local theater is serving up a new play about a groundbreaking athlete and champion of gender equality.

Tennis icon Billie Jean King's life and career are the subject of a new production at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

The Play takes King's life from the court to the state, telling her journey in becoming a grand slam champion and fighter for gender equality while in during her own personal struggles.

Here's mark the tally with the story.

>> You know, Billie Jean King, the American tennis icon with 39 grand slam titles who also became a household name in the fight for gender equality.

Now she's making a return not to center court, but the center stage in a new play about her life.

It's called Billy Jean and it's playing at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

>> It's very appropriately certain here and Shakespearean in the size and scope of the story and of, you know, her in such a hero has been the play takes audiences through various chapters in Philly, Jean's life.

>> Starting from her days as an enthusiastic kid, finding inspiration on a tennis court to dominating singles and doubles matches at Wimbledon and winning the 1973 battle of the sexes against Bobby Riggs to portray the sport on stage lead actress Shalina Kennedy had some large tennis shoes to fill.

>> This is going very particular serve in a very particular aggressive style.

And she's got a very famous back and and so I felt it was really important to sort of to get the physicality that and especially with this unique way train tenants on say just not liberal tenets are not releasing rackets and but you are seeing.

>> Our body somewhere between dance and movement in tennis.

training the game and change their style.

So I really want to get that right.

>> The play also covers the rise and fall of Billie Jeans, relationships with both platonic and romantic partners and with herself turning love into more than just a score on the court.

>> It's a love story with her partner, Alana, but it's also a story about the love of community, the love of athletics.

The love women playing a game.

The love of tennis say yes.

It's a story about sports.

Yes, it is a story about a great Cingular, a achiever, but she's the first one to say this is It's not me.

>> Actress and comedian Lily Tomlin part of the team that developed the She said her role is to protect feminist history, but I didn't have to do They got it Although Tomlin doesn't personally.

No.

Billy Jean very well.

She says the Tennis Legends Life Story offers something for everyone.

don't have to be sports fan to our Natalie.

>> To appreciate Glen Jean.

she she just did everything she if you If you if you ever been underestimated.

Well or dismissed.

told the stand your own lane.

You can really to build a chain.

>> Let's give them a show.

A Chicago tonight.

This is market Ali.

>> Billie Jean King has lived in Chicago for at least part of the year for decades.

Billie Jean plays at Chicago,