Cast Announced for Goodspeed's 'Damn Yankees'

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR GOODSPEED’S DAMN YANKEES

- Goodspeed Swings For the Fences with This Song-filled Sporting Rivalry -

East Haddam, Conn., March 5, 2014: Goodspeed Musicals kicks off its 2014 season at the Goodspeed Opera House with the home run hit Damn Yankees. Goodspeed brings a unique New England flavor to its production, setting it in 1955 Boston and pitting the storied Yanks against the beloved Boston Red Sox. This ace musical comedy will run from April 11 – June 21 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. Damn Yankees will be sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. David F. Frankel and Bank of America. [Official Press Opening will be April 30, 2014]

            Batter up! Just in time for baseball season comes the muscular musical comedy about a Red Sox super-fan who is transformed into a star slugger after he makes a deal with the devil — and his sexy associate, Lola. Goodspeed re-imagines a Broadway classic that swings for the fences, no matter which team you root for. In the game of love and baseball, you gotta have "Heart" — but watch out for "Whatever Lola Wants."

Damn Yankees has words and music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop. This big league musical is based on the novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant"  by Douglass Wallop and features a book adaptation for the Red Sox Version by Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro. In addition to Broadway’s Memphis and Nice Work if You Can Get It, Mr. DiPietro wrote the books for Goodspeed’s They All Laughed and All Shook Up.

Leading the cast as Applegate will be David Beach , whose Broadway credits include Mamma Mia!, Urinetown and Moon Over Buffalo. David created the role of Henry in The Great American Mousical at Goodspeed’s Norma Terris Theatre in 2012. Angel Reda from Broadway’s long-running hit Chicago will play Lola. Joe Hardy will be played by Stephen Mark Lukas, whose credits include Broadway and the National Tour of The Book of Mormon.

 Joe Boyd will be played by James Judy , who returns to Goodspeed where he previously played Shalford in Half a Sixpence and Finian in Finian’s Rainbow. Mr. Judy’s Broadway Credits include last year’s revival of Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Into the Woods. Meg Boyd will be played by Ann Arvia who was last seen on the Goodspeed Opera House stage in The Most Happy Fella.  Ms. Arvia’s Broadway credits include Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast and Les Misérables. Goodspeed favorite Ron Wisniski, whose credits include Something’s Afoot, A Funny Thing…Forum, Me and My Girl, Finian’s Rainbow, Gotham! and Annie, will play Coach Van Buren.

Gloria will be played by Lora Lee Gayer, who portrayed Young Sally in the Broadway revival of  Follies. Sister will be played by Kristine Zbornik, who appeared on Broadway in A Catered Affair. Ms. Zbornik performed in Goodspeed’s 2000 revival of Man of La Mancha. Doris will be played by Allyce Beasley , who performed on Broadway in La Cage aux Folles.

The ensemble includes Joven Calloway, Ryan Cavanaugh, Sean Ewing (Broadway’s West Side Story), Steve Geary (Broadway’s Contact, Aida, Miss Saigon and Cats  and Goodspeed’s Hello, Dolly!), Timothy Hughes (Broadway’s Chaplin and Goodspeed’s Carnival!), Danny Lindgren (Goodspeed’s The Most Happy Fella), Michael Mendez  (Broadway’s Chaplin and Goodspeed’s Hello! My Baby at The Norma Terris Theatre), Alfie Parker Jr.  (Broadway’s South Pacific) and Victor J. Wisehart (Goodspeed’s My One And Only). The swings are Colin Scott Cahill and Vanessa Dunleavy.

Damn Yankees will be directed by Daniel Goldstein, who helmed the recent Broadway revival of Godspell;  Goodspeed’s 2013 summer smash Hello, Dolly!; and The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown at The Norma Terris Theatre.  Choreography will be by Kelli Barclay. Ms. Barclay served as Associate Choreographer for Broadway’s Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and Assistant Choreographer for Broadway’s 42nd Street. She also choreographed Goodspeed’s Hello, Dolly!; My One And Only;  and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as well as Hello!, My Baby at The Norma Terris Theatre.

Scenic Design will be by Adrian W. Jones , who designed the Goodspeed Opera House productions Hello, Dolly!;  Something’s Afoot;  and How To Succeed…, as well as Cutman at The Norma Terris Theatre. Costumes will be designed by Tony-nominated David C. Woolard, whose Broadway credits include Bronx Bombers, First Date, Lysistrata Jones, West Side Story, Dividing the Estate, All Shook Up, The Rocky Horror Show, Damn Yankees and The Who’s Tommy. Mr. Woolard has been Costume Designer for many Goodspeed favorites including Half a Sixpence, Happy Days, The Pirates of Penzance  and The Norma Terris Theatre’s The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, The 60’s Project and All Shook Up. Lighting Design will be by Brian Tovar.  Sound Design will be by Jay Hilton, who is in his 29th season at Goodspeed.

The Music Director for Damn Yankees will be Michael O’Flaherty, who is in his 23rd season as Goodspeed’s Resident Music Director. William J. Thomas will be assistant music director. Orchestrations will be provided by Dan DeLange, who has created the orchestrations for numerous Goodspeed productions. 

Damn Yankees is produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price.

Damn Yankees will run April 11 through June 21, 2014 [Official Press Opening April 30, 2014]. Curtain times are Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (with select performances at 2:00 p.m.), Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (with select performances at 6:30 p.m.).

Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.873.8668), open seven days a week, or on-line at goodspeed.org. For show highlights, exclusive photos, special events and more visit us at goodspeed.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter @goodspeedmusicl and YouTube.

      Dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, the first regional theatre to receive two Tony Awards for outstanding achievement, produces three musicals each season at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn., and additional musicals at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., which celebrates 30 years of developing new musicals in 2014. In addition to the two theatres and production facilities, Goodspeed maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre.  Goodspeed gratefully acknowledges the support of production sponsors Dr. and Mrs. David F. Frankel and Bank of America; our Corporate Partner Comcast; Hoffman Audi, the official auto sponsor of Goodspeed Musicals; and United Airlines, official airline sponsor. Goodspeed Musicals gratefully acknowledges the support of the Department of Economic and Community Development with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts.