Reviewed by Judy Richter
Sports fans can be a fanatical
lot. Some will go to almost any lengths to help their favorite team.
That's
what happens in "Damn Yankees," presented by Foothill Music Theatre and Foothill Theatre Arts. Frustrated that his beloved
Washington Senators baseball team always loses the pennant to the hated New
York Yankees, an avid fan says he'd sell his soul to see the Senators come out
on top.
The
devil incarnate takes him up on the offer. He'll transform the middle-aged,
out-of-shape fan into a young slugger who'll lead the Senators to victory. The
fan agrees, disappearing from his present life and reappearing as a young man
with a different name.
Thus
"Damn Yankees" illustrates a well known caution: Be careful what you
wish for.
That's
what the hero, Joe Boyd (Matt Tipton), learns when he becomes the young Joe Hardy (Daniel
Mitchell). Joe
leaves behind his wife, Meg Boyd (Mary Melnick), and finds that he misses her
more than he ever would have imagined.
The
Tony-winning "Damn Yankees" was a smash hit when it opened on
Broadway in 1955, and most of its subsequent productions have followed suit.
The FMT production is not one of them.
As
directed by Tom Gough of the Foothill faculty, it lacks some of the focus and cohesion that
have characterized Foothill productions directed by former artistic director Jay
Manley, who
founded FMT but who recently retired to freelance.
Still,
with its large cast of students and community members, the show has some strong
qualities. They include performances by several principals, such as Boyd as
older Joe, Mitchell as younger Joe and Melnick as Meg. Mitchell acts and sings
well, especially in "Goodbye Old Girl," sweetly sung first by older Joe and then
by younger Joe as the transformation takes place.
Melnick
is believable as Meg expresses her frustration in "Six Months Out of
Every Year,"
when her husband and so many others pay more attention to baseball than their
wives. She also is convincing in Meg's steadfast belief that Joe will
eventually return.
Also
noteworthy is Jeff Clarke as Applegate, the smooth-talking devil who'll do
anything he can to keep younger Joe from returning to his original life. Clarke
has fun with "Those Were the Good Old Days," in which Applegate recalls
some of his nefarious deeds through the ages.
Richard
Lewis makes a
suitably crusty Benny Van Buren, manager of the Senators. His big moment comes
in "(You Gotta Have) Heart." Caitlin Lawrence-Papp does well as Gloria Thorpe, a
nosy reporter.
Jen
Wheatonfox sings
well as Lola, the vamp sent by Applegate to make younger Joe forget Meg.
Choreography
by Katie O'Bryon lacks
precision and imagination. Musical director Catherine Snider's orchestra sounds ragged at
times.
Margaret
Toomey's scenic
design also lacks imagination (or a more generous budget). The costumes are by Janis
Bergmann, the
lighting by Edward Hunter and the sound (sometimes problematic) by Ken Kilen.
Attending
a show at Foothill always is pleasant because the campus is so attractive.
Seeing "Damn Yankees" also was pleasant because of the show itself,
but it was a bit of a letdown after so many outstanding FMT productions in the
past.