Lawrence Replaces Gasteyer in Encores! Damn Yankees
By Andrew Gans
18 Jun 2008
 |
 |
Megan Lawrence
|
| photo by Aubrey Reuben | Megan Lawrence, a Tony nominee for her performance in the Tony-winning revival of The Pajama Game, has replaced Ana Gasteyer in the upcoming Encores! Summer Stars production of Damn Yankees.
Lawrence will play the role of Gloria instead of Gasteyer, who "suffered a minor injury," according to a press statement.
As previously announced, the baseball-themed musical will star Jane Krakowski as Lola, Sean Hayes as Mr. Applegate, Cheyenne Jackson as Joe Hardy, Tony Award winner Randy Graff as Meg Boyd, Michael Mulheren as Benny Van Buren, Veanne Cox as Sister Miller, P.J. Benjamin as Joe Boyd, Robert Creighton as Smokey, Jimmy Smagula as Rocky, Kathy Fitzgerald as Doris Miller, John Hortonas Mr. Welch and John Selya as Mambo Dancer.
The ensemble will comprise Nathan Balser, David Baum, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Rachel Coloff, Anderson Davis, Marya Grandy, Shannon Lewis, Jay Lusteck, Pamela Otterson, Adam Perry, Karine Plantadit, T. Oliver Reid, Jon Rua, Stacey Sargeant, Alexander Scheitinger, Chandra Lee Schwartz, Baron Vaughn and Cody Ryan Wise.
Damn Yankees, which will play City Center July 5-27, will be directed by John Rando with musical direction by Rob Berman. Mary MacLeod will re-create the original Bob Fosse choreography. Opening night is scheduled for July 10.
The creative team will also include set designer John Lee Beatty, costume designer William Ivey Long, lighting designer Peter Kaczorowski and sound designer Scott Lehrer.
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 (Cheyenne Jackson), but ultimately helps him outsmart the Devil and return to his beloved wife (Randy Graff)."
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 (Russ 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.
City Center is located in Manhattan at West 55th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. For tickets, priced $25-$110, call (212) 581-1212 or visit www.nycitycenter.org.
Contact Us | Advertise | Privacy Policy
Send questions and comments to the Webmaster
Copyright © 2009 Playbill, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|