Tony Winner Krakowski and Emmy Winner Hayes to Star in Encores! Damn Yankees
By Andrew Gans
10 Apr 2008
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Jane Krakowski
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| photo by Ben Strothmann | Jane Krakowski, who won a 2003 Tony Award for her work as Carla in the Tony-winning revival of Nine, will play another stage siren in the upcoming City Center Encores! Summer Stars production of Damn Yankees.
Krakowski will portray Lola — the role originally created by the late Gwen Verdon — opposite the Devil of Emmy winner Sean Hayes in the baseball-themed musical. As previously announced, the 1955 musical will play the famed New York venue July 5-27 with an official opening scheduled for July 10.
Urinetown's Tony-winning director John Rando will helm the production, which will feature music direction by Rob Berman.
Damn Yankees has a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and is based on Wallop's novel "The Year The Yankees Lost the Pennant."
The musical, according to press notes, is described as such: "It is the story of Joe Boyd, the ultimate baseball fan, who sells his soul to the Devil (Sean Hayes) for the chance to help his team, the Washington Senators, win the pennant race against the Yankees. The Devil is aided by the sexy Lola (Jane Krakowski), who seduces Joe, but ultimately helps him outsmart the Devil and return to his beloved wife."
The original Broadway production of Damn Yankees opened at the 46th Street Theatre May 5, 1955, playing 1,019 performances before closing at the Adelphi Theatre, where it later transferred, on Oct. 12, 1957. Directed by George Abbott with musical numbers staged by Bob Fosse, the original cast included Gwen Verdon, Stephen Douglass and Ray Walston. The production won 1956 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actor in a Musical (Walston), Best Actress in a Musical (Verdon), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Brown), Best Choreography (Fosse), Conductor and Musical Director (Hal Hastings) and Stage Technician (Harry Green).
The most recent Broadway revival, which opened in March 1994 at the Marquis Theatre, co-starred Bebe Neuwirth, Victor Garber and Jarrod Emick.
A Tony Award winner for her work in Nine, Jane Krakowski was previously seen on Broadway in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express and the revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company. She also appeared in the original cast of Grand Hotel, but may be best known for her work on TV's "Ally McBeal" and, now, "30 Rock."
Sean Hayes will be making his New York stage debut in Damn Yankees. The actor, who won an Emmy for his portrayal of Jack on the long-running NBC sitcom "Will & Grace," has also appeared on screen in "The Bucket List," "Pieces of April," "The Cat in the Hat" (as the voice of the Fish), "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" and "Cats and Dogs" (as the voice of Mr. Tinkles). Hayes has also won two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a TV Guide Award and an American Comedy Award. He also played Jerry Lewis in the television movie "The Martin & Lewis Story."
Tickets for Damn Yankees will be available to New York City Center members beginning April 11, to Encores! subscribers on April 14 and to the general public beginning April 18.
City Center is located in Manhattan at West 55th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. For more information call (212) 581-1212 or visit www.nycitycenter.org.
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