DAMN YANKEES SWINGS BACK IN STYLE: ARENA’S
REVIVAL IS MORE THAN A MUSICAL — IT’S A MILESTONE

When Damn Yankees first opened on Broadway in 1955, it was the ultimate baseball fantasy: a middle-aged fan makes a Faustian bargain with the devil to turn into a young slugger for the Washington Senators and finally beat the mighty New York Yankees — at the cost of his soul. With music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, and a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, the show became an instant classic, full of wit, swing, and enduring standards like “Heart” and “Whatever Lola Wants.”

Arena Stage has brought the musical back for its own milestone — the company’s 75th anniversary season — with a bold new spin. Broadway superstar Sergio Trujillo directs and choreographs a high-octane production revised by Doug Wright and Will Howard. The action relocates from Washington to Baltimore, pitting the Orioles against the Yankees dynasty of the early 2000s. For D.C. locals who scoff at the loss of the beloved Washington Senators in the musical, it was necessary given that we are now in the 21st century (the original Senators [1901–1960] became the Minnesota Twins, and the expansion team [1961–1971] became the Texas Rangers).

Bryonha Marie (Meg Boyd) and Quentin Earl Darrington (Joe Boyd)

Here, elder Joe Boyd’s transformation from die-hard baseball fan into superstar hunk Joe Hardy is no longer a simple Faustian bargain offered by the devil — Joe Hardy’s mysterious transformation from fan to phenom is reframed not as a con but as a full-on doping scandal. It’s a smart update giving the tale a fresh urgency: the devil’s deal feels freshly tied to modern sports headlines while the heart of the story — the price of ambition — remains timeless.

Jordan Donica (Joe Hardy) and Bryonha Marie (Meg Boyd)

What makes this revival sparkle is its balance of tradition and revitalization. The script nods to baseball’s complicated history, the seductions of fame, and the moral compromises behind glory. Six months out of every year, Meg Boyd (Bryona Marie) waits for her husband Joe (Quentin Earl Darrington) in what becomes a stirring tribute to the “baseball widow.” Yet despite Meg’s struggle, her tenderness with Joe shines through from the beginning. And his for her, evidenced with the heartfelt “Goodbye, Old Girl.” Later, the soulful duet “A Man Doesn’t Know” and the passionate “Near to You” has the couple anchoring the show with emotional resonance. As Joe Hardy, Jordan Donica is both heroic and haunted, drenched with charisma and vulnerability.

Rob McClure (Applegate)

From the outset, Rob McClure’s Applegate makes his supernatural powers clear — whether with sly sleight-of-hand or the jaw-dropping transformation of Lola into an old woman and back again. His devilish showmanship provides an irresistible spark, capped in Act II by a showstopping “Those Were the Good Old Days.” He’s a a devilish delight, stealing scenes with every wink and trick. As Lola — the devil’s temptress brought on to distract young Joe — Ana Villafañe smolders with fire and finesse in “A Little Brains, A Little Talent”, a sultry number that leaves little doubt about her intentions, and dazzles with sizzling moves in “Whatever Lola Wants.” Together, they lead an ensemble whose out-of-the-park vocals and electric energy ignite the stage.

Alysha Umphress (Gloria Thorpe) and the company

The choreography vaults beyond traditional Broadway spectacle into feats of sheer athleticism and flair: the level flips in “Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO” (sung by Alysha Umphress as sports reporter Gloria) would make Simone Biles jealous; the ensemble bursts into uninhibited Latin rhythms in “Who’s Got the Pain?”; and “Two Lost Souls” pulses with its a 1950s beatnik cool. The updated arrangements by Greg Anthony Rassen and orchestrations by Doug Besterman are awesome; additional lyrics by Lynn Ahrens underscore the new backstories for the characters. “Heart”, still a knockout showtune, lands with renewed sincerity.

Ana Villafañe (Lola) and Jordan Donica (Joe Hardy)

The stagecraft matches the performances. Played in the round — technically, the square — set designer Robert Brill uses all four vomitoriums and hidden floor-lifts for fluid, rapid transitions. Peter Nigrini‘s projections across the stage floor and borders expand the visual field, while Applegate’s mischievous magic tricks by illusion designer Paul Kieve add wit and surprise.

This revival isn’t just about nostalgia — it proves why the story still matters. Baseball becomes more than a backdrop; it’s a metaphor for ambition, integrity, and the difficult choices that define us. Seventy years after it originally opened, Damn Yankees still hits it out of the park, a solid musical comedy with a refreshing update that doesn’t pat itself on the back by using diversity, equity and inclusion. All of that exists to make the story stronger (i.e., Joe’s dad couldn’t be a Majors player because he was Black). By the time the curtain falls, Arena’s Damn Yankees has proven itself more than just a nostalgic nod. It’s a savvy reimagining that embraces reinvention without losing the wit and warmth that made the show a classic. This production proves that great theater, like baseball itself, never loses its magic and never goes out of style.

photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Damn Yankees
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
Fichandler Stage, 1101 Sixth Street SW in D.C.
2 hours, 15 minutes with intermission
Tues and Wed at 7:30; Thurs & Fri at 8; Sat at 2 & 8: Sun at 2 & 7:30
check for weekday matinees at 12pm
ends on November 9, 2025
for tickets, call 202.488.3300 or visit Arena Stage

for more shows, visit Theatre in DC