rOcKS @ 'Damn Yankees'

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/6/08 at 10:41pm

I just got back from the show and had a really nice time. It's certainly nothing worth transferring to Broadway (at least not in it's current state) but it's a highly entertaining night out.

John Rando, who just hasn't seemed to get back into the swing of things since his great work with URINETOWN, is directing the show with consistent inconsistency. His direction is so uneven and almost non-existent that it hardly even registers. Also, if you're going to do DAMN YANKEES with the original Fosse choreography, you need a four star ensemble and this ensemble is vocally talented but nothing really worth writing home about during the big dance numbers (save for a few nice moments during "Two Lost Souls"). The dances look more polished when it's just one or two people performing them as the ensemble never seems to be in complete harmony when they are dancing, which is as anyone will tell you, crucial to executing Fosse's stunning choregraphy well. I loved "Who's Got The Pain?," though,...Selya and Krakowsi knock it out of the park together.

The orchestrations could have been a bit louder at times to give more of an "old Broadway feel" like I feel this show was aiming for, but they are mostly really strong. The sets are pretty boring and dull (I did like the dugout set quite a bit), and the costumes are on par if underwhelming and not really special.

The three leads were each really good, none gave performances worthy of any insane praise, but they all do a really nice job of playing to their strengths. Jackson belts out the showtunes memorably even if his acting is lackluster, Krakowski dances gorgeously even if her voice is a bit underpar for some of the numbers, and Hayes hams it up and plays a mean piano during his Act 2 showstopper "Those Were the Good Old Days." None are triple threats or worthy raving about but they each play to their strengths very well (ie: when Jackson sings, you almost forget if he's singing with someone; during "Whatever Lola Wants," you get lost in Krakowski's sexiness and slick dancing which make up for her lack of local power; and Hayes is hilarious, even if he is playing the role a bit too Jack-McFarland-y, and steals nearly every scene in which he doesn't have to sing --which are all but one--).

Like I said, the ensemble is vocally powerful but needs to be polished when it comes to the dances. Randy Graff, Veanne Cox, Megan Lawrence, and the rest of the secondary players, are all strong enough in their roles, providing the audience with some nice moments here and there.

The problem with this production is mainly the direction. If Rando's direction were stronger, I feel that the performances would be kicked up a notch as well. It's not that anything about this production is awful...it's just all really solid and never reaches for anything brilliant or great. It's a nice, colorful, breezy production of a brilliant, wonderful musical. As I sat in the audience, during "Two Lost Souls," as Krakowski danced up a storm, I got a little teary-eyed because I thought about how strong the material is and I thought THIS is what Broadway should be. Not this production, but this material. It's so strong, so beautiful, and so fun (although I do prefer the revised version) but this is probably one of the greatest musicals of all time and this production is just good enough.

**1/2 out of ****
B-

[justntime330]

Posted: 7/6/08 at 10:56pm

nice review. glad you had a good time. im going next week and cant wait!!

[jeffrey1dog]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 1:31am

I was there for the Sunday evening performance too and really enjoyed it wayyy more than the OP.
I think it was just wonderful. Everybody was great... Jane, Sean, Cheyenne, Randy, Megan, Veanne and the Mambo King himself John Selya...


It was a real, old fashioned entertaining evening in the theater... Fosse all the way.
We didn't stick stick around for too long but I did get to tell Cheyenne how wonderful the show was, as were he and everybody it. He said "We're getting there." But as far as I'm concerned they're 'already there!'

PS: I had a great seat in the center orch directly behind Nathan Lane (who seemed to really enjoy the show too.) And in the same row just a few seats over were Debra Monk & previous Applegate, Victor Garber.

Don't hesitate to go see it
I'm going again tomorrow - haha.

Updated On: 7/7/08 at 01:31 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 1:34am

That's awesome Victor Garber (who does a lot of Encores) went to see it.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 1:43am

I have to admit, though I already posted on another thread about this show but the more I've thought about it today (having seen Saturday's matinee) the more I am looking forward to seeing it again. I just really want to see all the Graff/Jackson parts again as well as "Two Lost Souls" and yes, even Hayes' piano playing solo. I may end up seeing it three times instead of my planned two...

[violet72]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 1:47am

I also saw it tonight and sat in the front row..I agree aboout the direction. It was just a fun time at a good old fashion musical. I forgot what a good score this show has. The dancing was excellent. My favorite part had to be the violin in Good Old Days...cracked me up....will it transfer probably not, but it was a fun night.

BTW I also saw Nathan Lane, Victor Garber, and Debra Monk. Also Jenna Russell and Mary Beth Peil sat in front of them.

Stage door: Sean Hayes came out of the stage door and signed and took pictures then ran back in...we waited a half an hour more and someone ran into the desk there and asked if Jane K was coming out and they said she left and he asked why didn't anyone tell us thats why there was still a big crowd out there and the guy said it wasn't his job to do so.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 2:09am

Aw, I wish I had seen Victor Garber there. I have a crush on him. Sean Hayes said in the BWW video that he spoke to Garber about playing Applegate. Of course, Garber was nominated for an Emmy for his turn in WILL & GRACE.
Debra Monk did COMPANY with Jane Krakowski and Veanne Cox.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 2:38am

Selya was fantastic...he executed the Fosse choreography flawlessly.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 11:57am

Mentioning Nathan Lane made me think what a great Applegate he'd be (no disrespect to Sean Hayes). I haven't seen the current version -- that's not until the 19th -- but am looking forward to it greatly. I go back to the original in 1956 -- just ONE month after Verdon had left. What a bummer that was. Gretchen Wyler was fine, but, well, Verdon is Verdon.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 12:02pm

I've only been to two Encores shows, both in 1998, but part of the fun is audience-watching.

When I saw "Lil Abner," Victor Garber was in the row behind me, while Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson and Wyatt Russell were directly in front of me. Also saw John Epperson (Lypsinka) and Ron Rifkin.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 12:15pm

Lane would be a great Applegate! Lane, Monk, and Garber all really seemed to enjoy it and have a lot of fun...I was two rows behind them and heard Monk cackling throughout.

[jeffrey1dog]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 1:05pm

I thought the same thing about Nathan Lane, especially because he got the biggest kick out of Hayes schtick, almost as if he was studying his technique.

Spoiler alert: Lane laughed louder than anyone when Hayes said "Who needs to marry women?"
If it comes to Broadway I'm sure he'd be a leading contender

[mr.scribble]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 1:05pm

this is a little off topic but I just saw Jarrod Emmick who won the Tony for the rivival as Joe Hardy, he was playing Wiley in Contact, he was really great but unfortuneatly i didn't hear him sing cause it was Contact

[shh282]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 1:06pm

I actually would have loved to see Norbert Leo Butz to play Applegate, I think he has the wit and the ability to be physically comedic enough for the part.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 1:37pm

My favorite part had to be the violin in Good Old Days...cracked me up....

You mean during the line "Nero fiddlin' through that lovely blaze"?

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 1:45pm

He is referring to a bit added for Hayes in this staging.
After the first major section of "Good Old Days" where Sean plays the piano. He goes offstage and returns with a violin, which he plucks to make it appear he is about to transition to playing it, he then tosses it away and continues the number.