You've Gotta Have Heart

This week a friend of mine scored us tickets to the opening of Damn Yankees presented by New York City Center's Encores! Summer Stars series. The cool thing about New York City Center is that it brings in some of the country's best and most recognizable talent and presents them for extremely reasonable prices ($25 - $110 per ticket).

Damn Yankees, for example stars Sean Hayes (from Will and Grace), Jane Krakowski (from 30 Rock) and Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson. To see these kinds of celebrities perform, you would expect to pay at least $80 per ticket and yet I think the best seats were selling for less than $50. New York City Center is certainly living up to their mission "to make the finest in the performing arts accessible to the broadest possible audience."

Plus we got to attend the opening night party. Let me tell you opening night parties are always a good time. You have the chance to mix and mingle with the cast and creative team. There is usually good music, eats and an open bar. The fare for this party was appropriate to the baseball theme, featuring mini hamburgers, popcorn and crackerjacks.

The production itself was adequate. All the players performed admirably and sufficiently entertained the audience. The stand outs of the evening were Cheyenne Jackson as the young Joe Hardy who turned in a soulful performance; Veanne Cox who provided some great comedic timing; Sean Hayes as the Devil himself who really shined during his solo number "Those Were the Good Old Days" and the costumes which were designed by Broadway veteran William Ivey Long.

This production used the original Bob Fosse choreography, which unfortunately didn't really work. I do not believe that the performers were able to fully embody the choreography and so the dance numbers were not fun and energetic extensions of the scene, but rather people on stage just trying to get all the steps.

Several years ago I saw a production of Damn Yankees that was fantastic. It was exciting, moving and entertaining. I left the theatre and for weeks afterwards caught myself humming "You've Gotta Have Heart." While the performers in the Encores! production all hit the right notes and had the right bravado, there was definitely something missing. They didn't have heart. And ultimately, as the musical itself illustrates, that is what it takes to score a homerun.

New York City Center has a fantastic season lined up that features more musical theatre, the "Fall for Dance Festival" with tickets starting at $10 and some of the best dance companies in the country.

Check out the New York City Center website for ticketing and schedule information.

Insider Tips:

• The Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert has 3 more productions this season (On The Town, Music in the Air and Finian’s Rainbow). Performers have not yet been announced, but I'm sure it will be a good opportunity to catch celebs performing live theatre at less than Broadway prices.
• Check out the "Fall for Dance Festival." There are some fantastic dance companies participating and tickets are only $10.