‘Damn Yankees’ Hit a Triple at The Gem Theatre – Review

‘Damn Yankees‘ is a shiny ruby of camp and satire, while outwitting the Devil at Garden Grove’s historical  The Gem Theatre this spring.

I had a blast catching the classic ‘Damn Yankees‘ at The Gem Theatre in Garden Grove, CA, It was like an evening at the ball park fulfilling every baseball fan’s desire to beat the New York Yankees. From start to finish, this production had me hooked, blending high energy, sharp humor, and heart. I was laughing, tapping my feet, and thoroughly entertained the entire time.

The opening number of ‘Damn Yankees‘ with, ‘Six Months Out of Every Year‘ was absolutely hilarious! The chorus launched into an uproarious barrage of name-calling aimed at the umpires, and I couldn’t help but falling into hysterics. As a stadium announcer for college baseball and softball, I hear variations (often more crass) of these exacts insults. It felt like a cheeky homage to my own world. The humor was spot-on, especially with Sasha Baker’s Doris repeatedly smacking her husband with a spatula, instantly setting the tone for the rest of the show.

A huge shout-out to Peter Crisafulli, who stepped up from understudy to lead as Mr. Applegate this weekend. He was nothing short of phenomenal. His performance was magnetic—timing, charisma, and even those fourth-wall-breaking moments were so effortlessly integrated that they only added to the charm, never distracted from it. Applegate implications of being scared of the Holy Bible, while making a Faustian deal with Joe Boyd (William Jordan) turning him into young, baseball superstar for the now defunct Washington Senators, (played by Aaron Gibbs) moderately reminded the audience even the Devil is still scared of the Almighty.

Then there’s all of 125 lbs in Ezion Garcia as Smokey who was this performance’s showstopper. Whether delivering a punchline or just lurking in the background, he controlled the stage every time. His dedication to the role was unmatched—so much so that he stayed in character during the intermission raffle.

Rosie Quintana’s Meg Boyd was fantastic. She brought such warmth and depth to the role, you couldn’t help but root for her. Even though she was a key player, I found myself wishing she had more stage time, especially with that mezzo soprano voice.

Having never seen the show, I now know where the iconic song ‘Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets‘ originated. Briana Bauer as Lola absolutely owned it. She brought just the right amount of sex appeal and sass to the role.

Kellie Petrosian as Gloria Thorpe was another standout. She had such an effortless stage presence, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was related to the legendary multi-time world champion freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestler Dr. Petros Petrosian, who moves just as gracious on the mat as she does on stage.

Doing double duty as director and musical director, Damien Lorton brought a level of camp to ‘Damn Yankees‘ that truly satirized sports and the locker room. Victor Crisafulli set design as terrific. The layout of the diamond on stage bringing in the audience from the outfield into the field of play made me feel like I was playing second base from my angle.

The live band conducted by pianist Nick Bravo, which included drummer/percussionist Jeff Segal, bass Jimmy Beal, trumpeters Troy Sargent and Patrick Stouffer along with April Chocolaty, Cynthia Swanson and Karen Zelazo on woodwinds, pulled in the audience as if we were in a jazz lounge and not just a musical.

Lastly, I am glad my buddy Katie Hamilton (who recently played the Ladybug in ‘James and the Giant Peach‘ at Phantom Projects) was my second pair of eyes. Something that initially struck me as a possible mistake in the set design, was pointed out by Katie be quite intentional. The contrast between Young Joe Hardy  and the oldert Joe Boyd  was beautifully crafted in this closing moment. It showcased the struggle between the fantasy of being a sports celebrity and the desire for family life, making for an emotionally resonant aspect of the production. It was a subtle visual display adding relevance to the entire experience.

‘Damn Yankees‘ at The Gem Theatre was a treat. There are a few small quibbles,  like the play-by-play announcer stating, “…first half of the 8th innning“, instead of “…top of the 8th inning” but nothing that takes away from audience enjoyment. If you’re a fan of classic musicals, baseball or hopeful, redemption stories this run of ‘Damn Yankees‘ is worth it.

‘Damn Yankees‘ runs at The Gem Theatre through April 13, 2025.

To purchase tickets for ‘Damn Yankees‘ visit: https://www.thegemoc.com/.

The Gem Theatre is located at:
12852 Main St.
Garden Grove, CA 92840