Metropolis' 'Damn Yankees' gets a solid triple
The folks at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre seem to have nothing but baseball on their minds these days.
Their previous show was a revival of "Bleacher Bums," Chicago theater's great 1970s ode to Cubs fans. Now the Metropolis is serenading baseball lovers with the classic 1955 Broadway musical "Damn Yankees."
It's the one where a dyed-in-the-wool baseball fan of the Washington Senators sells his soul to the devil in a Faustian pact so he can help his favorite team beat the despised Yankees and win the pennant. (I'm sure plenty of Cubs fans would make a similar deal for the World Series).
In any other season, this one-track-mind programming would be questionable. But it's all forgivable and extremely timely now, what with the Cubs in the playoffs (sorry White Sox fans, this review was written before it was known whether they are playoff-bound, too).
According to Metropolis executive director Jim Jarvis, "Damn Yankees" is the theater's biggest show to date. It certainly benefits from a great pocket-size orchestra on stage (no prerecorded tracks like in Metropolis' "High School Musical"). Also good is the energetic 20-member cast and Rachelle Moore Stadt's doodle-laden sets of sliding panels, platforms and cutouts that burst out like a kid's baseball pop-up book.
Yet there's an inconsistent flow to this show, which can be seen in Chris LoDuca's direction. Instead of using cast members to change Stadt's movable sets in full view to create a cinematic flow, LoDuca relies on pokey black outs and what looks to be begrudging crew members to transition through scenes (the crew's saving grace is that many wear Cubs gear).
The material itself also takes some blame, since "Damn Yankees" comes from the stop-and-start era of Broadway when actors performed bits in front while sets were changed behind the curtain.
Kristen Gurbach Jacobson's choreography is plenty of fun, particularly when she uses baseball bats aplenty in the pep-talk number "Heart," or even some tap in "Shoeless Joe" (from Hannibal, Mo.). Other times, Jacobson goes through the paces like in "Who's got the Pain," which only takes off when Nancy Kolton's Sister hilariously barges in to approximate the fancy footwork of her fellow baseball fan dancers.
In terms of talent, many in Metropolis' "Damn Yankees" cast have the feel of extremely gifted and up-and-coming players in the minor leagues just on the cusp of making it to major league venues like Drury Lane Oakbrook and the Marriott Theatre. They're not quite there yet, but they're great at this level.
Grounding the show is Jeff Diebold's strapping turn as Young Joe Hardy, the taller, stronger and better-looking incarnation of Old Joe Boyd (Don Decarl, whose acting is too wooden for my tastes). Diebold's duets with Amy Dolan's seemingly abandoned wife, Meg Boyd, are nice. Yet they could use a touch more passion and longing to kick up the dramatic stakes.
Metropolis' "Damn Yankees" baddies are also quite good, if a bit too fresh-faced to be taken as serious threats from hell. David Kovac is a master with fire magic tricks and cuts a dapper figure in his tailored suits as the devilish Mr. Applegate. As the dispatched temptress Lola, Jennifer Knox works wonders with Elizabeth Wislar's costumes that reveal degree by sexy degree in "Whatever Lola Wants."
Also of note is the enthusiastic baseball players played with comic gusto by the likes Michael Herschberg, Jon Landvick, Mike Miserendino and Walter Bezt. Commanding them (with a great booming voice) is David Elliott's turn as Coach Van Buren.
Though not quite a home run, Metropolis' "Damn Yankees" is still a solid hitter more often than not. It's the perfect accompaniment for Chicago baseball fans giddy with playoff fever.
"Damn Yankees"
Location: Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights
Times: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 7 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays; through Nov. 2. Extra matinees 3 p.m. Oct. 18, 25 and Nov. 1; 1:30 p.m. Oct. 1
Running time: Two hours, 30 minutes with intermission
Tickets: $34-$42
Parking: Street parking and nearby garage
Box office: (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com
Rating: Some racy innuendo and choreography in lingerie
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="/multimedia/?category=1&type=video&item=203">Clips of 'Damn Yankees' at the Metropolis </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>