Howard McGillin, Chryssie Whitehead, Christopher Charles Wood to Lead Paper Mill's DAMN YANKEES

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Paper Mill Playhouse has just announced casting for Damn Yankees, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by Denis Jones. The cast features Howard McGillin (Applegate), Chryssie Whitehead (Lola), Christopher Charles Wood (Joe Hardy), Joseph Kolinski (Joe Boyd), Patti Cohenour (Meg Boyd) and Nancy Anderson (Gloria Thorpe). Damn Yankees begins performances on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, and runs at the Millburn, New Jersey theater through Sunday, April 1, 2012.

The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, March 11, 2012.

Winner of eleven Tony® Awards including Best Musical and Best Choreography, Damn Yankees is sure to be a homerun hit. With a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, this classic musical will have fans on The Edge of their seats as they enjoy hit favorites like "Whatever Lola Wants," "Heart" and "Six Months Out of Every Year."

When a devilish dealmaker offers Joe Boyd the chance to take his beloved Washington Senators to victory over the "damn Yankees" in return for his soul, Joe takes it. But as the Senators' stats soar, Joe realizes he's losing his wife and looks for a loophole. Enter sizzling-hot temptress Lola, a charter member of the Home-wreckers Hall of Fame. Who will win? We're not telling!

Damn Yankees will be performed eight times a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Single tickets are on sale from $25. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973-376-4343 , at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.papermill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted. Groups of ten or more can receive up to a 25% discount on tickets and should call 973-315-1680 . Damn Yankees is generously supported by a gift from Allen and Joan Bildner. Damn Yankees is a co-production with Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre.

Paper Mill Playhouse drafted a brilliant team of star players for Damn Yankees including Howard McGillin (Applegate). This Tony-nominated actor is best known for his record-setting run as The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. McGillin has worked extensively in the theater as well as in film and television. He had starring roles on Broadway and in London's West End in: Mack and Mabel, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, She Loves Me, The Secret Garden, Anything Goes (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), The Mystery of Edwin Drood with the NY Shakespeare Festival (Tony and Drama Desk nominations, Theatre World Award), and Sunday in the Park with George. This will be Mr. McGillin's Paper Mill Playhouse debut. Chryssie Whitehead (Lola) will also be making her Paper Mill Playhouse debuT. Whitehead starred in the recent Broadway revival of A Chorus Line (Kristine) and the New York Philharmonic's Company (Kathy)-as well as numerous television appearances including "Two-and-a-Half Men," "Man Up" and "Grey's Anatomy." Christopher Charles Wood (Joe Hardy) was recently seen in the national tour of Spring Awakening (Melchior). His many regional roles include The Little Mermaid (Prince Eric) and Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd). Joseph Kolinski (Joe Boyd) returns to Paper Mill Playhouse after a successful Broadway run in Follies. Kolinski has opened original Broadway productions of Les Miserables, Titanic (Andrews/Guggenheim), and A Christmas Carol (Mr. Smythe). At Paper Mill Playhouse, Kolinski was featured in Oklahoma! Patti Cohenour (Meg Boyd) created the roles of Signora Naccarelli in Lincoln Center's The Light in the Piazza, Mother Abbess in the revival of The Sound of Music and Christine in The Phantom of the Opera. Nancy Anderson (Gloria Thorpe) received rave reviews as the title character in Paper Mill Playhouse's recent revival of Peter Pan. Anderson made her Broadway debut as Mona in A Class Act and played the roles of Helen and Eileen in the Broadway revival of Wonderful Town