"Damn Yankees" Concert Led By Maggie Gyllenhaal, Whoopi Goldberg & James Earl Jones

[ViniFromBrazil]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 7:23pm

http://www.broadway.com/buzz/190012/maggie-gyllenhaal-whoopi-goldberg-james-earl-jones-to-lead-damn-yankees-in-concert/

Don't know what to make of it. Casting seems strange but Kahtleen Marshall seems like a good fit to direct it. Just a concert, anyways. I will certainly try to get tickets, though.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 10/15/17 at 10:52am

Tickets on sale now. $1000 and up for most of the orchestra, $500 for last four rows of the orchestra and first row of the mezzanine, $250 mid-mezzanine, $150 rear mezzanine.

At these prices not selling like hotcakes.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/15/17 at 11:17am

Gyllenhaal is totally inexplicable casting. There are so many actual musical theatre performers who’d kill as Lola... and they went with someone with no major musical experience? 

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/15/17 at 12:27pm

Whoopi aside (which could be quite inspired), the other casting seems straight-up weird.

I’m waiting to see if the rest of this cast is going to be hit or miss.

Also, Christopher Jackson for Joe Hardy.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/15/17 at 1:42pm

I know it's a benefit concert, but those prices are ridiculous!!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/15/17 at 1:44pm

For a concert reading, I think the casting is inspired.  Now, if it were a semi-staged concert that's an entirely different scenario with Maggie's Lola as there would be choreography, etc.  Generally at concert readings, only the musical numbers are sung but not performed unlike City Center Encores! Concert Series productions which does perform all aspects of the musicals they are performing.  

[Speed]

Posted: 10/15/17 at 1:58pm

I loved the 94 revival and I have no idea who Welch is.  The owner of the team?

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 10/15/17 at 2:03pm

Yes, Welch is the owner of the team. 

This is the strangest announcement. Jake Gyllenhaal’s voice took us by surprise, so here’s to hoping his sister has some chops too. She’s just not the right type at all...

[Steve C.]

Posted: 10/15/17 at 2:21pm

I just think the three of them weren't doing anything that night and said, "Meh..." 

I really wish them no ill will, I like them all, but Kad is right...what? why? This show deserves more respect.

Seeing "Damn Yankees" as a little kid with Bebe Neuwirth, Victor Garber, Vicki Lewis and then, Jarrod Emick as Joe Hardy, (winning all the awards that year), I was in love; it sparked my youthful energy and ambitions toward live theater and musicals. (I hope Jarrod is still "around".) Also, the Marshall choreography, at the start of their careers. DY and The Pajama Game are total Abbott classics and these flash grabs kind of p me off...

 

I just check "checked" myself and Jarrod currently lives in Las Vegas with his wife and son....SO, Yeah!  Shout out to Jarrod! Come Back to NYC!

The "Yankees" need you !!!

Updated On: 10/15/17 at 02:21 PM

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/15/17 at 6:37pm

Whoopi as Applegate? JEJ? SIGN ME UP. 

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 12/11/17 at 8:46am

This is happening tonight!! Anybody going?

[Flowerlovestage5]

Posted: 12/12/17 at 12:02am

I just got back.  I love this show.  I think it's held up very well for its age since it was written, and has a solid score. 

The orchestra was great.  There were chairs set up in a row, with an occasional locker room bench center stage.

The ensemble did well and the supporting members were very good.  Halston and Golden were a hoot at times. 

Burstein and Clark were great.  Clark really fleshed out the character, I thought, especially with such little rehearsal time for a one night gig.I thought she brought a sexiness to the role that I hadn't seen before.  Sexy without trying to being sexy.  Loved her book scenes with Morrison.

Morrison was everything I had hoped for; sexy and boyishly charming with great pipes.  He's a perfect match for the role and plays off well with everyone onstage.

Gyllenhaal is not someone that I have seen on stage before and I know I have enjoyed her in films, though I couldn't tell you which ones.  Oddly enough.  I thought she was divine.  The book scenes aren't much for her role, but her numbers are classics, and she really sold them.  She's not over the top nor is she understated.

I think she is the only performer I know who could be still while singing A Little Brains, A Little Talent and completely sell the number.  Such charm and panache.  Her singing voice is just as attractive as the rest of her.  Gwen Verdon would have been proud.

If only Marshall had given her actual dance steps and/or more movement, she really would have pulled that off too.

Golderg: Terrible.  I love the idea of a woman in the role.  I love the idea of Whoopi in the role.  I love a reading of any work, musical or not.  That said, Whoopi read her lines like it was her first acting class.  That distinct persona and humor that we all love about her was not there.  I can't even tell you that I feel she was miscast, or disagree with her choices.  There were no evident choices or cohesive thought to what she was saying. Her timing was ok in certain moments, but even for a one night gig --- it was bad.  BAD.  I hope to see her again, in something else.

There was mention, as per Todd Haines, that he wishes to bring this production for a complete run on Broadway in the next year or so.  I hope they do.  With another Applegate.

 

[John Adams]

Posted: 12/12/17 at 9:26am

Not a fan of Whoopi Goldberg in musicals, and (for my tastes) the gender-bending schtick is not impressive to me.

Whoopi doesn't sing. (Well, she goes through the motions admirably, and bravely - but she DOESN'T sing.)

Perhaps my opinion only, but I've never been impressed by her acting. The original characters she created early on in her career? Yup - I liked 'em, but I've never seen her do anything really well when the script was created by another writer.

EXCEPT for The Color Purple. She should have gotten an Oscar for that work. What a shame because she might not be considered for (nor have the time for, nor want to seek out) another dramatic role of that stature again. That role fit her talents like a glove.

Updated On: 12/12/17 at 09:26 AM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/12/17 at 11:52am

I wonder if Whoopi actually read the script before last night or if she even showed up for a rehearsal. I love Whoopi, too, but I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't prepared for this.