1990 Theatre Review Damn Yankees in the Missoulian
From left to right: Julie Wagner, Michelle Atardo, Maggie Eley and Emily Cobb every bit the Housevies in the Mac-Haydn Theatre product of 'Damn Yankees.' Photo: Erin Spears Ledford
Damn Yankees
Book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop
Music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
Based on the novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant" past Douglass Wallop
Directed by John Saunders
"Y'all're too large for all that sentimental nonsense."
The Mac-Haydn Theatre has called to open its 2018 season with the big, brassy Broadway musical "Damn Yankees," which sings of classic concepts jubilant the smashing American pastime with the blues, the mambo, a Bolero-like seduction song, bright choruses, and ballads of tearful recognition well-nigh love and life in limbo (place, not dance). This is a big show with large talents involved, and the audition is regaled with: songs they tin hum afterward; a minor attack on Republicans in Washington, D.C; with the effect of lies and scandal in a world of innocence (suffused with charade, however); and with the wonders of all that fine talent can achieve in presenting something with which we are already familiar.
It is the 1950s, the era of Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, and the celebrated rivalry of the New York Yankees and just about every other team in their league. Eisenhower is in the White Firm and Mamie — in a hat — is in her cocktails. Meg Boyd is in a blue mood equally her husband, Joe, sinks deeper into the baseball flavor watched on their new telly fix which, for six months, threatens to proceed her a baseball game widow. When offered a unique opportunity to help his favorite team, the Washington Senators, turn the game on its heels, Joe Boyd grabs that opportunity and deserts his loyal married woman. He is transformed by his seducer, a certain Mr. Applegate, into a much younger human with a batting average that cannot be beaten and feet also large to wearable his own shoes. And that'southward simply the commencement of his seduction by this devilish older homo. He is given admission to the seductress of all time, the unequalled Lola.
These are the v characters who form the difficult cadre of the piece: Joe Boyd and his alter ego, Shoeless Joe Hardy; Meg Boyd, his wife; Mr. Applegate, the devil; and Lola, the ugliest woman in Providence, Rhode Island. They are played — in that order — by Steve Hassmer, Michael Brennan, Julie Galorenzo, Mark Hardy and Corrinne Tork. Galorenzo, aided eventually by the chorus, starts the show off with a dejection number that transforms itself into a sprightly moan about love and motivation. She is a lovely singer every bit she proves with her other songs, and she moves the audience to tears with second act duet "Near to You."
Hassmer is equally moving in his farewell song nigh the meridian of Act I, and his render to her in Act Two has warmth but lacks the spark information technology requires to get some other tear going. Brennan as the younger Joe plays the defoliation of character very well and he is practiced-looking, skillful-sounding and good-moving when it is his plow to dance through a number with Lola.
Marking Hardy as the devil is delicious, making choices I've not seen earlier for this character and playing his eventual descent into madness quite wonderfully. As his sweet lemon tart-on-tap, Tork has hips of death, lungs and larynx of forcefulness, and fortitude and a fix of dance moves that please. She is an excellent Lola.
In the supporting roles of Doris and her sister, Sister, Emma Flynn and Maggie Eley standout from the crowd. Gabe Belyeu as Van Buren, singing "Centre" and other pieces, is excellent and Monk Schane-Lydon does well with the role of Mr. Welch. All the ball players are excellent, especially Chris Hendricks as Rocky.
The big please in the role of Gloria Thorpe is Megan Hasse who blows the audience away with her Merman-like vocalizing in "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO." She is a real notice and I look forrard to finding her once again in some other evidence.
Director John Saunders and his choreographer Bryan Knowlton have washed very well with this material, bringing things vividly to life and making them all so enjoyable. The show'due south designers are equal contributors to the success of this package: Kevin Gleason for the sets, Jimm Halliday for the costumes and Kira Williams for the wigs. Andrew Gmoser's lighting is sensational, specially in the vocal "Two Lost Souls," which could garner him a Berkshire Theatre Honour this season.
In spite of the fact that "Damn Yankees" is one of my favorite shows, vividly living in my memory, this is a product of the musical that I would recommend heartily and without any caveat most this, that or the other thing. Information technology'south just a "damn" good two and a half hours.
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Damn Yankeesplays at the Mac-Haydn Theatre, 1925 Route 203, Chatham, New York, through Sunday, June 3. For information and tickets, meet the Berkshire Edge calendar, go to www.machaydntheatre.org or telephone call the box part at (518) 392-9292.
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Source: https://theberkshireedge.com/theatre-review-damn-yankees-a-damn-good-two-and-a-half-hours/
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