PARIS — Adults and students from Oxford Hills will come together to present “Damn Yankees,” the 20th Oxford Hills School Community Broadway Show.
The lighthearted production, based on the novel “The Year The Yankees Lost The Pennant,” will be presented Friday and Saturday, March 30-31, and Sunday, April 1, at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.
“Damn Yankees” is the story of a middle-aged baseball fanatic named Joe Boyd, who trades his soul to the devil (the charming but devious Mr. Applegate) for a chance to lead his favorite team to victory in the pennant race against the New York Yankees.
As young baseball sensation Joe Hardy, he transforms the hapless Washington Senators into a winning team, only to realize the true worth of the life (and wife) he has left behind. With the help of a handy escape clause and a guilt-ridden temptress named Lola, Joe outsmarts Applegate, returns to his former self and shepherds the Senators to the World Series.
Tom Ferent, local real estate broker, and Max Brown, a senior at OHCHS, share the role of Joe; Andy Turner, a veteran of many local theatrical productions, is Applegate; and Carolyn Kennison is the sultry and sensual Lola.
Rounding out the cast are Jennifer St. Pierre as Meg, Joe’s wife; Susan Cairns as Sister; Jeanie Stone as Doris; Dennis Twitchell as Mr. Welch, owner of the downtrodden Washington Senators; and Bob Tifft, a music teacher in the Oxford Hills school district and a member of local band Rockin’ Roadrunners, as Mr. Van Buren, manager of the goofy bunch of ballplayers.
His team consists of Ian Vail, Brooks Belanger, Joel Pulkinen, Colin Chase, Matthew Breer, Jacob Buckley, Brett Parsons and Colton Martin. Maggie Lawton is Miss Lynch; Maggie Whittemore is Gloria Thorpe; Ron Blake is the guard; and Jeff Orwig is the commissioner of baseball. Making cameo appearances are OHCHS Assistant Principals Paul Bickford and John Springer.
Lindsey Redgate, a high school senior, singer and organizer of local open-mic nights, will perform a duet with Lola. Rounding out the cast are baseball fans Morgan Hansen, Sophie Lawton, Amy Peet and Kali Catalano. The youngest cast member is Morgan Richardson, an Oxford Hills Middle School student.
Directing the show is Carol Brown, who has performed in previous school-community productions as well as other area shows. Producer is Kyle Jordan, chairman of the music department in the Oxford Hills School District, assisted by Jennifer St. Pierre, a well-known member and producer of area theater. Dennis Boyd Jr., director of choral music at OHSHC, is musical director. Faye Hill is rehearsal accompanist. Other production staff members are choreographer Sasha Campbell, artistic director Nancy Chute Marcotte, costumer Sharron Merrill, stage managers Jeff Orwig and Jane Riseman, sound man Chris Searles and lighting designer Norm Hutchins.
The Oxford Hills School Community Broadway Show has been performed biennially since 1974. Since then, hundreds of students and adults have presented such musicals as “Fiddler On The Roof,” “Oklahoma,” “Guys and Dolls,” “The Music Man,” “My Fair Lady” and “Crazy For You.”
Tickets are available at Books N Things, 430 Main St., Norway; by calling 739-6200; and at the door.
- These Washington Senators have their sights on winning the pennant in “Damn Yankees,” the 20th Oxford Hills School Community Broadway Show. The play will be presented March 30-31 and April 1 at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School. Cast members, from left, front, are Ian Vail, Brett Parsons, Joel Pulkinen and Colin Chase. Back row: Matthew Breer, Brooks Belanger, Bob Tifft, Colton Martin and Jacob Buckley.
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