​A Note from The Director:

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It’s always challenging to select a play to produce. First and foremost, I am always looking for a show that will give as many kids an opportunity to shine as possible. The average musical has 5-6 main characters and then room for an ensemble of 8-12 which doesn’t nearly cover the number of kids I am so fortunate to have in my program every year. As a result, I often need to get creative. Then, of course, I need a show that is available and affordable for licensing.

 

Damn Yankees was not my first choice this year. I was interested in doing a show that was written long before a time that my cast and even I could imagine because the musical theater canon is rich with shows that we don’t see very often anymore. But older shows are wrought with challenges due to societal norms and acceptable humor from their time. Damn Yankees certainly has its fair share of those challenges. But as I got to know the show, I started to wonder what would happen if we took the words on the page and presented them differently. Maybe, twisted the humor around cultural identity, and reimagined the necessity of certain genders. That thought process made this particular show so much more interesting to me and ultimately helped me fall in love with it.

 

While still very much a capsule of its time, Damn Yankees is a musical that exudes heart. It enabled us to find 32 speaking roles, explore characters in a new way, and allowed the kids in this production to learn some of the most famous music of the genre. The kids onstage range from age 7-14. Some of them are already seasoned performers, and some are stepping on stage for the very first time this weekend. All of them are integral to our show. 

 

I simply cannot do this without the tireless help of so many people. Please look for the special thanks section of the Playbill for the full list but I have to specifically call out Brendan Hoey for hanging and rehanging our lights. Danielle Hoey for volunteering Brendan to do so, and also for helping with shirts, and lots of other things. Kara Kennedy and John Basuio for stunning photography and managing our concessions. Mike Noriega for recording and archiving our production. (Please keep any noise to a minimum if you are by his camera!) Josh Marcus for enthusiastically building whatever I envision (and Lisa Marcus for helping him figure out how.) Sara and Alex Taner for designing the program. Anthony Fiore for all of the things he always does, and will yet to do for this show which will most certainly include driving back and forth a whole lot. Abby Noriega, Grace Sweeney, Kayla Fiore, and new team-member Keira Hoey for showing up and stepping up time and again. Every parent and kid that have gone the extra mile to support this venture from lifting sets to counting chairs to selling tickets and so much more. And of course, Melissa Noriega and Kristen O’Grady for every, everything. I am so so so glad to have you on my team. 

 

Let’s Play ball, shall we?

 

-Amy Fiore, Play Theater Director

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Please note:

• Fog effects will be utilized during the performance. 

• There will be one 15-minute intermission.

• Restrooms are located through the kitchen in the back of the house and down the hallway to your left.

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