Photo Coverage: Damn Yankees Opening Night NY City Center

On July 10th, 2008 the musical Damn Yankees, running at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues) officially opened.  Damn Yankees is directed by John Rando and has Music Direction by Rob Berman and the original Bob Fosse choreography recreated by Mary MacLeod. Damn Yankees has  music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross,  book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and is based on Wallop's novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant." It is the story of Joe Boyd (P. J. Benjamin), the ultimate baseball fan, who sells his soul to the Devil (Sean Hayes) for the chance to help his team win the pennant race against the Yankees.  The Devil is aided by the sexy Lola (Jane Krakowski), who seduces a now younger, physically transformed Joe (Cheyenne Jackson), but ultimately helps him outsmart the Devil and return to his beloved wife (Randy Graff).

Damn Yankees opened on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre on May 5, 1955, and ran for 1019 performances, winning four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Choreography (Bob Fosse), Best Actor (Ray Walton) and Best Actress (Gwen Verdon). Songs include "Heart" and "Whatever Lola Wants."

The complete cast is: Sean Hayes,Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson,Randy Graff, Michael Mulheren, Veanne Cox, P.J. Benjamin,Megan Lawrence,Robert Creighton,Jimmy Smagula, Kathy Fitzgerald,John Horton,John Selya, with Nathan Balser, David Baum, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Rachel Coloff, Anderson Davis, Marya Grandy,Shannon Lewis, Jay Lusteck, Pamela Otterson, Adam Perry, Karine Plantadit, T. Oliver Reid, Jon Rua,Stacey Sargeant, Alexander Scheitinger, Chandra Lee Schwartz, Baron Vaughn and Cody Ryan. Wise.

For more information please visit www.citycenter.org

Photo by Linda Lenzi

Curtain Call:

T. Oliver Reid, Cody Ryan Wise, Veanne Cox, Kathy Fitzgerald,Marya Grandy and Shannon Lewis

Michael Mulheren (Benny Van Buren), Megan Lawrence (Gloria Thorpe) and P.J. Benjamin (Joe Boyd)

Randy Graff (Meg Boyd) and Damn Yankees cast members

Cheyenne Jackson (Joe Hardy) and Damn Yankees cast members

Cheyenne Jackson and Damn Yankees cast members

Sean Hayes (Applegate) with Damn Yankees cast members

Jane Krakowski (Lola), Sean Hayes with Damn Yankees cast members

Megan Lawrence, P.J. Benjamin, Randy Graff, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes, Cheyenne Jackson and Robert Creighton

Michael Mulheren, Megan Lawrence, P.J. Benjamin,Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes and Robert Creighton

Pamela Otterson, Stacey Sargeant, Jay Lustek, Megan Lawrence, P.J. Benjamin,Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes, Cheyenne Jackson and Robert Creighton

Damn Yankees cast sings "Heart"
Kathy Fitzgerald, Pamela Otterson, Michael Mulheren, Stacey Sargeant, Megan Lawrence, P.J. Benjamin, Randy Graff, Marya Grandy, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes, Cheyenne Jackson, Shannon Lewis and Robert Creighton

P.J. Benjamin, Randy Graff, Marya Grandy, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes,Cheyenne Jackson and Shannon Lewis

P.J. Benjamin, Randy Graff, Marya Grandy, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes,Cheyenne Jackson, Shannon Lewis, Adam Perry, and Robert Creighton

Marya Grandy, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes,Cheyenne Jackson and Shannon Lewis

Marya Grandy, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes,Cheyenne Jackson and Shannon Lewis

Megan Lawrence, P.J. Benjamin, Randy Graff, Marya Grandy, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes, Cheyenne Jackson, Shannon Lewis, Jon Rua and Robert Creighton

Randy Graff, Marya Grandy, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes, Cheyenne Jackson, Shannon Lewis, Jon Rua and Robert Creighton

Kathy Fitzgerald, Pamela Otterson, Michael Mulheren, Stacey Sargeant, Megan Lawrence, P.J. Benjamin, Randy Graff, Marya Grandy, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes and Cheyenne Jackson

P.J. Bennett, Randy Graff, Marya Grandy, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Shannon Lewis, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes, Cheyenne Jackson, Shannon Lewis, Jon Rua and Robert Creighton

Jimmy Ray Bennett, Shannon Lewis,Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes and Cheyenne Jackson

P.J. Benjamin, Randy Graff, Jane Krakowski, Sean Hayes, Cheyenne Jackson and Robert Creighton

Jane Krakowski

After Party:

Rob Berman (Music Director and Conductor)

P.J. Benjamin (Joe Boyd)

Randy Graff (Meg Boyd)

Randy Graff

Sean Hayes (Applegate)

Sean Hayes

Sean Hayes

Jane Krakowski (Lola)

Jane Krakowski

Cheyenne Jackson (Joe Hardy)

Cheyenne Jackson

Cheyenne Jackson and Jane Krakowski

Cheyenne Jackson and Jane Krakowski

Megan Lawrence (Gloria Thorpe)

Shannon Bolin (The OBC, Meg Boyd) and Rae Allen (The OBC, Gloria Thorpe)

Shannon Bolin, Bob Fosse's daughter Nicole Fosse and her children

Rob Berman and Shannon Bolin

Tina Fey (NBC's 30 Rock)

John Seyla (Eddie/Mambo Dancer), T. Oliver Reid (Linville/Postmaster/Ensemble) and Anderson Davis (Ensemble)

Pamela Otterson (Ensemble), Alexander Scheitinger (Ensemble), Rachel Coloff (Miss Western/Ensemble) and Cody Ryan Wise (Ensemble)

Jay Lusteck (Lynch), David Baum (Ensemble), Jon Rua (Ensemble) and Adam Perry (Ensemble)

Veanne Cox (Sister) and Kathy Fitzgerald (Doris Miller)

Veanne Cox, Cheyenne Jackson and Kathy Fitzgerald

Jimmy Ray Bennett (Sohovik), Robert Creighton (Smoky), Jimmy Smagula (Rocky) and Michael Mulheren (Benny Van Buren)

Karine Plantadit (Ensemble) and Stacey Sargeant (Ensemble)

Shannon Lewis (Ensemble/Dance Captain) and Marya Grandy (Ensemble)