ARENA STAGE ANNOUNCES CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR DUSTED-OFF AND SPIT-SHINED “DAMN YANKEES”
Press Contacts:
DKC/O&M:
Rick Miramontez
rick@omdkc.com
212 695 7400
Arena Stage:
Anastasia St. Hilaire
asthilaire@arenastage.org
Nicole Capatasto
nicole@printshoppr.com
FOR RELEASE ON TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2025
THE BRONX IS UP!
ARENA STAGE ANNOUNCES CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR
“DUSTED OFF AND SPIT-SHINED FOR A NEW GENERATION”
“DAMN YANKEES”
75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON OPENER
HITS THE FIELD SEPTEMBER 9
Music and Lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
Book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallopp
Based on the Novel “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant”
by Douglass Wallop
New Adaptation by Will Power and Doug Wright
Additional Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Directed and Choreographed by Sergio Trujillo
To download cast and creative head shots, please click here.
Washington, DC (July 29, 2025) – Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater steps up to the plate for its monumental 75th Anniversary Season with a sizzling revival of Damn Yankees, with an all-star cast and creative team now on deck. Damn Yankees runs September 9 – November 9, 2025, in the Fichandler Theater, with Press Night set for Friday, September 19. For information and tickets, visit arenastage.org/yankees.
This newly-imagined take on the beloved classic will include a new adaptation by Lucille Lortel Award winner Will Power and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Doug Wright, with additional lyrics by Tony Award winner Lynn Ahrens, and direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo. Damn Yankees debuted on Broadway in 1955, winning seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It includes music and lyrics by two-time Tony Award winners Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, and book by seven-time Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize recipient George Abbott and Tony Award winner Douglass Wallop. Damn Yankees is based on the novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant by Douglass Wallopp.
Led by two-time Tony Award nominee Rob McClure (Applegate), Ana Villafañe (Lola), Tony Award nominee Jordan Donica (Joe Hardy), Grammy Award nominee Quentin Earl Darrington (Joe Boyd), Bryonha Marie (Meg Boyd), Alysha Umphress (Gloria Thorpe), Nehal Joshi (Van Buren), Keenan McCarter (Welch), Rayanne Gonzales (Sister), and Sarah Anne Sillers (Doris), the cast of Damn Yankees also features Giuseppe Bausilio, Raúl Contreras, Deanna Cudjoe, John Michael Fiumara, Danielle Marie Gonzalez, Michael Harmon, Ryo Kamibayashi, Georgia Monroe, J Savage, Justin Showell, Kevin Munhall, Jordyn Taylor, Drake Leach, and Dani Spieler.
“Placing this classic musical in the 2000s-era Yankees dynasty we all remember so well has been thrilling. Our goal has been to honor the show’s heart while bringing its characters, rhythms, and spirit into the modern age,” shared Trujillo. “This version is bold, fresh, and rooted in a contemporary cultural understanding. I’m so proud to be sharing this work at Arena Stage, a place that celebrates both legacy and innovation.”
Set against the backdrop of the early 2000s Yankees dynasty—when the Bronx was home to a seemingly unbeatable lineup of MLB superstars—a die-hard baseball fan makes a deal with the devil to help his rival team clinch the pennant, only to find himself torn between fame, temptation, and the life he left behind. Featuring iconic numbers like “Whatever Lola Wants” and “Who’s Got the Pain?,” this irresistible musical comedy blends high-stakes romance with a devilish dose of mischief. Packed with all the charm that made it a classic, this reimagining immerses audiences in a whirlwind of love, laughter, ego, and sacrifice.
“For 70 years, Damn Yankees has held its place as a cornerstone of American musical theater,” said Arena Stage Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif. “Brimming with ambition and heart, it’s a story of yearning, of love, the dreams we chase and the moral crossroads that can define or destroy us—a narrative as poignant today as it was at its debut. We’re honored to introduce this reimagined, iconic musical to a new generation, infused with fresh energy and timeless soul.”
Trujillo leads a championship-caliber team of creatives that includes four-time Tony-nominated set designer Robert Brill (Hell’s Kitchen), two-time Tony winner costume designer Linda Cho (The Great Gatsby), Drama Desk-nominated lighting designer Philip S. Rosenberg (BOOP! The Musical), Tony-nominated sound designer Walter Trarbach (Water for Elephants), five-time Tony-nominated projection designer Peter Nigrini (Beetlejuice), three-time Drama Desk Award winner wig and hair designer Charles G. LaPointe (Death Becomes Her), Drama Desk Award winner illusion designer Paul Kieve (Matilda), three-time Grammy Award-nominated score supervisor David Chase (Elf), Tony-nominated music supervisor and arranger Greg Anthony Rassen (Bandstand), three-time Tony Award-winner orchestrator Doug Besterman (Death Becomes Her), music director Adam Rothenberg (Sunset Boulevard), associate director Marc Tumminelli, associate choreographer Brandt Martinez (Illinoise) and associate music director Dean Balar. New York casting is by The TRC Company / Tara Rubin, CSA, Merri Sugarman, CSA and DC casting is by Raiyon Hunter. The production stage manager is Christi B. Spann and the assistant stage managers are Stefania Giron Zuluaga and Sara Gehl.
This production is presented by arrangement with Haley Swindal and Julie Boardman.
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arenastage.org/yankees
http://www.instagram.com/damnyankeesbroadway