Swampscott stages ‘Damn Yankees’

SWAMPSCOTT – The auditions were held in December and now the last adjustments are being made: the costumes are ironed, the stage is marked with tape where the set will be placed and Director Jim Pearse is advising his lead character on how to tie a tie.”It would be better if it were a tad shorter,” he says to senior T.J. Lamand, who plays Joe Hardy. “It looks like a clown’s.”This evening, the curtain rises on a production of “Damn Yankees” staged by the Swampscott High School Drama Club and Music Department.The musical will open with middle-aged Joe Boyd (played by senior Adam Kaplowitz) watching his beloved Washington Senators team lose once again. The Devil overhears Boyd’s plea for one long-ball hitter and appears under the guise of a Mr. Applegate (senior Michael Townsend) offering to transform Joe Boyd into Shoeless Joe Hardy (Lamand).Boyd accepts – with the caveat that he has until the last day of the season to change his mind – and becomes a 22-year-old baseball hero, leading the Senators to victory. But Shoeless Joe misses his wife, Meg (senior Lucy Ceccarelli), and returns to his old neighborhood, renting a room in his old home under his new identity.So Mr. Applegate must devise ways – including introducing Joe to the seductress Lola (senior Genya Crossman) and feeding a false story about Joe’s dubious past to reporter Gloria Thorpe (sophomore Meghan Fisher) – to keep Joe and Meg apart. Musical theater hi-jinx ensue, culminating in commissioner’s hearings, confused identities and loyalties and, of course, those “Damn Yankees.”Cast members said that they really enjoyed that the ensemble and chorus are very important in the musical.”It’s not like there are two characters who are in every scene,” explained Fisher. “There are a lot of main characters and they all interact with each other differently.”Of course that means that choreography – often devised by the students – was a little bit tricky.”The group numbers are the hardest,” admitted Crossman. “Everybody has to have the same timing, same footing.”Pearse said that “Damn Yankees” also takes advantage of a strong group of male performers at the high school who excel at portraying the male camaraderie of a hapless baseball team.”A lot of the things with the baseball team being a bunch of goofy guys? I really like that aspect of the musical,” Pearse said. “There’s a lot of dancing and fun with the baseball-team numbers.”Cast members agreed? although some of the guys admitted that some of the baseball references were a bit obscure.”There were a lot of references that musical theater people might not get,” said Lamand.”Yeah, I had to ask my dad all these questions,” admitted Kaplowitz. “I’m reading through the script on the phone and asking him, ‘Who’s he? What’s that?'”But this, along with similar instances of students demonstrating their commitment, particularly impressed Pearse, who is directing his 15th musical at Swampscott.”It’s been really gratifying to have the kids work so hard and come to rehearsals in such a prepared way,” Pearse said. “This year, I could really tell that people went away and really worked on this outside of rehearsal and brought back their own ideas.”And that helps decrease the opening night jitters.”I’m definitely not completely relaxed, but I’m not dying,” said Pearse. “I feel like the kids are prepared.””We’ve done it so much, you forget to be nervous,” said Kaplowitz. Then he made a quick addendum. “Until you see the audience.”If you go?The Swampscott High School Drama Club and Music Department presents “Damn Yankees” on Thursday, May 19 through Saturday, May 21 at Swampscott High School. The performances begin at 7 p.m., and tickets cost $15 for adults, $7 for seniors and students. Reserve seats by calling 781-596-8830 x 5702 or sending an email to [email protected].