Damn Yankees Review
The Beach Reporter

'Damn' Glitches Plague Otherwise Spirited 'Yankees' by Lea Sterling

It is beginning to seem that technical difficulties follow the productions of the Aerospace Musical Comedy Club no matter where they go.

Their current offering - "Damn Yankees," playing at the James Armstrong Theater in Torrance - was plagued opening night by an almost continuous irritating buzz from the actor's body mikes, wobbly props and a sound system which worked fine for choral numbers but which rendered the lyrics of solos practically unintelligible, even from the first row.

Individual voices, when they could be heard, ranged from adequate to fine. It was not talent which fell short, but the conduit thereof. Improved marginally in the second act, the sound will hopefully undergo a "magical" transformation (much like one of the main characters) before the end of the run.

That being said, the comedy itself is interesting and energetic, if somewhat long. The play clocks in at slightly more than three hours.

"Damn Yankees," written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, is American to the core, a Faustian tale of good vs. evil and ultimate redemption under the guise of 1950's baseball fever. It is set in the era of the now-legendary Mickey Mantle, et. al., when the New York Yankees dominated the sport, winning eight of 10 American League pennants.

Joe Boyd (played by Ed Fletcher) is a middle-aged Washington Senators fan who, in a moment of frustration as his team's seventh-place ranking, thoughtlessly declares out loud that "I'd sell my soul for one long-ball hitter!"

Enter said Devil, or rather Mr. Applegate, played by the dark and debonair Glen Brewer. After some negotiation, (complete with an unprecedented "escape clause"), Boyd becomes Joe Hardy, the young hitting phenom who is the answer to Senator's prayers.

Of course, payment will come due at end of said contract, but all Joe cares about is winning. That and reliving the long vanished days of his youth, when he was a rising baseball star, before marriage and age shackled his dreams.

Scott Clifford as the young Joe looks and moves much like a slim Drew Carey. He excels at playing a soul increasingly haunted by what he has sacrificed to achieve a dream which is not at all what he imagined. His dilemma incarnated the adage, "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it!"

Ann Wong-Jiru, as Lola, Applegate's tortured accomplice is superb. Her vampy "Whatever Lola Wants," is a highlight of the show, and her affected "little girl" accent is hilarious.

Brewer, as Applegate, the third component of this devilish triangle, is invariably smooth, invariably dapper (arrayed in black throughout, with appropriate accents of flame-red), and possesses the most accomplished stage presence of the entire cast.

He can dance, too, as he nimbly demonstrates in his one solo, "The Good Old Days," a tender ode to the Spanish Inquisition, the French Revolution, and the American West. His "cigarette trick" is a fun special effect and his toothpaste commercial grin thinly veils the menace beneath.

Supporting players, all 25 of them, as well as "the boys," the "girls," the dancers and the two choruses evince enthusiasm and hard work.

Outstanding among them are John Portela as Coach Benny Van Buren and Terra Hannah (lead dancer and assistant choreographer); Kerry Riccio as Gloria, the ever-persistent sports reporter; and Bob Minnichelli as Smokey, the dense but determined teammate.

Choreography by Erin Barrette shines best in the solid "Two Lost Souls," set in the fictional Golden West nightclub.

Set design (by Michael Riccio) and costuming (by Pam Andrade and Myrna Robinson) come together brilliantly in Applegate's character. His apartment, with flame-patterned wallpaper and a chandelier constructed from pitchforks, is inspired; and his wardrobe, from the scarlet-piped black velvet vest, to his gold-embroidered smoking jacket to his flamboyant floor-length cape in the final scenes is without a doubt the showpiece of the costumes.

Special praise to conductor Mark Aguero, and all of the musicians, as well as director Chuck Gustafson, who struggled with obvious setbacks.

Based on the book, "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant," by George Abbott and Douglas Wallop, "Damn Yankees" is a morality play about the invincibility of love, ensconced in an evening of song and dance. Heavily sugar-coated, the less is still there and powerful.