Joan Joyce is considered by many to be the Greatest Female Athlete in Sports History. Joan began her incredible softball and basketball career at the tender age of 13. Inducted into an amazing 21 Halls of Fame, Joan starred at a very high level in Softball, Basketball, “Power” Volleyball, Golf, and Bowling. Joan was a referee (34 years), University Golf Coach (18 years), successful FAU Head Softball Coach (nearly 30 years), and overall coach for over 60 years!
She struck out Ted Williams (several occasions), Hank Aaron, and other MLB greats. Her professional golf record of 17 putts in one round, set a ladies’ and men’s professional record - and has not been broken in over 40 years!
There will always be athletes who excel in a particular sport, but there will never be another Joan Joyce!
Step up to the plate and read about Joan Joyce, the greatest of them all!
Keely
Knudsen
Keely Baisden Knudsen has performed internationally in plays, musicals, operas, and dance companies and has choreographed and directed hundreds of events and theatrical productions. She is a composer/lyricist often engrossed in the undertaking of new plays and musicals. Her authorship includes book and lyrics on Ladies M, Joan Joyce: the Musical! (co-author), and adaptations with original music for A Christmas Carol: a holiday tradition, Peter and Wendy, and The Tales of Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh. Kendall-Hunt has published two editions of her text Monologue Book for All Ages... with Pointers! She graduated first in her class with a BFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and receiving a Masters in Drama on full scholarship from The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of The Legacy Theatre, (www.LegacyTheatreCT.org) which produces professional runs of shows per season, with classes and one-off productions throughout the year. Her production company, Rewls Productions, actively seeks works to produce in theaters in NYC and beyond. For more information on Joan Joyce: the Musical, email Info@LegacyTheatreCT.org
Tony
Renzoni
Tony Renzoni is the author of the well-received books Connecticut Rock ’n’ Roll: A History, Connecticut Softball Legend Joan Joyce, Connecticut Bootlegger Queen Nellie Green, Historic Connecticut Music Venues: From the Coliseum to the Shaboo, and Connecticut’s Girls of Summer: the Brakettes and the Falcons.
Tony had a thirty-eight-year career with the federal government. As district manager in Connecticut’s Fairfield County, he oversaw the operations of four field offices, serving over 100,000 beneficiaries. He wrote over one thousand weekly columns that were published in the Connecticut Post newspaper and on the paper’s website. Tony was a recipient of more than forty awards, including his agency’s highest honor award.
Renzoni serves as a consultant for the hit Joan Joyce Musical, which is based on his book Connecticut Softball Legend Joan Joyce.
A lifelong resident of Connecticut, Tony is a graduate of Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury and Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.
Lauren Salatto-Rosenay
Lauren Salatto-Rosenay has loved telling stories and bringing them to life for as long as she can remember. She fell in love with theater at a young age and enjoys being involved in the performing arts whether that be as a performer, stage manager, director, set designer, playwright, working on the administrative side, or as a theater critic with the CT Critics Circle. Lauren graduated from Quinnipiac University (summa cum laude) in 2020 with a dual degree in Theater and Media Studies. She also graduated from Albany Law School (summa cum laude) in 2023 with a concentration in Intellectual Property law. Prior to law school, Lauren worked for the Legacy Theatre in Branford, CT as their Company Manager. While at the Legacy Theatre, Lauren co-wrote “Joan Joyce! The Musical,” a hit musical about the greatest female athlete of all time. Lauren hopes that this children’s book inspires many young people, especially young women, that anything is possible and that they can achieve anything they set their mind to.