As previously reported, Jim Walton, Shannon Lewis and George Merrick will head the cast of the classic musical as, respectively, Mr. Applegate, Lola and Young Joe. The North Shore production — directed and choreographed by Barry Ivan — will feature a revised version of Damn Yankees, which will focus on a Red Sox fan rather than a Washington Senators devotee. Performances begin April 25.
Walton, Lewis and Merrick will be joined onstage by Becky Barta (Sister), Christy Faber (Gloria Thorpe), Mary Callanan (Doris), Steve Luker (Van Buren), Richard Pruitt (Joe Boyd) and Kay Walbye (Meg Boyd). The ensemble comprises Noah Aberlin, Ryan Patrick Binder, Craig Kaufman, Kasey Marino, Matthew Sean Morgan, Leo Nouhan, Amanda Paulson, Kevin Steele and Christopher Saunders.
The North Shore Yankees boasts an adapted book by Joe DiPietro based on the original Douglass Wallop-George Abbott text. In the North Shore version, which is based on a concept by Jon Kimbell, "a die-hard Red Sox fan makes a deal with the devil to help the Sox take the pennant from the dreaded Yankees." The Jerry Ross-Richard Adler musical will play the North Shore through May 14.
The creative team for Damn Yankees includes Bruce Barnes (music director), Russel Parkman (scenic designer), Vincent Scassellati (costume designer), David Neville (lighting designer), John A. Stone (sound designer), Gerard Kelly (hair and wig designer), Michael Goudzwaard (special effects designer), Melissa A. Rouse-Stuart (assistant choreographer), Joanna E. Murphy (assistant costume designer) and Nick Gregorian (Red Sox consultant).
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 most recent Broadway revival, which opened in March 1994 at the Marquis Theatre, co-starred Bebe Neuwirth, Victor Garber and Jarrod Emick. The North Shore Music Theatre is located at 62 Dunham Road in Beverly, MA. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (978) 232-7200 or visit www.nsmt.org.
