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A CurtainUp New Jersey Review
Damn Yankees
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You've gotta have heart All you really need is heart When the odds are sayin' you'll never win That's when the grin should start —The Ballplayers |
Nancy Anderson (Center) and the Washington Senators.
(Photo: Ken Jacques) |
Director Mark S. Hoebee can be credited for this slick and fast-paced production featuring a splendid company none of whom would be considered bench warmers. The cast enthusiastically energizes, as it should, every musical number in the Richard Adler and Jerry Ross’s score — not just “Whatever Lola Wants,” and “You Gotta Have) Heart.” Faustian overtones provide the gimmick in the story about an avid baseball fan who will do anything to help his favorite team the Washington Senators whip the Yankees.
In this lively and sentimental song-and-dance musical we follow the transformation of paunchy, middle-aged Joe Boyd (a wonderful performance by Joseph Kolinski) into the world’s greatest ballplayer Joe Hardy (the terrifically talented, good-looking and personable Christopher Charles Wood.) Making his Paper Mill debut, Wood recently portrayed Melchior in the national tour of Spring Awakening. He hits a home run midway through the show with a beautifully sung “A Man Doesn’t Know.” From there on he easily proves that he is the most valuable player on the team with his splendid singing, dancing and acting.
For the privilege of becoming the most valuable player for the Senators (as the story goes), Joe agrees to sell his soul to the Devil a.k.a. Applegate (an excellent Howard McGillin.) A Broadway veteran (Tony nominations for both The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the 1987 Lincoln Center revival of Anything Goes) McGillin has also chalked up a record number 2,544 performances as title character in The Phantom of the Opera.) He brings a breezily debonair attitude to his pivotal role and evokes demonic aplomb with a casual elegance, especially in his vaudeville-styled pastiche “Those Were the Good Old Days.”
Choreographer Denis Jones’s baseball team dances athletically. Although Damn Yankees is one of legendary choreographer Bob Fosse’s signature works, Jones’ fresh designs serve the show without being show-offy. All the macho/comical ballplayers earn the cheers they get. Although some of us remember that the role of Lola, the Devil’s temptress, provided the great Gwen Verdon with her first starring role, the audience at the Paper Mill responded enthusiastically to tall and slinky Chryssie Whitehead’s saucy and sassy interpretations of “A Little Brains, A Little Talent” and “Whatever Lola Wants.” She is at her most winning, however, in the duet “Two Lost Souls,” in which she is superbly partnered by Wood in this Fred and Ginger-styled eleven o’clock number.
Forever radiant is Patti Cohenour (another Edwin Drood and Phantom veteran ) as Meg Boyd, and the always effervescent Nancy Anderson, as Gloria, the aggressive news reporter (especially in the locker room). They bring their pleasurable personalities to the fore. Ray DeMattis gets the required laughs as the Senators’ high-strung manager.
The settings have been smartly and unpretentiously designed by Rob Bigginger. The costumes by Alejo Vietti evoke a tongue-in-cheek admiration for the late 50’s era, especially the women’s brightly patterned crinolines. Whether it’s tongue-in-cheek or bat-in-hand, Damn Yankees remains one of the most memorable and enjoyable musicals of its era.
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Damn Yankees Lyrics and Music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross Book by George Abbott and Doublass Wallop (based on the novel by Douglass Wallop The Year The Yankees Lost The Pennant Directed by Mark s. Hoebee Principal Cast: Joesph Kolinski (Joe Boyd) Patti Cohenour (Meg Boyd), Howard McGillin (Applegate), Susan Mosher (Sister), Jill Abramovitz (Doris), Christopher Charles Wood (Joe Hardy), Ryan Steer (Sohovik, Postmaster), Mike Cannon (Smokey), Ray DeMattis (Van Buren), Steve Czarnecki (Rocky), Vaden Thurgood (Vernon), Nancy Anderson (Gloria), Dick Decareau (Lynch, Commissioner), Gary Lynch (Welch, Radio Announcer) Chrissie Whitehead (Lola), Lauren Elaine Taylor (Miss Weston). Scenic Design: Rob Bissinger Costume Design: Alejo Vietti Lighting Design: Tom Sturge Sound Design: Rnady Hansen Music Director: Ben Whiteley Choreographer: Denis Jones Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes including intermission Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ (973) 376 – 4343 Tickets: ($25.00 - $96.00) Performances: Wednesdays at 7:30 PM; Fridays at 8 PM; Thursdays and Saturdays at 1:30 PM and 8 PM; and Sundays at 1:30 and 7 PM. From 03/07/12 Opened 03/11/12 Ends 04/01/12 Review by Simon Saltzman based on performance 03/11/12 |
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Musical Numbers
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Act One
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Act Two
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