HHS ‘Damn Yankees’ production promises to be devilishly fun

It won’t take a deal with the devil to score some quality entertainment this weekend. Holyoke High School will be staging “Damn Yankees” Friday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 23, at 8 p.m. in the HHS auditorium, and tickets can be purchased from cast members or at the door.

On Friday night only, FCCLA’s “Homerun Meal” of Hungarian goulash, tossed green salad, FCCLA bread and New York cheesecake will be served at 6 p.m. in the HHS commons. Tickets can be purchased from FCCLA members and cast members or by emailing ortnerka@hcosd.org. Getting tickets in advance is appreciated, but they will also be available at the door.

Based on Douglass Wallop’s novel “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant,” the musical comedy is a 1950s take on the Faustian motif.

Joe and Meg Boyd (played by Levi Ford and Lali Marquez), a couple in their 40s, would appear to be happy and comfortable in their split level Chevy Chase, Maryland, home. But Joe is obsessed with his favorite baseball team, the Washington Senators, and how badly he wants them to defeat those damn New York Yankees, the winningest team in baseball.

As he contemplates what his team needs, a stranger, Mr. Applegate (aka the Devil, played by Kailar Hayes) arrives and makes him an offer he can’t refuse even though it will cost Joe his soul, perhaps even despite the escape clause to which Joe gets Applegate to approve.

The Senators, despite the encouragement of their manager, Coach Van Buren (Tristen Ferguson), are languishing in the second division. Applegate arrives and convinces Van Buren to give the “new” Joe (Kenneth Lindholm) a shot. The young player is simply amazing and is given an immediate position on the team.

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