Happy 60th Anniversary to DAMN YANKEES

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 3:42am

It opened on this day, May 5th sixty years ago at the 46th Street Theater (pictured below). A very unusual modern American take on Faust, the show was a success running over 1000 performances. It starred the sensational Gwen Verdon dancing dances by Bob Fosse. Also featured was a personal favorite of mine, Stephen Douglass. 

The score is a delight to this day as shown by the lovely cast album, and the show is a very popular choice in regional/community/high school theater.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 7:01am

 

Happy Anniversary to one of my favorite shows!

Please never stop doing what you do, Nowack.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 8:00am

I love that Hirschfeld drawing.

It seems like so many caricaturists try to copy his style.

Then you look at one of his works and remember how inimitable he was.

 

And happy b-day to Damn Yankees!

 

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 8:15am

[1971FolliesFan]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 11:38am

I love these! Lovely work Mr. Nowack!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 11:46am

Ah, to be able to go back in a time machine to be there for Broadways Golden Age.

[daredevil]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 12:29pm

Thanks for remembering this; I saw the original production twice, the first time a few weeks after it opened, the second in December of 56, a matinee with the show now in its second year. I loved it from the beginning, I was a big baseball fan so that helped, All principals and featured players were excellent, I remember the first time I heard Jean Stapleton's familiar voice in the first scene of the show--cannot believe that she was just around 30 at the time.

Two interesting facts: the cast that I saw on the matinee in December of 56, the show in its 19nth month, was remarkably similar to the one that I saw in May of 55. Verdun had left, she was replaced by Gretchen Wyler; Jimmy Komack, the original Rocky had been drafted and was replaced by Bob Dishy (both were wonderful) and I think there was one other principal change (maybe the General Manager) But aside from that, the rest of the cast was intact: Ray Walston, Douglass, Shannon Bolin, Robert Schaefer, Rae Allen (a terrific Gloria Thorpe), Russ Brown, the remarkable Nathaniel Frey ( a George Abbott favorite) and many others. And amazingly enough, they performed with incredible energy and skill, all of them giving open and spontaneous performances, one could never imagine that this was there second year.

Second: the ending of the first act: When I saw it originally, the Shifty McCoy rumor was just announced, then Joe said something like: "IT is not true, I will fight it etc." and the curtain came down. Second performance the rumor was announced and then the dancing and celebration just continued until the curtain fell. At least that is what I remember some sixty years later.

Wonderfully paced, always moving, the terrific choreography of Bob Fosse, and George Abbott's sharped, focused direction are always things I will remember.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 1:49pm

Wow daredevil, you are so lucky to have seen the original production of this all-time classic twice! What an amazing story.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 4:24pm

Wow!  What wonderful photos, and I love the stories in this thread.

It's one of my sentimental favorites.  I played Lola in a high school production and had such fun.  I still remember all the words to all the songs.  A classic.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 5:06pm

Of course you did! I bet you were WONDERFUL!

I love this video of Fosse "teaching" Gwen how to be Lola.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 5:21pm

PalJoey, I LOVE that video.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 11:49pm

What an amazing candid look at them working together. So comfortable and so talented.