Academy ushers in baseball season with ‘Damn Yankees’

Tom Titus

Remember the Washington Senators? Unless you grew up in the 1950s or

earlier, the only Washington senators that would spring to your mind

are the ones in the Capitol building.

But back a half-century ago, the nation’s capital had a rather

woebegone baseball team which gave rise to the expression

“Washington: First in war, first in peace and last in the American

League.”

First in that league, of course, were the New York Yankees (then

as now), and they annually incurred the wrath of Senators followers.

So much so that novelist Douglas Wallop wrote a fanciful tome

entitled “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant.” I remember reading

it in high school and wondering if the method described therein would

work for my Cleveland Indians.

Broadway director George Abbott grabbed that story in 1955 and

turned it into a hit musical, “Damn Yankees.” And now, nearly a

half-century later, that show is coming up to bat Friday at

Huntington Beach High School for a two-weekend run as a production of

the Academy for the Performing Arts.

“The academy is proud to bring this fun-loving musical to life

with a passionate and gifted 35-member cast and orchestra,” said Tim

Nelson, director and vocal director for “Damn Yankees.”

“Each spring season, APA produces a vibrant rendition of a

timeless musical for its loyal audiences, and this season proves to

be no exception,” declared Nelson, who has directed, conducted and

performed in over 100 shows spanning from California to New York.

This is his sixth year with the academy.

“Damn Yankees” -- which was made into a hit movie with Tab Hunter,

Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston -- is a funny, fanciful tale of one

rabid, middle-aged Washington fan who literally sells his soul to be

transformed into a young, red-hot ballplayer (Shoeless Joe Hardy) who

brings his Senators a pennant. The only hitch is, at the end of the

season, there’s the devil to pay.

You may remember the musical number “Whatever Lola Wants.” That’s

from this show as the devilish Mr. Applegate summons a tempting

seductress to try and shift Joe’s focus from baseball to romance so

he won’t be inclined to use his “escape clause” at the end of the

season.

But, as the audience will learn from the guys in the locker room,

“You’ve Gotta Have Heart.”

The production is being choreographed by the APA’s artistic

director, Diana Makas-Weber. Gregg Gilboe directs the orchestra. The

cast is composed of APA students, an elite group of high school

youths focused intently on all facets of performing arts.

Performances will be given Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and

Sundays at 2 p.m. through March 21 in the auditorium of Huntington

Beach High School, 1905 Main St., Huntington Beach. Tickets are $15

for general admission and $12 for students and senior citizens, with

reservations being taken at (714) 536-2514, ext. 4025.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.