FULL CAST announced for the Landor production of DAMN YANKEES

Jonathan D Ellis (Les Misérables, Blood Brothers) will star in the Landor Theatre’s revival of Adler and Ross’ Damn Yankees as the Mephistophelean Applegate, the role popularised by Jerry Lewis in the 1990s Broadway and West End productions.

He will be joined by Poppy Tierney (The Witches of Eastwick, Watermill Theatre, and Batman Live UK Tour) as Lola - ‘the best homewrecker on the devil’s staff’, Alex Lodge (Saturday Night Fever UK Tour) as Joe Hardy - a crack baseball player who isn’t all he seems, and Tony Stansfield as Van Buren, the role he first played in the 1990s West End run!

The remaining cast will also include Nova Skipp (Meet Me in St Louis, Landor Theatre), Gary Bland (Cinderella, Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Douglas Fanning (Robin Hood, Cambridge Arts Theatre), Barnaby Hughes (Dick Whittington, Wyvern Theatre), Joel Burman (The Dreaming, Union Theatre), Sam Stone (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers UK Tour), Kiel Payton (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers UK Tour), Ben Sell (Zanna Don't, Landor Theatre), Sam Lathwood (Hairspray UK/ Ireland Tour), Emily Wigley (Hot Mikado, Sutton Theatre), Kayleigh Thadani (Cabaret Rouge, Café du Paris), Christopher Tendai (Hairspray, Cork Opera House) and recent graduates Elizabeth Futter, Sophie May Whitfield, Samson Ajewole and Leah Pinney.

2014 is the 75th anniversary of the retirement of Lou Gehrig - the famous Yankees player who was forced to retire after being diagnosed with ALS disorder (Motor Neurone Disease), which has been a frequent topic in the news recently due to the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’. Damn Yankees at the Landor is staged in recognition of Gehrig’s bravery and achievements. In light of this, 50% of the Box Office profits on 2nd October 2014 will be donated to the MND Association and there will be collection buckets (rather than ice buckets) at the theatre.

From the composing and writing talent behind The Pajama Game, and with eight Tony Awards including Best Musical under its cap, Damn Yankees is the musical with enduring heart and is sure to be a home run hit. With much-loved classics such as Whatever Lola Wants and You've Gotta Have Heart, it’s no wonder that Damn Yankees ran for 1,019 performances in its original 1955 Broadway production.

A Faustian musical about baseball may not be the most obvious plot choice but this production is gutsy and exciting and is certainly good reason to hurry to The Landor. Damn Yankees is back! 

Photo credit: Roy Tan