Damn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by
George AbbottGeorge Francis Abbott was an American theater producer and director, playwright, screenwriter, and film director and producer whose career spanned more than nine decades.-Early years:...
and
Douglass WallopJohn Douglass Wallop III was an American novelist and playwright.-Early life:John Douglass Wallop III was born on March 8, 1920 to John Douglass, Jr., an insurance agent, and Marjorie Wallop ....
and music and lyrics by
Richard AdlerRichard Adler is an American lyricist, composer and producer of several Broadway shows.-Biography:Born in New York City, Adler had a musical upbringing, his father being a concert pianist. After serving in the Navy he began his career as a lyricist, teaming up with Jerry Ross in 1950...
and
Jerry RossJerry Ross was an American lyricist and composer whose works with Richard Adler for the musical theater include The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees, winners of Tony Awards in 1955 and 1956 respectively in both the "Best Musical" and "Best Composer and Lyricist" categories.-Biography:Ross was born...
. The story is a
modern retellingFaust has inspired artistic and cultural works for over four centuries. The following lists cover various media to include items of historic interest, enduring works of high art, and recent representations in popular culture...
of the
FaustFaust is the protagonist of a classic German legend; a highly successful scholar, but also dissatisfied with his life, and so makes a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Faust's tale is the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic, and musical...
legend set during the 1950s in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, during a time when the
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
dominated
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. The musical is based on Wallop's novel
The Year the Yankees Lost the PennantThe Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant is a 1954 novel by Douglass Wallop. It adapts the Faust theme to the world of American baseball in the 1950s.-Plot summary:...
.
Damn Yankees ran for 1,019 performances in its original 1955
BroadwayBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production. Adler and Ross's success with
The Pajama GameThe Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7½ Cents by Richard Bissell. It features a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where worker demands for a seven-and-a-half cents raise are going unheeded...
and Damn Yankees seemed to point to a bright future for them, but Ross suddenly died of chronic
bronchiectasisBronchiectasis is a disease state defined by localized, irreversible dilation of part of the bronchial tree caused by destruction of the muscle and elastic tissue. It is classified as an obstructive lung disease, along with emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis...
, at the age of twenty-nine, a few months after Damn Yankees opened.
Productions
The producers Harold Prince, Robert Griffith, and
Frederick BrissonRosalind Russell was an American actress of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as a fast-talking newspaper reporter in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday, as well as the role of Mame Dennis in the film Auntie Mame...
had decided that the lead actress for the part of "Lola" had to be a dancer. They offered the role to both the movie actress
Mitzi Gaynor-Life and career:Gaynor was born as Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber in Chicago, Illinois to Pauline Fisher, a dancer, and Henry von Gerber, a violinist, cellist, and music director. The family first moved to Detroit and when she was eleven to Hollywood, California.She trained as a ballerina...
and ballet dancer
Zizi JeanmaireZizi Jeanmaire is a ballet dancer and widow of renowned dancer and choreographer Roland Petit. She became famous in the 1950s after playing the title role in the ballet version of Carmen, produced in London in 1949, and went on to appear in several Hollywood films.-Background:Born in Paris,...
, each of whom turned down the role. Although
Gwen VerdonGwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
had sung just one song in her previous show (Can-Can), the producers were willing to take a chance on her. She initially refused, preferring to assist another choreographer, but finally agreed. Choreographer
Bob FosseRobert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
insisted on meeting her before working with her, and after meeting and working for a brief time, they each agreed to the arrangement.
Damn Yankees opened on
BroadwayBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the 46th Street Theatre on May 5, 1955, transferred to the
Adelphi TheatreThe Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
on May 17, 1957, and ran for a total of 1,019 performances. Directed by
George AbbottGeorge Francis Abbott was an American theater producer and director, playwright, screenwriter, and film director and producer whose career spanned more than nine decades.-Early years:...
, scenery and costumes
William and Jean EckartWilliam and Jean Eckart were a husband-and-wife team of theatre designers in the 1950s and '60s. They designed sets, costumes, and lighting for many productions, including Mame, Here's Love, Damn Yankees, Once Upon a Mattress, The Fig Leaves Are Falling, and The Golden Apple.William Eckart was born...
, dances and musical numbers staged by
Bob FosseRobert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
, musical director Hal Hastings, orchestrations by
Don WalkerDon Walker was a prolific Broadway orchestrator, who also composed music for musicals and one film and worked as a conductor in television.-Biography:...
, and dance music arrangements by Roger Adams.
The production starred
Gwen VerdonGwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
(Lola),
Shannon BolinShannon Bolin is an American actress and singer. She was born in Spencer, South Dakota. Bolin portrayed Meg Boyd in both the stage and screen adaptations of Damn Yankees...
(Meg), Robert Shafer (Joe Boyd), Elizabeth Howell (Doris),
Stephen DouglassStephen Douglass is an American actor-singer.Born Stephen Fitch in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Douglass has had a distinguished theatrical career and has appeared occasionally on television. He was the last performer to play Billy Bigelow in the original Broadway production of Carousel and he created the...
(Joe Hardy), Al Lanti (Henry), Eddie Phillips (Sohovik), Nathaniel Frey (Smokey), Albert Linville (Vernon, Postmaster),
Russ BrownRussell Brown was an American Tony Award winning actor of stage and film...
(Van Buren), Jimmy Komack (Rocky),
Rae AllenRae Allen is an American stage, film and television actress.-Biography:Allen was born as Raffaella Julia Theresa Abruzzo in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Julia and Joseph Abruzzo...
(Gloria), Cherry Davis (Teenager), Del Horstmann (Lynch, Commissioner), Richard Bishop (Welch), Janie Janvier (Miss Weston),
Ray WalstonRay Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
(Mr. Applegate). and
Jean Stapleton (Sister).
A
West EndWest End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production played at the London Coliseum beginning on March 28, 1957, where the musical played for 258 performances. The production starred Olympic skater
BelitaMaria Belita Gladys Olive Lyne Jepson-Turner , known professionally as Belita, was a British Olympic figure skater, dancer and film actress....
(née Gladys Lyne Jepson-Turner) as Lola, but the Fosse choreography was alien to her style, and she was soon replaced by
Elizabeth SealElizabeth Seal is a British actress. In 1961, she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in the title role of Irma La Douce.-Career:...
. The production also starred
Bill KerrWilliam 'Bill' Kerr is an Australian film and television actor. He was born into a performing arts family in Cape Town, South Africa, but grew up in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia....
as Mr. Applegate, and
Ivor EmmanuelIvor Lewis Emmanuel was a Welsh musical theatre and television singer and actor. He led the rendition of "Men of Harlech" in the 1964 film Zulu.-Life and career:...
as Joe Hardy.
In the mid-1970s,
Vincent PriceVincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
starred as Applegate in summer stock productions of the show. In the late 1970s and early 1980s film actor
Van JohnsonVan Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....
appeared as Mr. Applegate in productions throughout the U.S.A. A Broadway revival opened at the
Marquis TheatreThe Marquis Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 1535 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan.Situated on the third floor of the Marriott Marquis Hotel, the 1611-seat venue was designed by developer/architect John C. Portman, Jr...
on March 3, 1994 and ran for 718 performincas and 18 previews. Featured were
Bebe NeuwirthBeatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has worked in television and is known for her portrayal of Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane's wife , on both the TV sitcom Cheers , and its spin-off Frasier...
as Lola and
Victor GarberVictor Joseph Garber is a Canadian film, stage and television actor and singer. Garber is known for playing Jesus in Godspell, Jack Bristow in the television series Alias, Max in Lend Me a Tenor, and Thomas Andrews in James Cameron's Titanic.-Early life:Born in London, Ontario, Canada, Garber is...
as Mr. Applegate. Garber was succeeded by
Jerry LewisJerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
, making his Broadway debut, on March 12, 1995, who then starred in a national tour and also played the role in a London production.
Jack O'BrienJack O'Brien is an American director, producer, writer and lyricist. He served as the Artistic Director of the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California from 1981 through the end of 2007....
directed, with choreography by
Rob MarshallRob Marshall is an American theater director, film director and choreographer. He is a six-time Tony Award nominee, Academy Award nominee, Golden Globe nominee and four-time Emmy winner whose most noted work is the 2002 Academy Award for Best Picture winner Chicago.-Life and career:Marshall was...
, assisted by his sister,
Kathleen MarshallKathleen Marshall is an American choreographer, director, and creative consultant.-Life and career:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marshall graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School and Smith College. She worked in the Pittsburgh theatre scene when she was younger, performing with such...
. O'Brien is also credited with revisions to the book.
The 1994 revival production of Damn Yankees opened in the
West EndWest End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
at the
Adelphi TheatreThe Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
on June 4, 1997 (previews started May 29) and closed on August 9, 1997. Jerry Lewis reprised his role as Mr. Applegate.
A revival was produced by the City Center
Encores!Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert is a program that has been presented by New York City Center since 1994. Encores! is dedicated to performing the full score of musicals that rarely are heard in New York City...
Summer Stars series from July 5 to July 27, 2008. It starred
Jane KrakowskiJane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
as Lola,
Sean HayesSean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
as Applegate,
Randy GraffRandy Graff is an American actress. Graff has been in feature films such as Keys to Tulsa and Rent as well as being in television shows such as NBC's Law & Order a number of times. In addition to film and television, Graff has been in several Broadway shows...
as Meg, Megan Lawrence as Gloria Thorpe (replacing an injured
Ana GasteyerAna Kristina Gasteyer is an American actress of stage, film, and television. She is best known for her comedic roles when she was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1996 to 2002.-Early life:...
during rehearsal), PJ Benjamin as Joe Boyd, and
Cheyenne JacksonCheyenne Jackson is an American actor and singer. He started in regional theater when he moved to Seattle, and after moving to New York City, made his 2002 Broadway theatre debut understudying both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie...
as Joe Hardy.
John RandoJohn Rando is an American stage director, winning the Tony Award for his direction of the musical Urinetown in 2002.-Stage productions:* 1994 Broken Glass * 2000 The Dinner Party* 2001 A Thousand Clowns...
directed and the original Fosse choreography was reproduced by Mary MacLeod. Given the substantial changes in the 1994 revival, this is considered by some the first authentic revival of the original production.
Plot
Note: This is the plot of the 1994 Broadway revival of the play; there are differences from the 1955 version. For the film version, see
Damn Yankees (film)Damn Yankees is a 1958 musical film made by Warner Bros., a modern version of the Faust story involving the New York Yankees and Washington Senators baseball teams. The film is based on the 1955 Broadway musical of the same name....
.
Middle-aged real estate agent Joe Boyd is a long-suffering fan of the pathetic Washington Senators
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team. His wife Meg laments this ("Six Months Out Of Every Year"). After Meg has gone to bed, Joe sits up late, grumbling that if the Senators just had a "long ball hitter" they could beat the "damn Yankees". "I'd sell my soul for a long ball hitter," he laments. Suddenly, "Mr. Applegate" appears. He looks like a slick salesman, but he is really the
DevilThe Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
, and he offers Joe exactly that deal: if he gives up his soul, Joe will become "Joe Hardy",
the young slugger the Senators need. Joe accepts, even though he must leave his wife Meg ("Goodbye Old Girl"). However, Joe's business sense makes him insist on an escape clause. The Senators' last game is on September 25, and if he plays in that final game, he is "in for the duration". If not, he has until 9 o'clock that night to walk away from the deal and return to his normal life.
At the ball park, the hapless Senators vow to play their best despite their failings ("Heart"). Then Joe Hardy is suddenly discovered, and joins the team. Gloria, a reporter, praises him ("Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo"). His hitting prowess enables the Senators to move up the standings.
Though Joe is increasingly successful, he truly misses his wife and begins boarding with her. Meg and the young man begin to bond, especially over her "lost" husband ("A Man Doesn't Know"). Fearful of losing his deal, Mr. Applegate calls Lola, "the best homewrecker on [his] staff", to seduce Joe and ensure his damnation. Lola promises to deliver ("A Little Brains, A Little Talent"), and Applegate introduces her as a sultry
South AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n dancer named "Señorita Lolita Banana". Lola sings a seductive song ("Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets"), but Joe's devotion to his wife proves too strong, even for her. Applegate punishes her by sending her to hell, where she performs with other damned souls ("Who's Got the Pain").
Applegate decides to switch tactics to ensure Joe's failure. He releases false information about Joe Hardy's true identity being "Shifty McCoy," an escaped criminal and con artist. When Gloria discovers this information, she presses charges, and Joe is forced into court.
The Senators prepare for the final game against the Yankees for the pennant, and worry about Joe - but vow to think of nothing but winning ("The Game"). Meanwhile, angry fans are seeking Joe out, so he decides to leave the Boyd home. As he does, he tells Meg indirectly that he is her old husband ("Near to You"). Meanwhile, Applegate is exhausted by the work he has put into collecting one soul, and thinks about the "simpler" times in his long history ("Those Were the Good Old Days").
Joe's day in court is on the same day as the Senators' final game. As Joe Hardy technically does not exist, he cannot produce any kind of identification. The owner of the Senators, coach, and even Lola (disguised as "Senora McCoy") testify against Joe; unfortunately, their opinions are invalid. Gloria suggests that Applegate take the stand, but he is unable to take the oath due to its provision against lying. "Don't you have another version of that thing?" he asks. Joe realizes that Applegate is simply stalling to keep him from meeting his 9 o'clock deadline. Applegate claims that Joe "just needs time to think", and sends him to the lower levels of hell, where history's most famous lovers wait. Lola meets Joe there, and realizes that he truly does love Meg. She helps him by sending him into the final game, and delays Applegate by coercing him into a duet ("Two Lost Souls").
When Applegate finally arrives at the game, it is five minutes to nine, and Joe is at bat. As time runs out, Meg, her friends, and even Lola begin cheering for Joe. Applegate uses his powers to give Joe two strikes. The clock strikes nine, and Applegate claims victory—but at the last second, Joe cries, "Let me go!" The deal is broken, and he is transformed back into his old self. Amazingly, he is still able to hit a home run and win the Senators the pennant.
Back at home, Joe rushes into Meg's arms. Applegate appears on the scene, claiming that Joe owes him his soul. Joe begs Meg to hold him and not let go, and she begins to sing ("A Man Doesn't Know Reprise"). Applegate promises to make Joe young again, and even ensure a
World SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
victory. But his powers are useless against the pair's true love, which Lola points out. Applegate shouts that such a thing cannot exist - but he is wrong. He and Lola vanish back into Hell, defeated, with Joe and Meg united again forever.
Musical numbers
- Based on 1994 revival
Act One
- Overture
- Six Months Out Of Every Year—Meg Boyd, Joe Boyd, Sister, Gloria Thorpe, Husbands and Wives
- Goodbye Old Girl—Joe Boyd and Joe Hardy
- Blooper Ballet—The Senators
- Heart—Van Buren, Smokey, Rocky, Linville
- Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo. -- Gloria Thorpe, Senators
- Shoeless Joe (Reprise) -- Gloria Thorpe, Joe Hardy and Ensemble (1994 revival only, used elements of the song in the style of retro-1950s commercials)
- A Little Brains, a Little Talent—Lola
- A Man Doesn't Know—Joe Hardy & Meg Boyd
- Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets
"Whatever Lola Wants" is a popular song, sometimes rendered as "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets". The music and words were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for the 1955 musical play Damn Yankees. The song is sung by Lola, the Devil's assistant, a part originated by Gwen Verdon, who reprised...
-- Lola
Act Two
- Who's Got the Pain? -- Lola & Senators (Originally, this came at the end of Act One, as "The Game" started Act Two)
- The Game—Rocky, Smokey & Senators
- Near to You—Joe Hardy and Meg Boyd (1994 IBDB shows the addition of Joe Boyd)
- Those Were the Good Old Days—Applegate
- Two Lost Souls—Lola and Joe Hardy (1994 IBDB shows Applegate, 1955 IBDB shows Hardy)
- A Man Doesn't Know (Reprise) -- Meg Boyd and Joe Boyd
Characters
- Joe Boyd — A middle-aged, overweight married man who is in love with baseball, especially the Senators [the "older" Joe Hardy]
- Joe Hardy — The 22-year-old, home run hitting alter ego of Joe Boyd
- Lola — The Devil's seductress assistant
- Mr. Applegate — The Devil in disguise as a slick salesman
- Meg Boyd — Joe's loyal, traditional wife
- Van Buren — The hard working manager of the Washington Senators with great heart but no luck
- Gloria Thorpe — A probing reporter
- Rocky — A baseball player for the Washington Senators
- Smokey — A "dim bulb" catcher for the Washington Senators
- Doris — A friend of Meg
- Sister — A friend of Meg
- Mr. Welch - The owner of the Senators
- Others: Bouley (also called Ibsen in some productions), Vernon, Henry, Linville, Sohovik, Lowe, Mickey, Del, and The Commissioner
- Baseball players and batboys; Baseball fans' wives
(The original Broadway version also had a children's chorus who sang the reprise of "Heart")
Recordings, film and television
The 1955 Original Broadway Cast recording is on RCA Victor, recorded May 8, 1955. The LP was originally issued in mono but in 1965 RCA Victor offered an electronic stereo version. The current CD edition was released in 1988. RCA Victor also released the film soundtrack in 1958. Although recorded in stereo, only the mono version was released. The 1989 CD edition marked the first release of the recording in stereo. The 1994 Broadway revival cast recording made by Mercury (and now on the Decca Broadway label) was released on May 17, 1994.
A film versionDamn Yankees is a 1958 musical film made by Warner Bros., a modern version of the Faust story involving the New York Yankees and Washington Senators baseball teams. The film is based on the 1955 Broadway musical of the same name....
, directed by George Abbott and
Stanley DonenStanley Donen ; is an American film director and choreographer whose most celebrated works are Singin' in the Rain and On the Town, both of which he co-directed with Gene Kelly. His other noteworthy films include Royal Wedding, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Funny Face, Indiscreet, Damn...
, was released in 1958. With the exception of
Tab HunterTab Hunter is an American actor, singer, former teen idol and author who has starred in over forty major films.-Background:...
in the role of Joe Hardy (replacing
Stephen DouglassStephen Douglass is an American actor-singer.Born Stephen Fitch in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Douglass has had a distinguished theatrical career and has appeared occasionally on television. He was the last performer to play Billy Bigelow in the original Broadway production of Carousel and he created the...
), the Broadway principals reprised their stage roles. The film version is very similar to the stage version.
A made-for-TV movie version was broadcast on April 8, 1967 on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.
Phil SilversPhil Silvers was an American entertainer and comedy actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah." He is best known for starring in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S...
played Mr. Applegate. Also starring were
Lee RemickLee Ann Remick was an American film and television actress. Among her best-known films are Anatomy of a Murder , Days of Wine and Roses , and The Omen .-Early life:...
as Lola and
Ray MiddletonRaymond Earl Middleton, Jr. , known and billed as Ray Middleton, was an American character actor.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Middleton was the first actor to play Superman in public, which he did on July 3, 1940, during the 1939 New York World's Fair's "Superman Day"...
as Joe Boyd.
It has been announced that a new contemporary film adaptation of the musical will star
Jim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
as Applegate and
Jake GyllenhaalJacob Benjamin "Jake" Gyllenhaal is an American actor. The son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, Gyllenhaal began acting at age ten...
as Joe Hardy.
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway
Tony Awards
- Best Musical
This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical, first awarded in 1949. This award is presented to the producers of the musical.-1940s:* 1949: Kiss Me, Kate – Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack...
WON
- Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival...
-- Ray WalstonRay Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
WON
- Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival...
-- Stephen DouglassStephen Douglass is an American actor-singer.Born Stephen Fitch in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Douglass has had a distinguished theatrical career and has appeared occasionally on television. He was the last performer to play Billy Bigelow in the original Broadway production of Carousel and he created the...
(nominated)
- Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical -- Gwen Verdon
Gwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
WON
- Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. The award has been presented since 1947...
-- Russ Brown WON
- Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
This is a list of the winners and nominations of the Tony Award for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical. The award, introduced in 1950, was previously named as Best Performance by a Featured or Supporting Actress in a Musical until 1976....
-- Rae AllenRae Allen is an American stage, film and television actress.-Biography:Allen was born as Raffaella Julia Theresa Abruzzo in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Julia and Joseph Abruzzo...
(nominated)
- Best Conductor and Musical Director
The Tony Award for Best Conductor and Musical Director was first presented in 1948, and later discontinued after 1964.-1940s:* 1948: Milton Rosenstock – Finian's Rainbow* 1949: Max Meth – As the Girls Go-1950s:...
-- Hal Hastings WON
- Best Choreography
-1940s:* 1947: Agnes de Mille – Brigadoon / Michael Kidd – Finian's Rainbow* 1948: Jerome Robbins – High Button Shoes* 1949: Gower Champion – Lend An Ear-1950s:* 1950: Helen Tamiris – Touch and Go* 1951: Michael Kidd – Guys and Dolls...
-- Bob FosseRobert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
WON
- Stage Technician — Harry Green WON
1994 Broadway Revival
Tony Awards
- Best Revival of a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical has been awarded since 1994. Before that time, both plays and musicals were considered together for the Tony Award for Best Revival....
(nominee)
- Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival...
-- Victor GarberVictor Joseph Garber is a Canadian film, stage and television actor and singer. Garber is known for playing Jesus in Godspell, Jack Bristow in the television series Alias, Max in Lend Me a Tenor, and Thomas Andrews in James Cameron's Titanic.-Early life:Born in London, Ontario, Canada, Garber is...
(nominated)
- Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. The award has been presented since 1947...
-- Jarrod EmickJarrod Emick is an American musical theatre actor best known for his performance as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees.-Biography:...
WON
- Best Choreography
-1940s:* 1947: Agnes de Mille – Brigadoon / Michael Kidd – Finian's Rainbow* 1948: Jerome Robbins – High Button Shoes* 1949: Gower Champion – Lend An Ear-1950s:* 1950: Helen Tamiris – Touch and Go* 1951: Michael Kidd – Guys and Dolls...
-- Rob MarshallRob Marshall is an American theater director, film director and choreographer. He is a six-time Tony Award nominee, Academy Award nominee, Golden Globe nominee and four-time Emmy winner whose most noted work is the 2002 Academy Award for Best Picture winner Chicago.-Life and career:Marshall was...
(nominated)
Drama Desk AwardThe Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
- Outstanding Musical Revival — nominated
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical — Jarrod Emick WON
- Outstanding Orchestrations — Douglas Besterman (nominated)
Theatre World AwardThe Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
- Theatre World Award — Jarrod Emick
- Theatre World Special Award — Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
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