New Surry Theatre Presents

Damn Yankees

New Surry Theatre pays tribute to the nation’s favorite pastime this summer when it presents Damn Yankees, a musical comedy set in the world of major league baseball.  The original 1955 production of this play by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross ran on Broadway for over a thousand performances.  It was only the ninth play ever to do so.

In a twist on the Faust story, Joe Hardy, a Washington fan in deep despair, is visited by the devil.  The devil — here named Applegate — makes Joe an offer:  if Joe is willing to sell his soul, the Senators can win the pennant — and the World Series!  No Red Sox fan would be surprised to find that Joe jumps on this offer.  When he does so he is granted amazing abilities as a baseball player.  Joe’s powers lift up the deeply demoralized Senators, who sail from one unbelievable win to the next.

Great for the team, but not so great for Joe, who misses his wife Meg and — because he disappeared from home without a word of explanation — suffers not surprisingly from a guilty conscience.  Enter once again the demonic Applegate, this time to try to win Joe away from Meg.  Assisting Applegate in this devilish task is Lola, an enchantress in more than one sense.  Notwithstanding Lola’s supernatural seductive qualities, Joe’s love for his wife is unshaken.  He wants to go home.

What happens if he doesn’t play in the World Series?  If he doesn’t play, do the Senators stand a chance?  Can Joe beat the devil?  These are some of the questions answered by this comic and touching fable that demonstrates in an unforgettable way the charm of the ordinary.

Director Becky Poole has acted in many New Surry Theatre productions, most recently in The Threepenny Opera, but this time out she joins the list of young directors bringing fresh insight to the task of directing in Blue Hill.  Poole has studied directing with NST Artistic Director Bill Raiten.   She served as assistant director on NST’s production of The Gin Game, and worked in the technical production teams of several other NST productions.  Poole has also directed students at the Brooksville Elementary School, where she teaches art, and has taught drama at the Brooksville Free Public Library in the summer reading program.

Michael Reichgott is Applegate.  The cast also features Jeffrey Brink, Cherie Magnello, Nolan Ellsworth, and Keira Tachibana.  Musical direction is provided by long-time NST collaborator Sheldon Bisberg.