The California Theater Center of Sunnyvale performed a play called, “The Most Valuable Player”at Skyline’s performing theatre on Tuesday.

Based on a true story Jackie Robinson was the first person to break the color barrier in the National Baseball League.

The play chronicled the difficulties he faced during a time were segregation and racial tension when concerns for team sports.

Actor Donnie Hill who plays Jackie Robinson, escorts the audience with his smile when everything seems to be going his way, and sometimes tearful when other players taunt and frustrate him.

The show opened with Robinson learning lessons from his coaches on gaining the self-confidence and courage to play baseball.

Children from all over the peninsula were very responsive, especially when Robinson handled each situation of segregation in a mannerly way.

There were moments of silence and tense anticipation when the audience wondered whether he could hold his cool any longer. A very funny part of the play was the Montreal scene: Instead of the norm of being kicked out of the restaurant, the overly flirty waitress (played by Sarah Ondocsin) made all the kids in the audience laugh.

Manager Ben Brotzman of the California Theater Center said, “It’s really an important story to tell that never goes out of style because in this day and age, while on the outskirts, (it) looks like the race relations have gotten a lot better.

“They’re still not totally better everywhere, and we like to show how important it is for the distance we have traveled.”

The auditorium was almost filled to capacity and performed live to children from all over the peninsula. The schools represented were Cabrillo School and Ocean Shore from Pacifica, San Carlos Charter Learning Center, Saint Robert’s from San Bruno and Notre Dame from Belmont.

The California Theater Center play “The Most Valuable Player” will be performed in Sunnyvale, March 12, 2011 More information can be found on their website at www.ctcinc.org