Review: DAMN YANKEES at Alhambra Theatre & Dining

Before attending the Alhambra Theatre & Dining production of “Damn Yankees”, the title was familiar but the story was not. Judging by the show’s artwork (and, of course, the title) I suspected I was in for an evening of baseball and perhaps something a little devilish. What I saw onstage was a delightful, Golden Age musical full of comedy, romance and high energy musical numbers. At the center of the show is middle-aged baseball fanatic, Joe Boyd, who would be willing to do anything it takes to help his team, the Washington Senators, beat the (damn) Yankees…even if that means selling his soul to the devil.

After Joe Boyd strikes his deal with the devil, he is transformed into the young and talented baseball player, Joe Hardy. Thaddeus Walker scored big with the audience from the moment he entered the stage, immediately charming us with his vocals in “Goodbye, Old Girl”.

Never far away was the devil himself, Mr. Applegate. Allan Baker perfectly portrayed the sly, mischievous Applegate. His delivery and comedic timing made it hard to hate even such a devilish character. His “Those Were the Good Old Days” was simply a delight!

Mr. Applegate’s assistant, the sexy temptress, Lola May sing the song “A Little Brains, a Little Talent” but Charity Walton has plenty of the latter! “Whatever Lola Wants” may be one of the most well known songs from the show and Walton took this as a challenge and did not disappoint with her delivery!

The relationship and chemistry between Joe & Meg Boyd was so effectively established in only a few minutes, early in the show, by Bob O’Hara & Lisa Valdini Booth that it stayed believable for Walker as Joe Hardy later in the show. This kept the audience on his side, fighting for his favorite team and love back at home. This made the reunion of the Boyd’s even more heartwarming at the end of the show!

The show begins with a strong opening number “Six Months Out of Every Year” to immediately showcase the talents of the entire cast and crew. Spectacular lighting, voices and choreography filled the stage to really set the scene for what the audience was about to enjoy!

Christopher Michael Milligan’s choreography kept true to the dance styles of the 1950’s while adding truly fun moments to allow the performers to shine. The production team really used the space wisely, bringing multiple scenes into the aisle, drawing the audience focus away from the stage to allow for large set changes that seemed to happen quickly to allow the momentum of the show to continue.

I was joined at the table by a lovely lady who was so excited for the show. She reminisced on her younger years when she played Lola. She was so excited for me to see the show and hear the music. I think she said it best when she said “it is a lighthearted show with a lovely story and with all that is going on in the world…it is the kind of show everyone needs”. I couldn’t agree more. Damn Yankees certainly was a home run!