About the Album: The old Faustian legend about the man who sells his soul to the Devil in order to regain youth and good looks received a clever updating in this whimsical musical, which took the tale and squarely set it against the background of America's favorite pastime, baseball. As reconceived by Douglas Wallop and George Abbott, Damn Yankees, based on Mr. Wallop's novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant," transplanted Faust into middle-America and gave him the name Joe Boyd. After he makes a pact with the Devil, a businessman more prosaically named Mr. Applegate, Boyd becomes "Shoeless" Joe Hardy, a hard-hitter, who takes the Washington Senators, his favorite team (and perpetual losers), all the way to the finals of the American League game, where they face those "damn Yankees." But this being a musical, set in America, there is a happy ending to the story: in spite of Mr. Applegate, and his assistant, the sultry Lola, Joe Hardy invokes the "escape clause" he and the Devil had agreed on initially, and at the last minute, just before curtain time, returns to his loving wife as Joe Boyd, serene in the knowledge that it was he who helped the Senators win the Pennant. A multiple Tony Award-winner (including for Best Musical) in 1956, Damn Yankees ran for 1,019 performances (a rarity at the time), and made a star of Gwen Verdon, playing Lola, whose siren song, "Whatever Lola Wants," became a huge popular hit. Virtually intact, and with only one major cast change (Tab Hunter replacing Stephen Douglass as Joe Hardy), the show was transferred to the screen in 1958, in a splashy screen transfer that retained all the flavor and guile of the original. After extensive revisions, in 1994 it was revived on Broadway, with Bebe Neuwirth as Lola and Victor Garber as Mr. Applegate, where it enjoyed a successful run, before going on the road, with Jerry Lewis, billed above the title, taking over as the Devil. Of the three recordings available, the first Broadway cast offers the original stars (Gwen Verdon, Stephen Douglass, and Ray Walston as Mr. Applegate) in a spirited rendition which has all the freshness and excitement usually experienced when a show first hits Broadway. Its only drawback (if that's the word!) is that it is in mono sound, since stereo didn't become an industry standard until later that year. The soundtrack album, available for the first time in stereo in this CD version, is almost identical to the Broadway cast album, but offers, in addition to the cast change noted above, and Ray Heindorf's flavorful orchestrations, longer versions of some of the songs, as well as better polished performances overall. The 1994 Broadway cast album, with its abundance of new selections, and dynamic renditions of the songs by Bebe Neuwirth, Victor Garber, and the other members of the cast, is as good a recording as can be gotten. It has the vibrancy, the fun, and the excitement one usually expects in that kind of production, and its sound quality is up to the latest standards.
Label: RCA
Winners Announced For The 2024 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Awards
by BWW Awards
- January 17, 2025
Winners have been announced for the 2024 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Awards! The 2024 Regional Awards honor regional productions, touring shows, and more which had their first performance between October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024.
Review: DAMN YANKEES at Reboot Theatre Company
by Jay Irwin
- September 07, 2024
Dear Readers, if you’ve seen a show from Reboot Theatre Company, you know they like to tackle old gems and turn them on their heads with non-traditional casting and perspectives. And just like when companies attempt to transplant Shakespeare or other works into different locales or time periods, sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. The major test on whether it works, for me at least, is “does the change lend itself to a new an interesting perspective of the piece?” Fortunately, Reboot’s current production of “Damn Yankees” does give us a new and interesting perspective. Unfortunately, the execution of that perspective needs some work.
Exclusive: Oh My Pod U Guys- Stephen Mark Lukas Laid a Blue Marble Egg
by Jayke Workman
- July 21, 2024
In this video, I am joined by Broadway performer Stephen Mark Lukas! Stephen is currently playing Nick Arnstein on the 1st National Tour of Funny Girl, after previously understudying the role on Broadway, playing opposite Julie Benko and Lea Michele.
Halloween Cabaret GHOULS NIGHT OUT to be Presented at St. John's UCC
by Chloe Rabinowitz
- October 11, 2023
Join Star of the Day for a spooktacular Halloween cabaret in Emmaus, PA. Enjoy an evening of songs sung by witches, villains, and vixens from stage and screen. Don't miss this musical magic featuring The Divas! and special guests. Get your tickets now!
Exclusive: Oh My Pod U Guys- Liz Larsen Is A Cadillac
by Jayke Workman
- August 13, 2023
U Guys, this week's BroadwayWorld recap contains some very exciting casting news! Then I am joined by Tony-nominated actress, Liz Larsen, as she shares some incredible stories from throughout her Broadway career. Liz has countless Broadway credits, including Fiddler On The Roof, Damn Yankees, Beautiful, Rocky Horror, Hairspray, and of course her Tony nominated performance as Cleo in The Most Happy Fella.
WEST SIDE STORY & More Lead Chicago's June 2023 Top Picks
by BWW Staff
- May 31, 2023
Chicago is never lacking outstanding theatre, whether epic Broadway shows, engrossing dramas or bold fringe offerings. BroadwayWorld is rounding up our top recommended theatre every month. June 2023's top picks include Damn Yankees, West Side Story and more!
Exclusive: Oh My Pod U Guys- Emma Pittman Is On A Billboard In Times Square
by Jayke Workman
- May 21, 2023
This week, Jayke is joined by Broadway performer Emma Pittman to talk all things Chicago The Musical! Emma shares her experience winning 'The Search For Roxie' and her road to playing Roxie Hart, as well as joining the ensemble of the show. She also talks about her upcoming Broadway show, Back To The Future, and being an ally to the queer community.
DAMN YANKEES & More Lead Chicago's May 2023 Top Picks
by BWW Staff
- April 25, 2023
Chicago is never lacking outstanding theatre, whether epic Broadway shows, engrossing dramas or bold fringe offerings. BroadwayWorld is rounding up our top recommended theatre every month. May 2023's top picks include Damn Yankees, Into the Woods, Aladdin and more!
Review: DAMN YANKEES at Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire
by Tina St. Angelo Wetzel
- April 20, 2023
The new production at Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire is Damn Yankees, a truly classic old time big Broadway musical. With a book by George Abbott (died at age 107) and Douglass Wallop and one of the great scores by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross (died at the young age of 29), this has always been an underrated musical.
Winners Announced For The 2022 BroadwayWorld Baltimore Awards
by BWW Awards
- January 18, 2023
The winners have been announced for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Baltimore Awards, honoring the best in regional productions, touring shows, and more which had their first performance between October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.
Review: Musical Theatre West Hits Another Grand Slam with Fun-Filled DAMN YANKEES
by Michael Quintos
- October 21, 2022
A truly fun-filled, ecstatically-performed iteration of this classic musical, MTW's Broadway-caliber production (now on stage at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center through October 30) is a definite must-see. The production's trio of terrific leads---Lesli Margherita, Jeff Skowron, and James Olivas---are themselves reason enough to see it.
Photos: The Stars of DAMN YANKEES At Musical Theatre West Hit the Red Carpet
by A.A. Cristi
- October 18, 2022
Batter up! Baseball is back, and so is the latest production from Musical Theatre West. Long Beach's premier theatre company presents the seven-time Tony award-winning musical Damn Yankees to its stage for select nights, running through October 30th. See photos from the opening night red carpet!
Photos: Lesli Margherita and More Star In DAMN YANKEES At Musical Theatre West
by A.A. Cristi
- October 18, 2022
Batter up! Baseball is back, and so is the latest production from Musical Theatre West. Long Beach's premier theatre company presents the seven-time Tony award-winning musical Damn Yankees to its stage for select nights, running through October 30th. See photos from the production!
Long Beach's Musical Theatre West Presents DAMN YANKEES
by Stephi Wild
- October 11, 2022
Enjoy a devilish twist on America's favorite pastime this October! Musical Theatre West's (MTW) production of Damn Yankees will take audiences through a Faustian fun-fest that celebrates love, baseball, and the importance of an escape clause.
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