The benign spirit of the late, great Fred Anzevino, founder of Theo Ubique, must have been smiling down Sunday on the classic baseball tuner “Damn Yankees,” one of those old, all-American musicals that, when produced with this level of charm, charisma and competence, invariably puts a smile on your face and a “W” in your list of aspirations.
As joyously directed and deftly cast here by Daryl D. Brooks, and creatively choreographed by Christopher Chase Carter, this experience felt very much like classic Theo: A whole team of fresh young talent with stellar voices, a rich collective sense of humor, and the perennial sense, thanks in no small part to Carter’s ambitious work, that everyone here is doing clever things that you don’t typically see done in a space this intimate. Not done this cleverly, anyway.
If Brooks’ ace is Luke Nowakowski, a stellar, square-jawed Joe Hardy with a full-on commitment to this aw-shucks of a guy, then Carter has Jenny Couch, a knockout Lola who comes with major dance chops, oodles of dry wit, and the requisite assurance that this Lola will indeed get whatever Lola wants, at least until good old 1950s American marital values reassert themselves. Couch is a major new talent and, for sure, a name to watch.
First produced on Broadway in 1955 and filmed in 1958, “Damn Yankees” is one of the innumerable theatrical retellings of the Faust legend, ranging from Christopher Marlowe to Randy Newman. This one involves a middle-aged guy who sells his soul to be able to come back young and svelte enough to play for his beloved team and vanquish the hated Yankees, and is actually set for a Broadway revival in 2027. I have fond memories of Jerry Lewis playing Mr. Applegate, aka Satan, in a national tour of the previous revival. Lewis drew so much focus that it was as if no one else was in the show. I remember it driving me nuts.
This production, though, focuses more on Joe himself, and rightly so. Before Nowakowski takes over, Joe is actually Joe Boyd, as played by Thomas M. Shea, an actor whose work has darkened over the years, which gives the piece some gravitas before the real fun starts.
No one would accuse George Abbott and Douglass Wallop’s book of being a progressive take on gender. But Brooks clearly understands that such stereotyping is best countered with truthful, vulnerable performances, not some concept that fights the material. As a result, the scenes between Joe and wife Meg Boyd (beautifully sung by Meghan Hoyt) actually are quite moving, just as you are left wondering how happy Couch’s Lola could possibly be with her lot, vamping at the command of Tommy Thurston’s besuited Mr. Applegate.
Interestingly, one of the gags here involves a baseball player who sells insurance on the side, a reminder of the gap between MLB athletes in 1955, when side gigs were smart, and today, when millions of dollars flow whether you are shoeless or well-saddled.
Still, Richard Adler and Jerry Ross’ score always is the main attraction here: “Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo.,” “Whatever Lola Wants,” “A Little Brains, a Little Talent,” “A Man Doesn’t Know” and, above all, “Heart,” which this cast turns into a charming singalong on a set that designer Manuel Ortiz has turned into a little baseball stadium on Howard Street, box seats and all. The concession stand has hot dogs for sale, but the concept also is mercifully not carried too far. This still is a musical about a marriage, a set of dreams, a desire for control. All are the timeless concerns of the American musical, rarely put together in the 21st Century with this much charm.
Plus there’s no upper deck at Theo Ubique, of course, so everyone is in on the game. One last idea. Given the fraught nature of the official 250th celebrations, such as they are, here’s an affordable, all-American option for your family that better reminds you of the spirit of this once-optimistic country:
“When your luck is battin’ zero
Get your chin up off the floor
Mister you can be a hero
You can open any door.”
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic
cjones5@chicagotribune.com
Review: “Damn Yankees” (3.5 stars)
When: Through July 5
Where: Theo Ubique Theatre, 721 Howard St., Evanston
Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Tickets: $33-$66 at 773-939-4101 and theo-u.com
