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Home , Damn Yankees, Joan McCracken, Liza with a Z, Richard Adler, Stephen Douglass, The League

GOODSPEED MUSICALS AUDIENCE INSIGHTS The Max Showalter Centerfor Education inMusical Theatre

Goodspeed Opera House April 11 - June 21, 2014 ______

WORDS AND MUSIC BY & Audience Insights

BOOK BY TABLE OF CONTENTS & DOUGLASS WALLOP Character Summary...... ……….………….………………..………...3

Show Synopsis...... 4 BASED ON THE NOVEL BY DOUGLASS WALLOP Meet the Writers...... ………...………………………..…..6

BOOK ADAPTATION FOR Author’s Notes...... 8 THE RED SOX VERION BY JOE DIPIETRO Director’s Vision...... 9 Program Notes...... 10 LIGHTING DESIGN BY BRIAN TOVAR Behind the Scenes: Costume Design...... 12

Culture of the 1950s...... 13 COSTUME DESIGN BY DAVID C. WOOLARD The Legend...... 14

Broadway or Bust: The Rise of and Bob ...... 15 SCENIC DESIGN BY ADRIAN W. JONES The History of ...... 17

Baseball’s Biggest Rivals...... 18 CHOREOGRAPHED BY KELLI BARCLAY Random Facts...... ………...…………....……………..…19

Resources...... ………...…………....……………..…20 DIRECTED BY DANIEL GOLDSTEIN

PRODUCED FOR GOODSPEED MUSICALS BY MICHAEL P. PRICE

Audience Insights for Damn Yankees was prepared by: Joshua S. Ritter, M.F.A, Education & Library Director Kathryn Micari, Education & Library Assistant Katherine Griswold, Creative Content Manager

Goodspeed’s Audience Insights can be found on our website: Audience Insights updated 03.28.14 www.goodspeed.org/pages/guides TITLECHARACTER SUMMARY

JOE BOYD: A middle-aged real estate salesman who is tired of watching his favorite team, the lose to those “damn Yankees.” He is a lover of baseball and would do anything to help his beloved team win the pennant, even leave his wife and risk his eternal soul.

MEG BOYD: The devoted wife of Joe Boyd, who is sick of being ignored by her husband during baseball season. When Joe suddenly disappears, she never loses hope that he will come home.

MR. APPLEGATE: The in disguise. He offers Joe the chance to become young, athletic and a hero to the city of Boston by leading the cursed Red Sox to a pennant victory.

JOE HARDY: The alter ego of Joe Boyd and the new rising star of the Boston Red Sox. He is the greatest baseball player in the world and he owes it all to the mysterious Mr. Applegate.

GLORIA THORPE: A sharp-tongued newspaper reporter who takes an interest in the vague origins of baseball’s newest star, Joe Hardy—or as she calls him, “Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo.”

LOLA: Applegate’s right-hand woman and go-to vixen. She is called in to help keep Joe’s mind off his homesickness and his wife, but ends up having tender feelings for him.

SISTER: A childhood friend of Meg Boyd from Hannibal, Missouri, and one of Joe Hardy’s biggest fans.

DORIS: A childhood friend of Meg Boyd from Hannibal, Missouri, and Sister’s sister.

BENNY VAN BUREN: The Boston Red Sox team manager.

ROCKY: A simple-minded but lovable baseball player for the Boston Red Sox.

SMOKEY: A baseball player for the Boston Red Sox who lets Joe Hardy borrow his shoes for a team tryout.

SOHOVIK HENRY VERNON Players on the Boston Red Sox LOWE MICKEY BOMBER } ANNOUNCER: The voice of the Red Sox and the man who tells the audience Angel Reda as Goodspeed’s Lola. ©Diane Sobolewski about Joe Hardy’s triumphs.

3 SHOW SYNOPSIS

ACT ONE The Red Sox had another lousy game Damn Yankees opens in 1952 Boston, and Benny Van Buren, the team man- , where Meg Boyd la- ager, has called a meeting to ask the ments losing her husband for 6 months team what’s going on. The players a year to the Boston Red Sox. Frustrat- reply that they think the team really ed by the losing streak of his beloved is cursed and that the Yankees have Red Sox, Meg’s husband, Joe, blurts an unfair advantage. Benny nervously out that he is sure the Sox are cursed! tells his team there is no such thing as He tells Meg how the Red Sox haven’t curses and gives the team a pep talk. won a since they traded After Benny’s speech, Gloria Thorpe, a to the “New York damned reporter for a local paper, strolls in; she Yankees.” While thinking about the is curious as to what the Red Sox think latest humiliating loss for the Sox, Joe of the Yankees. Gloria and Benny are murmurs that he would sell his soul “discussing” the Yankees when Mr. to “reverse that curse.” Suddenly, a Applegate arrives with a transformed strange man appears in his living room Joe. Van Buren doesn’t want to let Joe and asks Joe if he has heard him cor- try out for the team, but is ultimately rectly, would he really sell his soul to convinced and allows Joe to hit and end the Red Sox curse? The man in- field. The entire team is astounded by troduces himself as Mr. Applegate. Joe’s talent, despite the fact that he Applegate claims he can make Joe has never played professional base- the greatest baseball player in his- ball. When the team asks where he tory. Applegate confirms that there is played in the past, Joe quickly tells a curse on the Red Sox and that Joe them that he played sandlot ball in can reverse it—all he has to do is allow his small mid-west hometown of Han- Applegate to turn him into the great- nibal, Missouri. After seeing Joe try- est player in all of history, 27-year-old out for the Red Sox, Gloria is starting Joe Hardy, in exchange for his soul. to sense a story. She asks Applegate Joe agrees to the deal, but convinc- questions about Joe, but he is surpris- es Applegate to add in an escape ingly closed-mouthed on the subject. clause. If Joe is unhappy with his deal he can back out, but he must use the Although Joe is loved as “Joe Hardy” clause by the last day of the season by everyone in Boston, he starts to feel on September 24th. depressed. Applegate notices that Joe is miserable and asks him what is wrong. Joe tells him that Gloria Thorpe is making him nervous by asking ques- tions about his past and that he misses his wife, Meg. Gloria barges into the locker room and asks Joe more ques- tions about his past in Hannibal. When he responds with vague answers she then asks him if he really thinks the Red Sox can beat the Yankees. Joe defends the team and guarantees a win, but finds out that the season ac- tually ends on September 25th, the day AFTER his escape clause.

Applegate has noticed Joe’s home- sickness and is concerned that he might use the escape clause. Apple- gate calls in Lola, his sassy helper, to The cast of Goodspeed’s Damn Yankees. ©Diane Soblewski. distract Joe. Meg’s friends, Sister and Doris, are trying to convince her to Continued

4 SHOW SYNOPSIS CONTINUED

come out with them and to stop wait- Meanwhile, Applegate is gloating to ing for her husband to come home. Lola that he has finally cornered Joe While Meg is defending Joe Boyd, Joe Hardy. He is certain that Joe won’t use Hardy comes to the door to see if Meg the escape clause while he is under will him a room. Meg likes the suspicion and leave the people who idea of taking in a boarder trust him in the lurch. However, Joe and asks Sister and Doris to enters Applegate’s office and says meet the young man. that since today is the 24th, he wants to change back to Joe Boyd. Apple- At the next Red Sox game, gate tells him that all changes have to Gloria Thorpe approaches happen at the stroke of midnight and Benny to tell him that she that he can be changed back during thinks something odd is go- his hearing that night. ing on with Joe Hardy. She thinks Joe could be the Everyone is gathered in Benny Van disgraced baseball player Buren’s office eagerly waiting for the Shifty McCoy. While Gloria witness that can clear Joe’s name, and Benny are speculating but it is nearly midnight and Apple- about Joe’s past, Apple- gate’s “witness” is nowhere to be gate finally introduces Joe found. Meg, Sister, and Doris barge to the stunning Lola. Apple- into the room; Meg declares that she gate makes up an excuse remembers Joe Hardy from growing to leave the couple alone up in Hannibal and that he is exactly in the locker room and who he says he is. The thrilled team Lola tries to seduce Joe. celebrates due to Joe’s name being He manages to resist Lola’s cleared, but as they leave, the clock charms and makes a quick strikes midnight and Joe’s chance to escape. Joe heads to the change back passes. Lola finds Joe baseball field to think and wandering around the back alleys of runs into Benny and the Boston after his escape clause expires Angel Reda as Lola and Stephen rest of the team. They tell and the two commiserate on their Mark Lukas as Joe in Goodspeed’s Joe that he is accused of being Shifty shared fate. Damn Yankees. ©Diane Soblewski. McCoy, a baseball player that disap- peared after throwing games in the The next day, everyone is on edge Mexican League. Joe denies the ac- as the Yankees play the Red Sox for cusation, but the league bans him the Pennant. Applegate is angry with from playing until he can clear his Lola for making him late to the game name. and says he will make the Red Sox lose even if he has to transform Joe ACT TWO in front of the whole stadium! The Red The second act opens the next day Sox are down by one run and Joe is at on the discouraged Red Sox, who bat. Joe hits the ball deep into center think that they will lose the game with- field and he takes off, desperately try- out Joe Hardy. A short time later, Doris ing to make it to home plate. Before and Sister are walking home with Meg Joe can complete his run, Applegate and discussing how badly the Red Sox waves his hand and changes Joe Har- lost. Joe finds the three women and dy back into Joe Boyd. To avoid expo- asks to speak with Meg alone. He tells sure, Joe runs off the field and the Red her that there is a witness coming into Sox lose again. town to meet with the team, that the witness knew Shifty McCoy, and that Joe, transformed back to his old self, he should be able to clear his name. goes home to his wife Meg. Apple- Meg is thrilled that Joe will soon be gate follows Joe home to make one able to prove the gossip wrong but last sales pitch, but when Joe ignores she wishes she could remember him him, Applegate swears he will make from her days living in Hannibal. sure the Red Sox don’t win a World Se- ries until the next millennium! 5 MEET THE WRITERS

RICHARD ADLER & JERRY ROSS (Music & Lyrics) were a team of successful song writers in the 1950s. Richard Adler was born on August 23, 1923 and Jerry Ross was born on March 9, 1926. Both men were originally from New York. The duo was first brought to the attention of composing legend, , in 1951. When Loesser heard the songs of Adler and Ross, he was so impressed he signed them to an exclusive contract with his publishing label. These “two young Loessers,” as deemed them, had a wonderful view of the writing and composing process that quickly made them stand out. Ross stated, “Subconsciously, and from our training, we’re writing for the man in the street.” To which Adler added, “We try to write universal truths in colloquial terms. We’re just trying to bring out the expression of the times in which we live in terms of the people with whom we’re dealing. We’re writing the way our generation demands we write.”

This philosophy eventually led them to producing legend, George Abbott. The team had actually auditioned for Abbott twice before being commissioned to write the score for . At each meeting Abbott was encour- CLICK HERE aging but it was not until signing with Frank Loesser that he was willing to give to listen to an them a chance. The Pajama Game opened in 1954 and had a production NPR interview team almost entirely comprised of theatre newcomers. After the success of with Richard Adler their first Broadway composing venture, George Abbott again used the mu- sical team to compose the score to the baseball-themed Damn Yankees in 1955. Though the lengthy run of both shows is largely contributed to George Abbott, Adler and Ross brought a much needed infusion of flair to Broadway. It is said that the duo, “was remarkably adept at combining a wide range of catchy, familiar rhythms—and original sound effects—within the framework of a single score.” Sadly the partnership came to an abrupt end when Jerry Ross suddenly died of a lung ailment on November 11, 1955. Richard Adler was un- able to continue writing for the stage without his partner and moved his atten- tion to writing television commercials.

Damn Yankees Marquee Continued 6 MEET THE WRITERS CONTINUED

GEORGE ABBOTT (Book) was born George Francis Abbott on June 27, 1887 in Forestville, NY and was an American theatre and film producer and director, actor, and writer. Mr. Abbott graduated from the University of Rochester in 1911 and had his first role on Broadway in 1913. He was involved with several notable musical productions like Jumbo, Boy Meets Girl, The Boys From Syra- cuse, Pal Joey, Call Me Madam, The Pajama Game, and Damn Yankees. Mr. Abbott had a knack for spotting young talent and helped launch the careers of many Broadway legends such as , Ezra Stone, Shirley MacLaine, Gene Kelly, Carol Burnett, , Gwen Verdon, and . George Abbott was considered a no-nonsense consummate theatre professional. His name was attached to one of Broadway’s very rare distinctions, more shows to achieve 500 performances than any other man in show business. According to his contemporaries he, “conducts his activities with a minimum of hanky-panky, hysteria, and other occupational vapors. He is a singularly cool and collected citizen.” Mr. Abbott was a notable member of the theatre community until his death in 1995. At the time of his death Abbott was well over 100 years old and a Broadway revival of Damn Yankees was playing at the Marquis Theater.

DOUGLASS WALLOP (Book) was born John Douglass Wallop in Washington, D.C. on March 8, 1920. Mr. Wallop attended the University of Maryland and graduated in 1942. He then turned his attention to writing and wrote over a dozen novels including, The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, the sto- ry upon which Damn Yankees is based. Mr. Wallop co-wrote the book to Damn Yankees alongside George Abbott and won a Tony Award for his con- tributions.

JOE DIPIETRO wrote the revised book for Damn Yankees, transforming it from a musical about the Washington Senators to a musical featuring the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox and Yankees rivalry is notorious and very hotly debated in the New England/Tri-State area so the revamped version of the show is sure to at- tract more baseball fans than ever before. Mr. DiPietro wrote the book for the musicals ; All Shook Up; I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; The Toxic Avenger; and The Thing About Men. He also wrote several plays including Over The River And Through The Woods, The Art of Murder, Creating Claire, and The Last Romance. For his work on Memphis, Mr. DiPietro won two , a , and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.

7 AUTHOR’S NOTES BY JOE DiPIETRO

MY DAD, BASEBALL, AND DAMN YANKEES since 1925. And Boston got 80 years of hell. In the 1940s, my dad played base- ball for a Brooklyn Dodgers farm team Even if the facts of this legend aren’t called the Detroit Clowns. If you want entirely true (a wise writing teacher to put fear in your opponent’s hearts, once told me, “Never write the facts you probably shouldn’t call your when you can write the legend”), it team The Clowns, but this group of provided me with a hell of a good rea- Clowns were willing to do anything son to rewrite a classic musical that, for a shot at the majors, an eter- quite frankly, doesn’t need a whole nal yearning they share with the lot of rewriting. But now the Devil has main character of Damn Yankees. a clear and delicious motivation, the My dad, alas, never made it any- Red Sox-Yankees rivalry provides an where near the big leagues—the still-pertinent center of conflict, and army and a young woman who Babe Ruth gets to drive the plot of a soon became his wife (and my musical. mom) derailed all that. But his love of baseball never abated, while This is the fifth show that I’ve had pro- his son’s love of baseball never duced at Goodspeed Musicals, and began. Forced to be on the little I’m especially thrilled that it’ll be di- league team my dad coached, rected by Danny Goldstein. Danny Joe DiPietro with David Bryan and I was pretty hapless. Much to the was the assistant director of my show their Tony Awards for Memphis relief of my teammates, I was prop- All Shook Up on Broadway, and he erly consigned to the bench, where I has since stepped up to be a terrific would sometimes read a book. That, director in his own right, as evidenced I thought, was the end of any experi- by his superb Goodspeed produc- ence I would ever have with baseball. tion of Hello, Dolly! last season. Danny encouraged me to further tweak the But several years ago, Jon Kimball, the script for Goodspeed—which I have, Artistic Director of North Shore Music even though I had to keep remind- Theatre, got my batter up when he ing him that he used to get me cof- called with a rather cheeky idea: rein- fee during rehearsal breaks. But he’s venting Damn Yankees by substituting a true man of the theatre, and he the now-defunct Washington Sena- promises a fast, smart and sexy Damn tors with the very much alive Boston Yankees. I have no doubt he’ll deliver. Red Sox, thus placing a red-hot sports rivalry in the center of this beloved As I wrote this version, I often wondered classic. Suddenly, I had a chance to if my Dad would make the same deci- combine my dad’s for base- sion that Joe Hardy makes—to risk giv- ball with my love of musicals. Better ing up those you love in exchange for yet, I quickly learned the story behind a guaranteed shot at major league the Red Sox curse: in 1919, the Red glory. I would like to think my dad Sox team owner traded Babe Ruth to would say no. But the devil can make the Yankees to raise funds so he could us do all sorts of things, so I’ve decid- produce the Broadway musical No, ed never to ask him. No, Nanette. That’s right, he didn’t trade the greatest player in baseball for a slew of other talented players, he traded him to produce a show that featured “Tea For Two” and “I Want To Be Happy.” The legend goes that the baseball gods were so incensed, they damned the Sox to decades and de- cades of World Series agony. So the world got a delightful musical com- edy that has entertained generations

8 DIRECTOR’S VISION BY DANIEL GOLDSTEIN

What is your vision for Damn Yankees? Tell us about your What makes Goodspeed the perfect inspirations. fit for this production? Tell us about the challenges of staging in this unique In 1986, my father came into venue. my room to wake me up. I was 11 years old. He was We aim to recreate the feeling of so excited that, on a school on the tiny Goodspeed night, he was going to wake stage. We want to put you in the mid- me up to see History being dle of the action and take you back made. My brother and I to 1952, with the patina that time can gathered on my parents’ put on all of our memories. We aim to bed and watched the extra create that world with a minimum of innings. Now, to be clear, it scenery, so that you can put your own was a confusing year—hav- memories (for I know that you all have ing been born in Flushing, them) of Fenway Park and those Yan- but having half-grown up kees/Red Sox games that you finagled in Western Massachusetts. tickets for and had your hearts broken But it was impossible not over as the Red Sox lost one more to to be rooting for The Sox. the Men in Pinstripes. And then it happened. You Daniel Goldstein all know what I’m talking about. B*** Tell us what the audience can expect B******. Ground ball right through the to see. legs. And before I ever dated a single girl, I knew what true heartbreak was. You are going to see a brand new version of a show you thought you Damn Yankees is a show about the knew—but have never seen quite like American Dream. It is a show about this. The Boston Red Sox sing “Heart” the uniquely American ability to keep and take on those damn Yankees just fighting for what you desire, even like always. It’s going to be a wonder- when you’re down and out. Baseball ful show, with choreography that will is the only sport where you can be knock your socks off and a cast that down 27 to 1 and, if you keep swing- will exceed the Goodspeed expecta- ing, you have a chance to come back tions. and win. Baseball is unique. From 1918 until 2004 (Thanks a LOT, Buckner!), the Red Sox kept swinging, never bringing home the trophy, while those DAMN YANKEES brought home the World Se- ries 26 times. Joe DiPietro’s wise and witty revision of the script keeps those Yankees and pits them against Joe Hardy and the indefatigable Red Sox. It takes a show that was already terrif- ic and makes it sparkle anew with the energy and spirit of the BoSox.

And for all you Yankees fans out there—and I know there are a lot of you—DON’T PANIC! The title of the show hasn’t changed. Joe Hardy and his team still play the Yankees, and the ending is still the same. We haven’t changed history! So there re- ally is something here for everyone.

10 PROGRAM NOTES BY JOSHUA S. RITTER

You don’t have to be a baseball Griffith and Prince were predomi- fan to know that the New York nantly stage managers for Abbott Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry bit- until they made their producing de- terly divides colleagues, neighbors, but with The Pajama Game. This stun- families, and Goodspeed patrons. ning success established them as a In fact, according to The Harvard promising new producing force on Sports Analysis Collective, East Had- Broadway. In fact, Prince was only dam is located on the frontlines of 26-years-old at the time, making him this legendary baseball feud with the youngest producer on Broadway. slightly more than half the popu- Similarly, The Pajama Game launched lation favoring the Red Sox. What the Broadway careers of celebrated better way for Goodspeed to bring choreographer, Bob Fosse and the some levity to this divisive situation exceptionally talented and promis- than with a hilarious musical come- ing writing team of Richard Adler and dy? Fortunately, Joe DiPietro’s side- Jerry Ross. Abbott, Prince, Griffith and splitting adaptation of Damn Yankees Brisson assembled many of the same contemporizes the book by replacing investors and creative team members the defunct Washington Senators with when embarking on their next proj- the Boston Red Sox. We are ect, Damn Yankees. However, they pleased to have the oppor- needed a new cast because The Pa- tunity to provide a neutral jama Game was still playing at the St. zone where members of James Theatre. the Yankees Universe and can forget They hit the jackpot when they cast their bitter differences for a Gwen Verdon in the role of Lola, the few hours and share some Devil’s personal femme fatale assis- laughs when the curtain tant. It was through Damn Yankees goes up. that Verdon met Fosse. Damn Yan- kees was seen as a George Abbott Flashing back to the middle show at the time, but in later years it of the 20th century, a ma- would be remembered by most as jor league baseball twist the first Verdon-Fosse production. The on the Faust fable, Doug- artistic and personal relationship they Gwen Verdon in Can-Can lass Wallop’s The Year The developed forged one of the most re- Yankees Lost the Pennant, was a best- markable collaborations in Broadway selling novel in 1954. Damn Yankees’ history. Verdon became Fosse’s lover, genesis was set in motion when Wil- wife, and the living embodiment of liam Morris agent, Albert B. Taylor his ingenious choreography. Verdon brought this property to the atten- would prove to be one of the great- tion of legendary producer, direc- est triple-threat performers to grace tor, writer, and actor, George Ab- the Broadway stage. She began her bott. Abbott and his team had just career on Broadway by stealing the struck gold with the smash hit mu- show (despite her small role) in the sical, The Pajama Game, a show Cole Porter musical Can-Can, which based on Richard Bissel’s novel 7 earned her the first Tony Award of her ½ Cents. Perhaps this monumental career. However, she left Can-Can success gave Abbott the chutz- early to work on a film with her former pah to take the idea of a baseball mentor, renowned Hollywood chore- musical seriously, despite the fact ographer, Jack Cole; she was offered that all previous attempts at creat- the role of Lola during that time and ing one were unsuccessful. Abbott she eventually accepted. decided to direct the piece after enlisting Robert E. Griffith, Harold The work of Richard Adler and Jerry S. Prince, and Frederick Brisson as Ross contributed immensely to . success of Damn Yankees and The Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse Continued 10 PROGRAM NOTES CONTINUED

Pajama Game. The great Frank baseball theme, to a devil-red sex Loesser mentored Adler and Ross appeal campaign. Damn Yankees while they were contracted to his became the ninth Broadway musi- publishing , Frank Music. cal to run more than a thousand per- Surely Loesser appreciated that formances, it nearly swept the Tony Adler and Ross shared some of the Awards awards, and it continues to remarkable qualities that made his delight audiences to this day. work so unique. For example, simi- lar to Loesser, Adler and Ross had Goodspeed’s production of Damn the ability to capture the vernacu- Yankees is directed by Daniel Gold- lar of the man in their stein who directed the Broadway re- music and lyrics. While working for vival of Godspell, Goodspeed’s Hello, Loesser they penned the chart top- Dolly!, and The Unauthorized Autobi- ping song “Rags to Riches” in 1953. ography of Samantha Brown. Gold- Next, they contributed some num- stein endeavors to bring you a “brand bers to the revue John Murray An- new version of the show you thought derson’s Almanac. However, they you knew.” His vision is to transport you fully affirmed their place as the to 1952 and to put you in the center most sought-after new writing team of the action with minimal scenery so on Broadway after collaborating you can cherish your own Red Sox- CLICK BELOW on The Pajama Game and one year Yankees memories. Your presence to listen to “Rags to later, Damn Yankees. Tragically, their at the Opera House is a home run for Riches” marvelous, albeit brief partnership of team Goodspeed. We are thrilled that only five years ended when Ross died you’ve joined us for this terrific new prematurely, at 29. spin on a classic musical comedy.

Damn Yankees opened at the 46th Street Theatre on May 5, 1955. The timing was impeccable because the baseball season had just begun and atten- tion was already being paid to the nation’s fa- vorite pastime. Verdon’s co-stars were as the rabid Washington Senators fan who is transformed into the baseball phe- nom, Joe Hardy, and as the Devil. The reviews were favorable after the New York opening, but the audience objected to Verdon’s transforma- tion into an ugly hag The original Broadway cast of Damn and the show was running too long. Yankees, 1955 After an emergency rehearsal before the second night, material was cut and the ending was changed. This reduced the length of the show by twenty minutes and critic Walter Kerr, who was invited back, expressed his approval. Sales also shot up after the producers shrewdly shifted the adver- tising focus from an innocent-green 11 BEHIND THE SCENES COSTUMES BY DAVID C. WOOLARD

UNIFORMS IN THE 1950s

In 1951, just over 30 years after numbers were first worn on the back of player uniforms, the Springfield Cubs began placing a player’s number on the front, as well as the back, of their jersey. Soon, the practice caught on with other big league clubs and today nearly every major league club uses jersey- front numbers on their home or road uniform.

In 1960, the White Sox introduced the first uniforms to feature player names on the jersey. The innovation was a success and today every major league club has adopted the practice. That is, all but one team. The have yet to don a uniform (home or road) adorned with player names.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the history of the baseball uniform

12 CULTURE OF THE 1950s

The in the 1950s is, in During the 1950s the gross national many people’s minds, an idealized product more than doubled, unem- era. In fact, many popular movies and ployment was down, inflation was low, TV shows like Grease, Happy Days, Bye and wages were high. Many Ameri- Bye Birdie, Cry-Baby, James and the cans began moving from the cities to Giant Peach, Mona Lisa Smile, and the suburbs which caused the econo- Monster House are all set in the 1950s my to climb again with the construc- and demonstrate how the decade tion of new highways, freeways, and was romanticized. When people think homes. Wartime inconveniences and of the 1950s they often think of Elvis, draft programs were at an end and Rosa Parks, 1956 poodle skirts, and the baby boom was taking shape sock hops, but during this time period—World War the 1950s were II had just ended and many return- full of far more ing Americans were eager to have changes than children now that the conflict was people tend to over. In order to meet the needs of remember. the country and the troops overseas during World War II, the government Among had implemented restrictions on how significant much of certain things the American events during public could buy. These government this era was restrictions were called rations and the Brown vs. applied to household items like sugar, the Board of coffee, rubber, aluminum cans, gas, Education Supreme Court decision nylon, margarine, meats, cheeses, that was decided in 1954 which forced and shoes. Although World War II end- public schools to integrate. Rosa Parks ed in 1945, rationing did not end in the was arrested for not giving up her seat U.S. until 1946. The U.S. emerged from to a white bus passenger in 1955 that the war as a super power and citizens precipitated a year-long boycott of were once again able to indulge in the public bus systems. There was a household luxuries. search for communists going on in Hollywood and the Cold War was Theatre, like all aspects of American on everyone’s mind. But not all of life, was affected during the war and the changes occurring at that time began to climb back into vogue dur- were frightening or dangerous. Elvis ing the early 1950s. Musicals produced burst onto the music scene causing on Broadway rose from 11 in 1952 to a major shift in musical styling, danc- 26 in 1955. Musical comedies became ing, and teenage social opinion. Until popular and productions like Wonder- Elvis became a public figure, teen- ful Town, , , agers were still viewed by society The Pajama Game, and Damn Yan- at large as children and with his ar- kees rose to success because of their rival they became a target demo- contemporary settings and family- graphic for advertisements, prod- friendly music. Overall, the 1950s was ucts, magazines, and records. In a decade characterized by growth fact, the new rock and roll sound and readjustment for the American was so popular that George Ab- people. bot was encouraged by his writ- ing team to include it in Damn Yankees; however Mr. Abbott decided not to take that par- ticular risk.

Elvis Presley

13 THE FAUST LEGEND

GLOSSARY GOETHE & MARLOWE a deal—great knowledge, power, and The story of Damn Yankees is loosely comforts for a set period of time (usually Iambic pentameter is a based on the Faust legend. Two of 24 years) could be his if the man agrees form of writing that was the most well-known versions of the to surrender his soul. In most Faust sto- extremely popular in legend come from Johann Wolfgang ries, the man approached by the Devil Elizabethan England. It is Von Goethe and Christopher Marlowe. (or a demon agent of the Devil) agrees characterized by 5 beats While Marlowe and Goethe used the to surrender his soul, proceeds to make to every line of text with same legend for inspiration, they ap- use of his new-found powers, and is ul- 2 syllables to each beat, proached the story in two very different timately damned. An interesting evolu- with the accent on the second beat. For example ways. Goethe used the story of Faust tion occurs in later versions of the story this line from the start of The to compose a dramatic poem with where Faust (or the protagonist) begins Tragical Death of Doctor many theatrical elements of Romanti- to regret selling his soul. The source of re- Faustus is written in iambic cism such as directly addressing the demption and cause for regret usually pentameter: audience and creating a heavily de- comes in the form of a woman who the tailed atmosphere onstage. Marlowe man has wronged. His love for her and “Notmarching now in fields approached Faust strictly from a play- the regret he has over the pain he has of Trasimene, wright’s point of view and wrote the caused her allows him to be redeemed. Where Mars did mate the play in iambic pentameter. In some versions, Faust caused the Carthaginians,” death of a young woman who was It is important to remember that even in love with him and she goes before Archetype is the original though Goethe and Marlowe wrote the God to plead for his help and interven- pattern or model of which best-known versions of the Faust leg- tion. For example, in Goethe’s version, all things of the same type end, there is no one definitive version of Faust escapes damnation by divine in- are representations or the story. tervention and pleading from the spirit copies: prototype; also: a of , his deceased lover.How- perfect example THE STORY OF FAUST ever, in the early tales, Faust believes his FAUST STORIES Faust is the story of a scientist (or magi- sins are unforgivable and he is eternally cian, depending on the version you are damned. The Tragical History of the reading) who sells his soul to the Devil in Life and Death of Doctor exchange for knowledge, power, and With a story that uses the Devil as a main Faustus by Christopher earthly pleasures. The legend is believed character, there are, understandably, Marlow to have originated in Germany some- some religious undertones. The religious time in the early 1500s and is thought to aspects of the story are more appar- Faust: Der Tragodie erster be loosely based on the life of an alche- ent in the medieval versions of the story Teil (Faust: The First Part of mist/magician who lived in Germany in and more than one of them involves a the Tragedy and Faust: the beginning of the 15th century. There priest pleading with Faust to save his im- Der Tagodie zweiter Teil is some speculation that the man Faust mortal soul. Faust’s story is one where (Faust: The Secod Part of is based on, Dr. Johann Georg Faust (c. an archetype of Evil is trying to seduce The Tragedy by Johann 1480-1540), was the business partner of man away from an archetype of Good. Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Gutenberg, the inventor of the Dating all the way back to the Bible, the printing press. There is even a small town Devil is seen as the original source of evil named Staufen in southwest Germany and in the world. This repre- that claims to be where Faust died. sentation of ultimate Good vs. ultimate Evil can be seen in many movies, books, The first recorded version of the Faust and TV shows that are popular today. legend is a small chapbook bearing the For example: Harry Potter, Supernatural, title Historia von D. Johann Fausten pub- Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The lished in 1587. This Faustbuch or “Faust Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, - book” is a collection of stories about ard of Oz, The Mummy, The Matrix, Star men who were practitioners of occult Wars, Once Upon A Time, Alice in Won- skills and potential magic. The story may derland, Twilight, Dracula, Bedazzled, have originally been written in Latin, Carrie, and many, many more. but all earlier recorded versions of the legend have been lost. Most versions feature a man who is unhappy with his lot in life and longs for a way to reach his desired potential. One night, when the man is lamenting the limits of his CLICK HERE mind, the Devil appears and offers him to read Goethe’s Faust 14 BROADWAY OR BUST: THE RISE OF GWEN VERDON AND BOB FOSSE

GWEN VERDON Gwen with her leg straight up in the air Gwen Verdon was a relative new- and the heel out. She was off! That’s comer to the Broadway stage when old fashioned show business.” she auditioned for Damn Yankees. She had established herself as a co- Gwen went from Can-Can to Damn medic talent in the show Can-Can, Yankees where she worked with fu- but Damn Yankees was her first true ture husband Bob Fosse for the first starring role. Ms. Verdon was born time. She credited Bob with most of in Culver City, California in 1926 her success in the show saying he and was raised and trained by her choreographed everything from, “the mother who was a dance teach- flirtatious quality, the accent, minis- er. Gwen started dancing profes- cule things like where you push your sionally when she was 13 but decided hair back, when you breathe, when to quit at 17 years old to get married. you blink your eyes, and when you She divorced her husband and be- move your little finger.” Walter Kerr gan dancing again 10 years later with referenced her in his review of Damn choreographer Jack Cole. She was Yankees saying, “She is simply and in- working as Cole’s assistant on the film sanely inspired. She is everything un- Gentleman Prefer Blondes when her desirable made absolutely and for- friend, , asked her if she ever desirable.” Originally, Gwen (as was going to New York to audition Lola) did not appear onstage until for the show Can-Can. Gwen was “, Lola Gets” but initially not going to audition, but she was such a hit during preview per- changed her mind after speaking formances that the production team with Michael. added “A Little Brains, A Little Talent” so she could enter the action ear- Gwen Verdon as Lola in The role that launched Gwen’s lier. Gwen married Bob Fosse in 1960 Damn Yankees, 1958 career was a rather small shortly after his divorce from Joan Mc- part but was performed so Cracken, and went on to star in many well that it brought the house of his trademark shows like New Girl In down. She was a dancer in Can-Can Town, , , and and during a comic dance scene, Chicago. titled the “Apache Dance,” she took a knife, in slow motion, out of a BOB FOSSE block of cheese that a waiter in Bob Fosse (one of five siblings) was the scene was carrying, stabbed born in Chicago Illinois on June 23, her lover, then, again in slow mo- 1927 to Cyril and Sadie Fosse. His tion, put the knife back into the dance career was unwittingly started cheese and sauntered offstage. by his older sister, Patricia. Patricia This sounds like a fairly small mo- Fosse was a very awkward young girl ment in the show as a whole, and was embarrassed to be taking and it was, but the audience on dance lessons, but her parents con- opening night in 1953 gave the sidered dance a necessary activity dance and the comic moment for a young woman and forced her to a standing ovation. They refused continue with the hated lessons. She CLICK HERE to see to let the show move on until a stage was so miserable that she begged Verson and Fosse manager found Gwen backstage for “Bobby” to come with her. Her perform “Who’s in her dressing room changing and parents complied with her request Got the Pain” in the shoved her onstage in her bathrobe and Bobby began attending classes. 1958 film, Damn to take a bow. According to friend, Cy Once he was at the Chicago Acad- Yankees Feur, “The next morning on the cover emy of Theater Arts, his instructor Fred- of Life magazine, there’s a picture of Weaver noticed his potential and

Continued

15 BROADWAY OR BUST CONTINUED

signed him up for regular classes at no eventually returned to Hollywood and charge. Weaver soon put young Bob- was involved with such films as Sweet by into a dance act with another Charity, , The Little Prince, All young boy (they were That Jazz, and . Something that both about ten years sums up Mr. Fosse best is an interac- old) named Charles tion described in his biography, All Grass and billed them His Jazz. The story goes that a young as The Riff Brothers. The Riff actor named James Kirkwood, with Brothers traveled around af- whom Bob had worked about 10 ter school giving performances years earlier, came in to audition for and competing in local shows. one of his shows. Bob recognized Bobby, or Bob as he preferred to the young man and went up to the be called as he got older, joined stage to speak with him. Bob asked if the Navy after high school and was he was nervous, “No,” said Kirkwood, put into their entertainment division. full of baloney. “I’m just fine. I never At the end of his military service Bob knew you were going to turn into Bob packed his bags and headed to Fosse.” Bob grinned. “Neither did I, he to be a star. said.”

His career started off slowly but he began to climb steadily up the ranks, even getting a movie contract with MGM. Bob wanted to succeed Gene Kelley in the movies but after a few months in Hollywood, he decided to break his contract and move back to New York and his sec- Bob Fosse ond wife Joan McCracken. It was actually Joan who sug- gested to George Abbott that Bob Fosse be his choreographer for The Pajama Game. Mr. Abbott had seen Bob’s work and decided CLICK HERE to give him a try as a choreographer Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. to listen to NPR’s but also asked Jerome Robbins to be story “Fosse’s on standby in case things didn’t work BOB AND GWEN Genius: Working out. Abbott shouldn’t have worried. Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse had a Even As He Was Fosse passed his first test as a Broad- daughter named Nicole and they Dying” way choreographer with flying colors continued to work together until so it was truly a “no brainer” when he Bob’s death in 1987. Their marriage was asked to come back and cho- was cause for speculation in many reograph Damn Yankees. social circles because they had been legally separated from each other Fosse went on to be- since 1971 and Gwen had even been come one of the great- known to have Bob and his girlfriends est dancers, directors at her home for dinner. Gwen Verdon and choreographers in often said, “A lot of people don’t un- history derstand our relationship because he with stage hits like Bells lives in his house and I live in mine. It’s Are Ringing, New Girl in a very strange relationship but I think Town, Redhead, How to it’s wonderful.” Despite their differenc- Succeed in Business With- es, Verdon and Fosse were one of the out Really Trying, Little brightest dance pairings to ever have Me, Pleasures and Palac- crossed a Broadway stage. es, Sweet Charity, , Liza with a Z, Chicago, Bob Fosse in rehearsal for Pleasures Dancin’, and Big Deal. He and Palaces, 1965. 16 THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL

Baseball is often called America’s day, organization and rules had to be pastime and has been intertwined created. The National Association of with our national identity for years. Base Ball Players was organized in 1857 However, some people might be and more clubs in the New York area surprised to know that baseball has began to pop up. Soon other cities many similarities to the English game, began following New York’s example. rounders. Both rounders and baseball In 1859, Washington, D.C. organized a are played on a diamond-shaped baseball club and in 1860, clubs were field with a base or marker at each formed in Lowell, Massachusetts; Al- corner and one base where the hit- legheny, Pennsylvania; and Hartford, ter stands to take his swing. One Connecticut. Baseball was not a pro- big difference between round- fessional sport until 1871 when the Na- ers and baseball is that if a ball tional Association of Professional Base hits the field in rounders the runner Ball Players was formed. The Associa- must be physically hit by the ball to tion only existed until 1875 and many be considered out. In 1845 the New baseball scholars will debate whether York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club or not it would qualify as the first major was formed and formulated a set of league. rules for the game, many of which Babe Ruth are still used today. Once there was a Despite differences in playing style, set rulebook for this new game other baseball eventually found a stan- clubs were formed and it began to dardized method of play that worked gain popularity. for all involved and it began to be- come a true spectator sport. The Interestingly enough, until about game was eventually divided into the 1861 there were two versions of American League and the National baseball. There was a New York League which led to the first World Se- version of baseball using a hard ries in1902—pitting the champions of ball and using it to “tag” players, each league against each other. The and a Massachusetts version using newly established World Series was a soft ball and hitting players to an immediate hit in the United States strike them out. If you‘re a baseball and quickly took its place alongside fan in modern America, then you the Fourth of July and Christmas as have heard of the Yankees/Red a popular yearly rite. In fact in 1911, Sox rivalry. This rivalry is thought Everybody’s Magazine called the se- to date back to the 1900s when ries, “the very quintessence and con- Babe Ruth was famously traded summation of the Most Perfect Thing by Harry Frazee from the Boston in America.” Baseball was quickly Red Sox to the New York Yankees. adopted into American culture and But with a division between New soon sayings like “he threw me a curve ’s “The Rookie” York and Massachusetts dating back ball,” “covering all the bases,” and to the 1800s and the start of baseball, “that came out of left field” became maybe the two teams were cursed to common phrases. Baseball was even be rivals from the games inception. integrated into the arts with popu- lar poems like “Casey at Bat,” songs CLICK HERE And speaking of curses, the trade of like “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” to visit the Baseball Babe Ruth led to the urban legend of and illustrations on the cover of The Hall of Fame The . By 1932 the Saturday Evening Post by Norman website and learn Red Sox had lost 111 games and the Rockwell. Soon baseball was not just more about the apparent inability for the Red Sox to a game to Americans, it became a history of baseball win consistently or make it into a World symbol of the country’s potential with Series became known as a curse. Sup- men like Babe Ruth and Jackie Rob- posedly, the Sultan of Swat, inson embodying the continued faith himself, had cursed the Sox to a losing of our society that all people were the streak that would not be broken for 86 masters of their own destiny. years. But before baseball could be- come the thriving industry that it is to- 17 BASEBALL’S BIGGEST RIVALS

The Yankees/ Red Sox rivalry is a way of life in New England, but where do the borders of fandom really start? Ben Blatt, a researcher for the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective conducted a study on where the Red Sox and Yankees fan borders are in New England and some of the results might surprise you.

CLICK HERE to read the full artical and see all the results

18 RANDOM FACTS

• Babe Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees by Harry Frazee in 1920 and Frazee supposedly then used the money from the sale to finance various musical theater performances.

• Damn Yankees originally featured a team called the Washington Senators, not the Boston Red Sox.

• The Washington Senators were a real baseball team; they changed location in 1961 and became the .

• Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. He broke the color barrier in professional baseball 6 years before public schools were integrated in 1954.

• The Boston Red Sox did not get their name until 1907.

Babe Ruth • The movie version of Damn Yankees was released in England with the title, Whatever Lola Wants so they could avoid using the word “damn” in advertisements.

• The original poster for Damn Yankees featured Gwen Verdon in a baseball uniform but ticket sales for Damn Yankees were not doing as well as had been expected, so a new poster was created featuring Gwen Verdon in her skimpy outfit from the song “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets.” The new advertisement caused a major upswing in ticket sales.

• While filming the movie version of Damn Yankees there was a musicians strike going on in Hollywood. The actors in the movie had to sing along with a metronome to keep them on beat since there were no musicians to play for their scenes.

• The only member of the original Broadway cast of Damn Yankees Original Broadway cast of Damn not to reprise their role for the film was Stephen Douglass. Yankees, 1955 • The 1956 Broadway show Damn Yankees was nominated for 9 Tony Awards and won 7.

• The role of Lola was originally offered to and Zizi Jean Marie.

• Bob Fosse appears as Lola’s dance partner in “Who’s Got The Pain” for the movie Damn Yankees but is not listed in the film’s credits as a dancer.

• made her screen debut in the movie version of Damn Yankees.

• Bob Fosse auditioned for a role in a George Abbott show as a teenager but did not get the part.

Gwen Verdon and Stephen Douglass recording the original Broadway cast album for Damn Yankees 19 RESOURCES

Abbott, George. Mister Abbott. New York, New York. Random House, 1963.

Adler, Richard. Davis, Lee. You Gotta Have Heart. New York, NY. Donald I. Fine Inc., 1990.

Beddow, Margery. Bob Fosse’s Broadway. Portsmouth, NH. Heiniman, 1996.

Blatt, Ben. Finding the True Border Between Yankee and Red Sox Nation Using Facebook Data. Wordpress. 17 Aug. 2012. Web. 6 Feb. 2014

Bordman, Gerald. American Musical Theatre, A Chronicle. New York, NY. Oxford University Press, 1986.

Brantley, Ben. Funke, Lewis. The New York Times Book of Broadway. New York, NY. St. Martin’s Press, 2001.

Brockett, Oscar G., History of the Theatre. Fourth Edition. Boston M.A., Allyn and Bacon Inc., 1982.

Bunnett, Rexton S., Kennedy, Michael Patrick. Muir, John. Guide to Musicals. Bishopbriggs, Glasgow. Harper-Collins Publisher, 2001.

Ewen, David. The Story of America’s Musical Theatre. , PA. Chilton Book Company, 1968.

Goldfarb, Alvin. Wilson, Edwin. Living Theatre: A History (fourth edition). New York,NY. McGraw Hill, 2004.

Gottfried, Martin. All His Jazz: The Life and Death of Bob Fosse. New York, NY. Bantam Books, 1990.

Laufe, Abe. Broadway’s Greatest Musicals. New York, NY. Funk and Wagnalls, 1977.

Leonard, William Torbert. Theatre: Stage to Screen to Television. Metuchen, N.J. The Scarecrow Press Inc., 1981.

Newman, Mark. Chronology of the Curse that was: A look at the timeline that came to an end in 2004. MLB.com. 28 Oct. 2004. Web. 9 Feb. 2014

Rader, Benjamin G., Baseball(Sport). Encyclopedia Britannica. 10 Feb. 2014. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

Suskin, Stephen. Opening Night on Broadway. New York, NY. Schirmer Books, 1990.

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