Avon High School Musical Theater Program Presents Damn Yankees

Avon High School’s Musical Theater Program proudly presents its fourth spring musical, Damn Yankees, on May 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and May 22 at 2 p.m. There will also be a free “sneak preview” performance for senior citizens on Thursday, May 19, at 9:30 a.m. All performances will be held at Avon High School. 

A total of 70 students are involved in the production: 40 singers and dancers, 15 extras and 15 technical crewmembers. The cast will be accompanied by the Avon High School Orchestra, which is led David Raposo, orchestra conductor. 

Doreen Cohn directs the show, along with Andrew Brochu as music director, David Raposo as orchestra conductor, Ken Jones as technical director and Terri Schulman and Marcy Nesbitt as choreographers. 

Damn Yankees is the story of a man named Joe Boyd, who makes a deal with the devil to help his favorite baseball team, the Washington Senators, win the pennant. In return, Boyd must leave his previous life behind, including his wife, Meg. Boyd accepts the devil’s terms and is transformed into a young baseball sensation named Joe Hardy, who turns the Senators into a winning team. All of Boyd’s wildest dreams come true, but his happiness is short-lived. Having realized the value of his old life, he faces off with the devil to get it back. Ultimately, Boyd outsmarts the devil, returns to his old life and leads the Senators to victory on his own terms.

Cohn, who has directed theater in the area for the last 30 years, said it’s challenging to find a musical that works for general audiences and provides students with a positive experience. Current musicals like Sweeney Todd and Rent don’t fit the bill. Damn Yankees is ideal for Cohn’s production: There’s a wide range of roles for students and the content is g-rated.

The students rehearse outside of school three times a week. Cohn doesn’t have a traditional drama class during school hours, so students who are involved in other school activities can participate too. 

“We have all different types of high school students [coming] together for this one common activity, which is what makes it so special," Cohn said. "Everyone works together for a common goal.” 

Several students will have debut performances on opening night:

Caitlin Culligan, freshman at AHS, plays several different background characters: wife, teenage fan, nightclub goer and child sitting next to a radio. She’s done small theater projects in the past, but this is her first high school musical.

“Damn Yankees has been so much fun so far!  The dances are fun, the acting is fun, and you also get to know a ton of great people,” Culligan wrote in an email to Patch.

Kylie Whalen, freshman at AHS, plays a wife, fan, and is a featured dancer for two songs. 

“It’s been really fun," Whalen said. "I’ve made a lot of new friends and I’ve learned a lot.”

Ramya Chunduri, freshman at AHS, plays a fan, wife, nightclub goer, and child. 

“The whole cast is like a family now and we all support each other. I look forward to going to all the rehearsals so I can support my peers just as much as they support me,” Chunduri wrote in an email to Patch.

Presale tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Tickets purchased at the door cost $15 for adults and $10 for students. Admission is free to Avon seniors (+65) with a Join Us Back to School card. For more information and ticket order forms, visit www.avon.k12.ct.us/DamnYankees.