#1
Posted: 9/22/05 at 12:23pm
Amas Musical Theatre, the Manhattan troupe devoted to multicultural musical theatre, is reinventing the baseball musical Damn Yankees — setting it in the Negro Baseball Leagues — for a fall benefit concert.
Donna Trinkoff, producing artistic director of Amas Musical Theatre, announced the company will stage its third star-filled "Blast From the Past" benefit concert Nov. 14, reimagining the Faust-inspired show that gave us "Heart" and "Whatever Lola Wants." The evening will also see actress Leslie Uggams honored with an Amas award.
A 90-minute concert presentation of Damn Yankees at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in Greenwich Village sets the show in the world of the Negro Baseball Leagues, which thrived in the bad old days before the color barrier was broken in major league ball.
Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj will direct and choreograph, with music direction by Charles Creath. The cast will include Tony Award winner Sara Ramirez (Spamalot) and Tamara Tunie (Julius Caesar, "As the World Turns") as dueling Lolas; Alton F. White (Ragtime, The Lion King) as the devilish Mr. Applegate; Rodney Hicks (Rent) as Joe Hardy; Tony winner Chuck Cooper (The Life, Caroline, Or Change) as the Coach; Ken Primus as Older Joe; Vivian Reed (Marie Christine, Bubbling Brown Sugar) as his wife Meg, Tina Fabrique as Sister and Rob Evan (Jekyll and Hyde, Little Shop of Horrors) as Mr. Welch, with Wayne W. Pretlow, Raun Ruffin, Eric Anthony, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Rob Evan, Stacey Sargeant, Christine Clemons, Amber Efe, Britton Jones, Kevin Anthony, Michael Blackman and Delance Minefee.
This is thought to be the first time the show, written by songwriter Jerry Ross and Richard Adler and book writers George Abbott and Douglas Wallop, has been placed in the context of the black baseball world. The original production opened on Broadway in 1955 and starred Gwen Verdon as Lola.
"Setting our concert version of Damn Yankees in the Negro Baseball Leagues is a fresh and unique interpretation of this classic tale of baseball, temptation, second chances, and the power of the human spirit," Trinkoff said in a statement. "No text has been altered except the Washington Senators are now called the 'Black' Washington Senators, and the musical arrangements and dance numbers are unmistakably influenced by African American and Caribbean music of the era. As conceived and directed by our artist-in-residence Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, this is a show that both breaks new ground and pays homage to the past."
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/95265.html
Donna Trinkoff, producing artistic director of Amas Musical Theatre, announced the company will stage its third star-filled "Blast From the Past" benefit concert Nov. 14, reimagining the Faust-inspired show that gave us "Heart" and "Whatever Lola Wants." The evening will also see actress Leslie Uggams honored with an Amas award.
A 90-minute concert presentation of Damn Yankees at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in Greenwich Village sets the show in the world of the Negro Baseball Leagues, which thrived in the bad old days before the color barrier was broken in major league ball.
Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj will direct and choreograph, with music direction by Charles Creath. The cast will include Tony Award winner Sara Ramirez (Spamalot) and Tamara Tunie (Julius Caesar, "As the World Turns") as dueling Lolas; Alton F. White (Ragtime, The Lion King) as the devilish Mr. Applegate; Rodney Hicks (Rent) as Joe Hardy; Tony winner Chuck Cooper (The Life, Caroline, Or Change) as the Coach; Ken Primus as Older Joe; Vivian Reed (Marie Christine, Bubbling Brown Sugar) as his wife Meg, Tina Fabrique as Sister and Rob Evan (Jekyll and Hyde, Little Shop of Horrors) as Mr. Welch, with Wayne W. Pretlow, Raun Ruffin, Eric Anthony, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Rob Evan, Stacey Sargeant, Christine Clemons, Amber Efe, Britton Jones, Kevin Anthony, Michael Blackman and Delance Minefee.
This is thought to be the first time the show, written by songwriter Jerry Ross and Richard Adler and book writers George Abbott and Douglas Wallop, has been placed in the context of the black baseball world. The original production opened on Broadway in 1955 and starred Gwen Verdon as Lola.
"Setting our concert version of Damn Yankees in the Negro Baseball Leagues is a fresh and unique interpretation of this classic tale of baseball, temptation, second chances, and the power of the human spirit," Trinkoff said in a statement. "No text has been altered except the Washington Senators are now called the 'Black' Washington Senators, and the musical arrangements and dance numbers are unmistakably influenced by African American and Caribbean music of the era. As conceived and directed by our artist-in-residence Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, this is a show that both breaks new ground and pays homage to the past."
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/95265.html
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