesley Hunt.

Tickets are $20. The Edison Theatre is located at 213 Broadway in downtown Long Beach. For reservations, call (562) 432-1818. — By Christine Ehren