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

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

Also featured on the team are: Ray DeMattis (Van Buren) whose credits include: Little Shop of Horrors (Mushnik), City of Angels (Buddy/Irwin) and Grease (Roger). Susan Mosher (Sister) was last seen at Paper Mill Playhouse in Hairspray. Mosher was also featured in the Broadway productions of Hairspray and SUDS. Jill Abramovitz (Doris) appeared on Broadway in 9 to 5 (Kathy) and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me. Steve Czarnecki (Rocky) was featured regionally in Beauty and the Beast (Beast), Altar Boyz (Abraham) and Julius Caesar (Marc Anthony). Gary Lynch (Welch) was seen on Broadway in Les Miserables (Javert/Provaire) and a played Sam in the national tour of Mamma Mia. Mike Cannon (Smokey) appeared on Broadway in A Chorus Line (Al), West Side Story (Snowboy), The Addams Family and All Shook Up.

Rounding out the ensemble are: Giovanni Bonaventura, Grady McLeod Bowman, Scott Brateng, Dick Decareau, Taurean Everett, Justin Henry, Corey Hummerston, Robin Lounsbury, Robbie Roby, Ryan Steer, Lauren Elaine Taylor, Vaden Thurgood and Anna Aimee White.

Damn Yankees is directed by Paper Mill Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Mark S. Hoebee and musical directed by Ben Whiteley. On Broadway, Mark directed the Actors Fund Benefit concert of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which starred Emily Skinner, Terrence Mann and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson. He has directed National Tours of Victor/Victoria starring Grammy winner Toni Tennille, Dreamgirls starring Frenchie Davis, Company and Almost Like Being in Love: An Evening of Lerner and Lowe starring Diahann Carroll. Among his directing credits at Paper Mill are Dreamgirls, Hello Dolly! starring Tovah Feldshuh, Harold and Maude: The Musical with Estelle Parsons, The Will Rogers Follies, The King & I, Miss Saigon, Disney's High School Musical, Peter Pan, Smokey Joe's Café, Curtains and The Full Monty starring Broadway legend Elaine Stritch. Under his leadership, and working alongside Cameron Mackintosh, Paper Mill launched the American Premiere of the 25th Anniversary production of Les Misérables, which is now touring the nation, and this fall, in collaboration with Disney Theatrical Productions, was home to the premiere of the new Alan Menken/Harvey Fierstein musical, Newsies which opens on Broadway in March. Mark has performed in more than ten Broadway and National tour productions and has served as an Adjunct Professor in the Dance and Theatre Department at his alma mater Northwestern University.

Choreographer Denis Jones returns to Paper Mill Playhouse, where he last choreographed Smokey Joe's Cafe, featuring Felicia Finley. Mr. Jones also choreographed Paper Mill's productions of Disney High School Musical and Meet Me in St. Louis. He served as Dance Coach/Associate Choreographer on the MTV reality series 'Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods'. Mr. Jones choreographed Broadway's The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; A Wonderful Life; On the Twentieth Century; and the national tour of Legends starring Joan Collins and Linda Evans. He served as the Director of Broadway Bares from 2005 to 2007 and was the Associate Choreographer to Jerry Mitchell for Broadway's Legally Blonde and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. His Broadway performance credits include Grease; Chicago; Little Me; The Full Monty; and Never Gonna Dance.

The design team includes: scenic design by Rob Bissinger (Spider Man Turn Off the Dark), costumes by Alejo Vietti (Jersey Boys, Julius Caesar), lighting design by Tom Sturge (Those Were the Days, Gypsy, Passion), hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe (Bonnie and Clyde, Memphis), and sound design by Randy Hansen. The production stage manager is Kathy J. Faul.

Paper Mill Playhouse, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country's leading regional theaters. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.