Actress and musician Andy Allo (“Upload”) has signed on to star in writer-producer-showrunner Mike Flynn’s upcoming limited series “The Eagles of Newark.” Anya Adams (“North of North,” “Yellowjackets”) will direct the series, which comes from Alcon Television Group and is adapted from the non-fiction book “Queen of the Negro Leagues: Effa Manley and the Newark Eagles,” written by James Overmyer.
Allo will play Effa Manley, a trailblazing civil rights activist and the only woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. According to a press release, the series chronicles “the dramatic efforts of Effa and her husband Abe as they embark upon a risky business venture—starting their own ball club in the raucous world of the Negro Baseball Leagues. Effa Manley, in addition to serving as the team’s business manager, was a formidable social rights advocate whose impact extended far beyond baseball.”
Alcon plans to shop the show to outlets shortly.
“Effa Manley was a groundbreaking figure whose contributions to both baseball and civil rights history deserve to be told,” said Alcon Television Group co-founders and co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. “With Mike Flynn at the helm and Andy Allo bringing Effa’s story to life, we are more excited than ever to share this important piece of history.”
Flynn’s credits include “East New York,” “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” and “Queen Sugar.” Besides “Upload,” Allo’s resume includes “Chicago Fire.”
“Being attached to this project was a no-brainer for me,” Allo added. “Effa Manley had such a historical impact in the business of sports, and was a bold champion for equity for Black Americans and Black athletes. I’m honored and humbled to bring her story to life so audiences can learn about her legacy. Portraying Effa is truly the role of a lifetime.”
Allo, Flynn and Adams will executive produce “The Eagles of Newark” along with Byron Motley, Jeffrey Miiller, Josh Green and TwentyFive8’s Caleeb Pinkett. Ben Roberts of Alcon Television Group secured the rights and will executive produce with Kosove and Johnson. Ben Cook will produce.
Adams, Green, Motley, and Miiller are repped by Gersh; Adams is also repped by 3 Arts and Ginsburg Daniels LLP. Flynn is repped by Gersh and Circle Management + Production. Allo is repped by Verve and Zero Gravity Management.
