''Damn Yankees'' is a 1955

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

with a book by

George Abbott George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887January 31, 1995) was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer whose career spanned eight decades. He received numerous honors including six Tony Awards, the ...

and

Douglass Wallop John Douglass Wallop III (March 8, 1920 – April 1, 1985) was an American novelist and playwright. Early life John Douglass Wallop III was born on March 8, 1920, in Washington, D.C., to Marjorie (née Ellis) and John Douglass Wallop Jr. His ...

, music and lyrics by

Richard Adler Richard Adler (August 3, 1921 – June 21, 2012) was an American lyricist, writer, composer and producer of several Broadway shows. He is best known for his work with Jerry Ross (composer), Jerry Ross on the musicals ''The Pajama Game'' (1954) a ...

and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the

Faust Faust ( , ) is the protagonist of a classic German folklore, German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a deal with the Devil at a ...

legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

dominated

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

. It is based on Wallop's 1954 novel ''

The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant ''The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant'' is a 1954 novel by Douglass Wallop. It adapts the Faust theme of a deal with the Devil to the world of American baseball in the 1950s. Plot summary The novel's protagonist, mild-mannered, middle-age ...

''. The show ran for 1,019 performances in its original

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

production. Adler and Ross's success with it and ''

The Pajama Game ''The Pajama Game'' is a musical based on the 1953 novel '' 7½ Cents'' by Richard Bissell. The book is by George Abbott and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. Dances were staged by Bob Fosse in his chor ...

'' seemed to point to a bright future for them, but Ross suddenly died of chronic

bronchiectasis Bronchiectasis is a disease in which there is permanent enlargement of parts of the bronchi, airways of the lung. Symptoms typically include a chronic cough with sputum, mucus production. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, hemoptysis, co ...

at age 29, several months after ''Damn Yankees'' opened.

Plot

Note: The plot synopsis below describes the show as updated for its 1994 Broadway revival, which differed from the original 1955 production. For the 1958 film, which is closer to that original version, see ''Damn Yankees'' (film). Middle-aged real estate agent Joe Boyd is a long-suffering fan of the pathetic Washington Senators

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

team. His wife, Meg, laments this ("Six Months Out Of Every Year"). After she has gone to bed, he sits up late, grumbling that if the Senators just had a "long ball hitter" they could beat "those damn Yankees". Suddenly, the smooth-talking, subtly demonic Mr. Applegate appears. He offers Joe the chance to become "Joe Hardy", the young slugger the Senators need. He accepts, even though he must leave Meg ("Goodbye Old Girl"). However, his business sense makes him insist on an escape clause. The Senators' last game is on September 25, and if he plays in it, he is to stay as Joe Hardy forever. If not, he has until 9:00 the night before to walk away from the deal and return to his normal life. At the ballpark, the hapless Senators vow to play their best despite their failings ("Heart"). Then Joe Hardy is suddenly discovered and joins the team. Gloria Thorpe, a sports reporter, praises him ("Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo"). His hitting prowess enables the team to move up in the standings. Though Joe is increasingly successful, he truly misses Meg and moves into her house as a

boarder Boarder may refer to: Persons A boarder may be a person who: *snowboards *skateboards *bodyboards * surfs *stays at a boarding house *attends a boarding school *takes part in a boarding attack Other uses * ''The Star Boarder'', a 1914 American ...

in his persona as Joe Hardy. They begin to bond, especially over her "lost" husband ("A Man Doesn't Know"). Fearful of losing his deal, Applegate calls Lola, "the best homewrecker on isstaff", to seduce Joe and ensure his loss of the bet. She promises to deliver ("A Little Brains, A Little Talent"), and Applegate introduces her as a sultry South American dancer named "Señorita Lolita Banana". She sings a seductive song ("

Whatever Lola Wants "Whatever Lola Wants" is a popular song, sometimes rendered as "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets". The music and words were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for the 1955 musical play ''Damn Yankees''. The song is sung to Joe Hardy by Lola ...

"), but Joe's devotion to Meg proves too strong, even for her. Applegate punishes her by firing her, where she performs with other past workers for Applegate ("Who's Got the Pain"). Applegate decides to switch tactics to ensure Joe's failure. He releases false information about Joe's true identity being "Shifty McCoy", an escaped criminal and

con artist A scam, or a confidence trick, is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using a combination of the victim's credulity, naivety, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibi ...

. When Gloria discovers this information, she presses charges, and he is forced into court. The Senators prepare for the final game against the Yankees for the pennant and worry about Joe, but they vow to think of nothing but winning ("The Game"). Meanwhile, angry fans are seeking him out, so he decides to leave home. As he does so, he hints to Meg that her old husband is nearby ("Near to You"). Meanwhile, Applegate is exhausted by the work he has put into winning one bet and thinks about the "simpler" times in his long history ("Those Were the Good Old Days"). Joe's trial is held on September 24, the last day he can back out of his deal. As he technically does not exist, he cannot produce any kind of identification. The owner of the Senators, their coach, and even Lola (disguised as "Señora McCoy") testify, but their opinions carry no weight. Gloria suggests that Applegate take the stand, but he is unable to take the oath since it requires him to tell the truth. Joe realizes that Applegate is simply stalling to keep him from meeting his 9:00 deadline. Applegate claims that Joe "just needs time to think" and sends him to where Lola is, where history's most famous lovers wait. Lola meets him there and realizes that he truly loves Meg. She helps him by sending him into the final game and delays Applegate by coercing him into a duet ("Two Lost Souls"). When Applegate finally arrives at the game, it is 8:55, and Joe is at bat. As time runs out, Meg, her friends, and even Lola begin cheering for him. Applegate uses his powers to give Joe two strikes. The clock strikes nine, and Applegate claims victory, but at the last second, Joe cries, "Let me go!" The deal is broken, and he reverts to his old self but is still able to hit a home run, winning the pennant for the Senators. Back at home, Joe rushes into Meg's arms. Applegate appears on the scene, claiming that Joe owes him his prize. He begs Meg to hold him and not let go, and she begins to sing ("Finale (A Man Doesn't Know)"). Applegate promises to make him young again and even ensure a

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...

victory. But his powers are useless against their true love, which Lola points out. He shouts that such a thing cannot exist, but he is wrong. He and Lola vanish back to where they came from, defeated, with Joe and Meg united.

Productions

Original Broadway production

The producers Frederick Brisson, Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince had decided that the lead actress for the part of "Lola" had to be a dancer. They offered the role to both the movie actress

Mitzi Gaynor Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber (September 4, 1931 – October 17, 2024), known professionally as Mitzi Gaynor, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Her notable films included ''We're Not Married!'' (1952), ''There's No Business ...

and ballet dancer

Zizi Jeanmaire Renée Marcelle "Zizi" Jeanmaire (29 April 1924 – 17 July 2020) was a French ballet dancer, actress and singer. She became famous in the 1950s after playing the title role in the ballet ''Carmen'', produced in London in 1949, and went on to a ...

, each of whom turned down the role. Although

Gwen Verdon Gwyneth Evelyn "Gwen" Verdon (January 13, 1925October 18, 2000) was an American actress and dancer. She won four Tony Awards for her musical comedy performances, and she served as an uncredited choreographer's assistant and specialty dance coach ...

had sung just one song in her previous show (''Can-Can''), the producers were willing to take a chance on her. She initially refused, preferring to assist another choreographer, but finally agreed. Choreographer

Bob Fosse Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American choreographer, dancer, filmmaker, and stage director. Known for his work on stage and screen, he is arguably the most influential figure in the field of jazz dance in th ...

insisted on meeting her before working with her, and after meeting and working for a brief time, they each agreed to the arrangement. This was the start of an artistic and personal partnership between Fosse and Verdon, who married in 1960. The show opened on

at the

46th Street Theatre The Richard Rodgers Theatre (formerly Chanin's 46th Street Theatre and the 46th Street Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 226 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1925, it was ...

on May 5, 1955, transferred to the

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...

on May 17, 1957, and ran for a total of 1,019 performances. It was directed by

, with scenery and costumes by

William and Jean Eckart William and Jean Eckart were a husband-and-wife team of theatre designers in the 1950s and 1960s. They designed sets, costumes, and lighting for many productions, including ''Mame'', ''Here's Love'', ''Damn Yankees'', ''Once Upon a Mattress'', ''T ...

, dances and musical numbers staged by Fosse, musical direction by Hal Hastings, orchestrations by Don Walker, and dance music arrangements by Roger Adams. The show starred

Ray Walston Herman Ray Walston (November 2, 1914 – January 1, 2001) was an American actor. He started his career on Broadway theatre, Broadway earning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Mr. Applegate in ''Damn Yankees'' (1956 ...

(Applegate), Verdon (Lola),

Shannon Bolin Shannon Bolin (January 1, 1917 – March 25, 2016) was an American actress and singer. A March 10, 1941, article in The Mason City Globe-Gazette said that she was "known as 'The Lady with the Dark Blue Voice'". Early years Ione Shannon Bolin wa ...

(Meg), Robert Shafer (Joe Boyd), Elizabeth Howell (Doris),

Stephen Douglass Stephen Douglass (September 27, 1921 – December 20, 2011) was an American actor-singer. Born Stephen Fitch in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Douglass had a distinguished theatrical career and appeared occasionally on television. He was the last performe ...

(Joe Hardy), Al Lanti (Henry), Eddie Phillips (Sohovik), Nathaniel Frey (Smokey), Albert Linville (Vernon, Postmaster), Russ Brown (Van Buren), Jimmy Komack (Rocky),

Rae Allen Rae Julia Theresa Abruzzo (July 3, 1926 – April 6, 2022), professionally known as Rae Allen, was an American actress of stage, film and television. Her career spanned some seventy years and eight decades. Allen started her career in theatre i ...

(Gloria), Cherry Davis (Teenager), Del Horstmann (Lynch, Commissioner), Richard Bishop (Welch), Janie Janvier (Miss Weston), and

Jean Stapleton Jean Stapleton (born Jeanne Murray; January 19, 1923 – May 31, 2013) was an American character actress of stage, television and film. Stapleton is best known for her portrayal of Edith Bunker, the perpetually optimistic and devoted wif ...

(Sister).

Original West End production

A West End production played at the

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, City of Westminster, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the Lond ...

beginning on March 28, 1957, where it played for 258 performances. It starred Olympic skater

Belita Belita Gladys Lyne Jepson-Turner (21 October 1923 – 18 December 2005), known professionally as Belita, was a British Olympic figure skater, dancer, and film actress. Early years Belita was born at the Garlogs house in Nether Wallop, Hampshir ...

(aka Gladys Lyne Jepson-Turner) as Lola, but the Fosse choreography was alien to her style, and she was replaced by

Elizabeth Seal Elizabeth Anne Seal (born 28 August 1933) is a British actress. In 1961, she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in the title role of '' Irma La Douce''. Career Elizabeth Seal made her professional de ...

. It also starred

Bill Kerr William Henry Kerr (10 June 1922 – 28 August 2014) was a British and Australian actor, comedian and vaudevillian. Born in South Africa, he started his career as a child actor in Australia, before emigrating to Britain after the Second World W ...

as Applegate, and

Ivor Emmanuel Ivor Lewis Emmanuel (7 November 1927 – 20 July 2007) was a Welsh musical theatre and television singer and actor. He is probably best remembered, however, for his appearance as "Private Owen" in the 1964 film '' Zulu'', in which his chara ...

as Joe Hardy. In the mid-1970s,

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor. He was known for his work in the horror film genre, mostly portraying villains. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price ...

starred as Applegate in summer stock productions of the show. In the late 1970s and early 1980s film actor

Van Johnson Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916 – December 12, 2008) was an American actor and dancer. He had a prolific career in film, television, theatre and radio, which spanned over 50 years, from 1940 to 1992. He was a major star at Metr ...

did so in productions throughout the U.S.A. In July, 1981, a production was performed at the

Jones Beach Marine Theater Jones Beach Theater is an outdoor amphitheatre at Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh, New York. It is one of two major outdoor arenas in the New York metropolitan area, along with PNC Bank Arts Center near the Jersey Shore. Both venues are manage ...

Wantagh, New York Wantagh ( ) is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated places, census-designated place (CDP) in the Hempstead, New York, Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on Long Island, New York (state), New York, United Stat ...

. It was notable due to former

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...

quarterback

Joe Namath Joseph William Namath (; ; born May 31, 1943), nicknamed "Broadway Joe", is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 13 seaso ...

being cast in the role of Joe Boyd.

Broadway revival

A Broadway revival opened at the

Marquis Theatre The Marquis Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater on the third floor of the New York Marriott Marquis hotel in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1986, it ...

on March 3, 1994 and ran for 519 performances and 33 previews. Featured were

Jarrod Emick Jarrod Emick (born July 2, 1969) is an American actor who primarily acts in musicals. He received a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Theatre World Award for his performance in the 1994 revival of '' Damn Yankees''. Biography Emick grew u ...

as Joe Hardy, winner of the 1994 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical,

Bebe Neuwirth Beatrice "Bebe" Jane Neuwirth ( ; born December 31, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her roles on stage and screen, she has received two Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and two Drama Desk Awards. ...

as Lola and

Victor Garber Victor Garber, (born March 16, 1949) is a Canadian stage and film actor and singer. Known for his work on stage and screen, he has been nominated for three Gemini Awards, four Tony Awards, and six Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2022, he was made an ...

as Applegate. Garber was succeeded by

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian, with a career spanning seven decades in film, stage, television and radio. Famously nicknamed as "Th ...

, making his Broadway debut, on March 12, 1995,Canby, Vincent
"Theater Review: 'Damn Yankees'; Finally, Jerry Lewis Is on Broadway"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', March 13, 1995. who then starred in a national tour and also played the role in a London production. Jack O'Brien directed, with choreography by

Rob Marshall Robert Doyle Marshall Jr.http://www.alumni.cmu.edu/s/1410/images/editor_documents/alumnirelations/getinvolved/alumniawards/all_honorees_2018june1.pdf (born October 17, 1960) is an American film and theater director, producer, and choreographer. ...

, assisted by his sister, Kathleen. O'Brien is also credited with revisions to the book.

West End revival

The 1994 revival production opened in the West End at the

on June 4, 1997 (previews started May 29) and closed on August 9, 1997. Jerry Lewis reprised his role as Applegate and April Nixon played Lola.

North Shore Music Theatre

In 2006,

North Shore Music Theatre North Shore Music Theatre is the largest operating regional theater in New England. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and is one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States. The theater is owned by Massachuse ...

Beverly, Massachusetts Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and a suburb of Boston. The population was 42,670 at the time of the 2020 United States census. A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Sho ...

, presented a revised production with the Washington Senators replaced with the Yankees' traditional rivals, the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

. The revised book was written, with permission, by

Joe DiPietro Joe DiPietro (born 1961) is an American playwright, lyricist and author. He is best known for the Tony Award-winning musical '' Memphis'', for which he won the Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score as well as for writi ...

Reprise! Broadway's Best

In 2007, Reprise! Broadway's Best produced a revival.

Jason Alexander Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor and comedian. Over the course of his career he has received an Emmy Award and a Tony Award as well as nominations for four Golden Globe ...

directed, resetting the show to 1981 Los Angeles and making changes to accommodate a largely African-American and Hispanic cast. It opened November 7, 2007 and ran through November 25.

Encores!

A revival was produced by the

City Center A city centre, also known as an urban core, is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms that exist in ...

Encores! Encores! is a Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, Tony-honored concert series dedicated to reviving United States, American Musical theatre, musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, E ...

Summer Stars series from July 5 to July 27, 2008. It starred

Jane Krakowski Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress and singer. She starred as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Out ...

as Lola,

Sean Hayes Sean Patrick Hayes (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he gained acclaim for his role as Jack McFarland on the NBC sitcom ''Will & Grace'', for which he won a Primet ...

as Applegate,

Randy Graff Randy Graff (born May 23, 1955) is an American actress and singer. Early years Born in Brooklyn, New York on May 23, 1955, Graff was part of a musically oriented family. Her grandmother "was the lead soprano in temple", and her uncle sang with, ...

as Meg, Megan Lawrence as Gloria Thorpe (replacing an injured

Ana Gasteyer Ana Kristina Gasteyer (; born May 4, 1967) is an American actress, comedian and singer. She was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1996 to 2002. She has since starred in such sitcoms as ABC's ''Suburgatory ...

during rehearsal), P. J. Benjamin as Joe Boyd, and

Cheyenne Jackson Cheyenne David Jackson (born July 12, 1975) is an American actor and singer. His credits include leading roles in Broadway musicals and other stage roles, as well as film and television roles, concert singing, and music recordings. After beginn ...

as Joe Hardy.

John Rando John Rando is an American stage director who won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for ''Urinetown the Musical'' in 2002. He received his 2nd nomination in the same category in 2015 for the 2014 Broadway revival of '' On the Town''. ...

directed and the original Fosse choreography was reproduced by Mary MacLeod. Given the substantial changes in the 1994 revival, this is considered by some the first authentic revival of the original production.

Off-Broadway benefit performance

A one-night-only

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

benefit performance was staged by

Roundabout Theatre Company The Roundabout Theatre Company is a nonprofit organization, non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fr ...

. The benefit, which was directed by Kathleen Marshall, occurred on December 11, 2017. It starred

Stephen Bogardus Stephen Bogardus (born March 11, 1954) is an American actor. He originated the role of Whizzer in the Broadway musical, ''Falsettos''. Biography Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Bogardus graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in 1972 and Princeton Unive ...

as Joe Boyd,

Matthew Morrison Matthew James Morrison (born October 30, 1978) is an American actor, dancer, and singer, best known for his role as Will Schuester on the Fox television show ''Glee'' (2009–2015). He has starred in multiple Broadway and off-Broadway produ ...

as Joe Hardy,

Victoria Clark Victoria Clark (born October 10, 1959) is an American actress, musical theatre soprano, and director. Clark has performed in numerous Broadway musicals and in other theatre, film and television works. Her voice can also be heard on various cas ...

as Meg,

Maggie Gyllenhaal Margalit Ruth "Maggie" Gyllenhaal ( , ; born November 16, 1977) is an American actress and filmmaker. Part of the Gyllenhaal family, she is the daughter of filmmakers Stephen Gyllenhaal and Naomi Achs, and the older sister of actor Jake Gylle ...

as Lola,

Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ...

as a gender-bent Applegate,

Danny Burstein Danny Burstein (born June 16, 1964) is an American actor and singer. Known for his work on Broadway theatre, Broadway stage, he's received numerous accolades including a Tony Awards, Tony Award, a Drama League Award and two Drama Desk Award, Dram ...

as Van Buren, and

Adrienne Warren Adrienne Warren is an American actress, singer and dancer. She made her Broadway debut in the 2012 musical '' Bring It On'', and in 2016 received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical nomination for her performance in '' Shuffle Alo ...

as Gloria. It was produced by Scott Landis,

Jerry Frankel Jerry Frankel (August 1, 1930 – November 17, 2018) was an American Tony Award-winning producer of plays and musicals for Broadway theatre, the founder of Jerrell Inc. (Dallas), a leading US manufacturer of women's apparel, and a breeder/owner of ...

, and Jay and Cindy Gutterman.

Musical numbers

:Based on hand engraved materials originally available from Music Theatre International derived from the 1955 production ;Act One *Overture — Orchestra *Curtain Act 1 — Orchestra *Six Months — Meg Boyd, Joe Boyd, Men, and Girls *Devil Music — Orchestra *Goodbye Old Girl — Joe Boyd and Joe Hardy *Heart — Van Buren, Smoky, Rocky, Vernon *Heart Encore — Van Buren, Smoky, Rocky, Vernon *Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo. — Gloria Thorpe, Boys, Senators *Shoeless Joe Dance — Orchestra *A Man Doesn't Know — Joe Hardy *Lola — Orchestra *A Little Talent — Lola *Goodbye (Reprise) — Orchestra *A Man Doesn't Know (Reprise) — Joe Hardy, Meg *

(with Dance Break) — Lola *Not Meg — Orchestra *Heart (Reprise) — Men *Chairs Fanfare — Orchestra *Who's Got The Pain? (with Double Dance Breaks) — Lola & Men (Street Band) *Act 1 Finale (New Shoeless Joe Finale) — Orchestra ;Act Two *Entr'Acte — Orchestra *Opening Act 2 — Orchestra *The Game — Senators *Near to You — Joe Hardy and Meg Boyd *Good Old Days — Applegate *Days Encore — Applegate *Courtroom Blackout — Orchestra *Two Lost Souls (with Dance) — Lola and Joe Hardy *Devil Music — Orchestra *Shoeless Joe (Reprise) — Orchestra *Back Home — Orchestra *Finale (A Man Doesn't Know) — Meg and Joe Boyd *Bows (Heart) — Orchestra *Exit March — Orchestra :Based on 1994 revival ;Act One *Overture *Six Months Out Of Every Year — Meg Boyd, Joe Boyd, Sister, Gloria Thorpe, Husbands, and Wives *Goodbye Old Girl — Joe Boyd and Joe Hardy *Blooper Ballet — The Senators *Heart — Van Buren, Smokey, Rocky, Linville *Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo. — Gloria Thorpe, Senators *Shoeless Joe (Reprise) — Gloria Thorpe, Joe Hardy, and Ensemble (1994 revival only, used elements of the song in the style of retro-1950s commercials) *A Little Brains, a Little Talent — Lola *A Man Doesn't Know — Joe Hardy and Meg Boyd *Whatever Lola Wants — Lola ;Act Two *Who's Got the Pain? — Lola and Senators (Originally, this came at the end of Act One, as "The Game" started Act Two) *The Game — Rocky, Smokey, and Senators *Near to You — Joe Hardy and Meg Boyd (1994 IBDB shows the addition of Joe Boyd) *Those Were the Good Old Days — Applegate *Two Lost Souls — Lola and Applegate (1994 IBDB shows Applegate, 1955 IBDB shows Hardy) *A Man Doesn't Know (Reprise) — Meg and Joe Boyd

Notable casts and characters

Original Broadway replacements

Source * Meg Boyd: Charlotte Fairchild * Lola:

Sheila Bond Sheila Phyllis Bond (born Berman; March 16, 1927 - March 25, 2017) was an American actress and singer, known for her work on Broadway. Personal life Bond was born Sheila Phyllis Berman in New York City of Jewish descent, and was educated at the ...

Gretchen Wyler Gretchen Wyler (born Gretchen Patricia Wienecke; February 16, 1932 – May 27, 2007) was an American actress and dancer. She was also an animal rights advocate and founder of the Genesis Awards for animal protection. Biography Early lif ...

, Devra Korwin * Applegate:

Howard Caine Howard Caine (born Howard Elmer Cohen; January 2, 1926 – December 28, 1993) was an American character actor, probably best known as Gestapo Major Wolfgang Hochstetter in the television series ''Hogan's Heroes'' (1965–71). He also played ...

* Gloria: Sally Brown

Original West End replacements

* Applegate:

Broadway Revival replacements

* Joe Hardy: Eric Kunze, Jason Workman * Lola:

Charlotte d'Amboise Charlotte Lorraine d'Amboise (born May 11, 1964) is an American actress and dancer. She has played starring roles in musical theatre, and has been nominated for two Tony Awards and won the Los Angeles Ovation Awards for Best Leading Actress in ...

* Applegate:

* Gloria:

Liz Larsen Liz Larsen is an American actress. Early life Larsen was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She attended George School in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Newtown, Pennsylvania. She is one of three daughters whose grandfather was vaudevil ...

Characters

*Joe Boyd — A middle-aged, overweight married man who is in love with baseball, especially the Senators he "older" Joe Hardy*Joe Hardy — The 22-year-old, home-run-hitting transformation of Joe Boyd *Meg Boyd — Joe's loyal, traditional wife *Lola — The Devil's seductress assistant *Mr. Applegate — The Devil in disguise as a slick salesman *Van Buren — The hard working manager of the Senators with great heart but no luck *Gloria Thorpe — A probing reporter *Rocky — A baseball player for the Senators *Smokey — A "dim bulb" catcher for the Senators *Cherry — A friend of Meg *Doris — A friend of Meg *Sister — A friend of Meg *Mr. Welch — The owner of the Senators *Others: Bouley (also called Ibsen in some productions), Vernon, Henry, Linville, Sohovik, Lowe, Mickey, Del, Miss Weston, Postmaster and The Commissioner *Baseball players and batboys; Baseball fans' wives (The original Broadway version also had a children's chorus who sang the reprise of "Heart")

Recordings, film, and television

The 1955 Original Broadway Cast recording is on RCA Victor, recorded May 8, 1955. The LP was originally issued in mono but in 1965 RCA Victor offered an electronic stereo version. The current CD edition was released in 1988. RCA Victor also released the film soundtrack in 1958. Although recorded in stereo, only the mono version was released. The 1989 CD edition marked the first release of the recording in stereo. The 1994 Broadway revival cast recording made by Mercury (and now on the Decca Broadway label) was released on May 17, 1994. A film version, directed by George Abbott and

Stanley Donen Stanley Donen ( ; April 13, 1924 – February 21, 2019) was an American film director and choreographer. He received the Honorary Academy Award in 70th Academy Awards, 1998, and the Golden Lion#Golden Lion – Honorary Award, Career Golden Lion ...

, was released in 1958. With the exception of

Tab Hunter Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer, and author. Known for his blond hair and clean-cut good looks, Hunter starred in more than forty films. During the 1950s and 1960s ...

in the role of Joe Hardy (replacing

), the Broadway principals reprised their stage roles." ''Damn Yankeess'' Notes"
tcm.com, retrieved August 16, 2018 A made-for-TV movie version was broadcast on April 8, 1967, on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

Phil Silvers Phil Silvers (born Phillip Silver; May 11, 1911 – November 1, 1985) was an American entertainer and comedic actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah". His career as a professional entertainer spanned nearly 60 years. He achieved major popularity w ...

played Applegate. Also starring were

Lee Remick Lee Ann Remick (; December 14, 1935 – July 2, 1991) was an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film ''Days of Wine and Roses (film), Days of Wine and Roses'' (1962) and was nominated fo ...

as Lola and Ray Middleton as Joe Boyd. In 1983, Ray Walston expressed interest in recreating Applegate in ''Raisin' Cane'', a new musical in which the devil returns to ruin Broadway. In a spin on ''Damn Yankees'', this time Applegate takes a young girl and grows her up and gets her the lead in a Broadway show, planning to change her back, bankrupting all the investors. Book, music and lyrics are by San Francisco Bay Area writer/lyricist/composer Ted Kopulos. In 2009, it was announced that a new contemporary film adaptation of the musical will star

Jim Carrey James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian and American actor and comedian. Known primarily for his energetic slapstick performances, he has received two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for BAFTA Awards and ...

as Applegate and

Jake Gyllenhaal Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal ( , ; born December 19, 1980) is an American actor who has worked on screen and stage for over thirty years. Born into the Gyllenhaal family, he is the son of film director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi ...

as Joe Hardy. No further announcements about this adaptation have been made since (as of December 2024).

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

1994 Broadway revival

1997 London revival

Notes

References

External links

* * (1958 film)
''Damn Yankees''
at the Music Theatre International website * * Henry, William A. III (March 14, 1994)
"Damn Yankees Is Back At Bat"
''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

''. Review of the revival
Profile at Broadwaymusicalhome.comProfile at Stageagent.com''Damn Yankees'' lyrics
* ttp://www.thebroadwaymusicals.com/d/damnyankees.htm Information from Thebroadwaymusicals.com website {{Authority control 1955 musicals Broadway musicals Music based on the Faust legend Musicals based on novels Musicals by George Abbott Musicals by Douglass Wallop Musicals by Richard Adler Musicals by Jerry Ross Musicals choreographed by Bob Fosse Works about the New York Yankees Fiction about the Devil Sports musicals Tony Award for Best Musical Washington Senators (1901–1960) Tony Award–winning musicals Musicals set in the 1950s Musicals set in Washington, D.C.