EVANSTON, Ill.—It’s set against a springtime baseball season, but “Damn Yankees” isn’t really about wining a ballgame. The musical is a comic retelling of the Faust legend. That theme, which permeates the musical, has been called a Faustian bargain. It forms the basis for the home-run production now playing at the Theo Ubique Cabaret Theater in Evanston, Illinois.
The idea for the Faustian bargain comes from German folklore. In it, Faust was a scholar who made a pact with the devil for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasure. It was based on Johann Georg Faust (circa 1480–circa 1540), a magician and alchemist in 16th-century Germany. It was depicted by Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593) in his play “The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus” (1594) and the tragedy “Faust” (1806) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832).
The cast of “Damn Yankees.” (Elizabeth Stenholt Photography)Exploring themes of ambition, temptation, and redemption, it has inspired countless adaptations in literature such as Dorothy Sayers’s “The Devil to Play” (1939), Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1886), Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (1891), and many others. In opera it shows up in Hector Berlioz’s “The Damnation of Faust” (1845) and Charles Gounod’s “Faust” (1859). Furthermore, it formed the plot in films “The Devil and Daniel Webster”(1930), “Bedazzled” (1967), and so many more.
The funniest, most modern version is the musical comedy “Damn Yankees,” which opened on Broadway in 1955 and was adopted into a motion picture in 1958. Although the show is set in the 1950s, its revival by Theo Ubique doesn’t come across as dated. Rather, it’s been reinvigorated by a first-class production.
The Senators of “Damn Yankees.” (Elizabeth Stenholt Photography)A Deal with the Devil
Based on Douglass Wallop’s satirical 1954 novel “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant,” it was adopted for the stage by George Abbott and Wallop. The story begins as middle-aged businessman Joe Boyd is listening to a radio baseball game between the Yankees and the Washington Senators.
Upset about the Washington Senator’s defeat, Joe goes on a rant, yelling that he’d sell his soul if his team could for once beat those “damn Yankees.” Suddenly, slick Mr. Applegate appears with a proposition for Joe that will turn him into the best slugger in baseball history.
Lola (Jenny Couch) and Mr. Applegate (Tommy Thurston), in “Damn Yankees.” (Elizabeth Stenholt Photography)Transformed into a young ballplayer and rechristened Joe Hardy, he joins the Senators. He has to win the pennant before a strict deadline or his soul will belong to the devil forever. The climax comes when he has to decide if fame and glory are worth it.
Theo Ubique’s stage takes the form of a miniature baseball diamond, the set designed by Manuel Ortiz. The audience is seated around the bases as though at a real game. To heighten that impression, Theo Ubique’s bar serves hot dogs at intermission.
With direction by Daryl D. Brooks, the revival captures the thrill of the game. Ryan Brewster’s perfect-pitch music direction enhances composers Richard Adler and Jerry Ross’s delightful songbook. The musical’s infectious score includes songs that have became classics: “Heart” and “Whatever Lola Wants,” as well as beautiful ballads, like “Goodbye, Old Girl,” and the number for Mr. Applegate “Those Were the Good Old Days.” In that hilarious song, the devil, masterfully portrayed by Tommy Thurston, delivers a showstopping recall of the many horrible disasters through time for which he was responsible.
(L–R) Brady Magruder, Quinn Rigg, Jacob Merschel, Spencer Curtis, and John Parker Jackson in “Damn Yankees.” (Elizabeth Stenholt Photography)It all comes together with other top-notch performances. As the older Joe, Thomas M. Shea delivers a poignant performance portraying a man who has always seen himself as a bit of a failure but now has a chance to make his deep-seated desires come true. In addition, as the young hitter Joe, Luke Nowakowski brings a golden-voiced charm and demonstrates fancy footwork provided by choreographer Christopher Chase Carter. In addition, Jenny Couch gives a wonderfully seductive portrayal of Lola. Meghan Hoyt does a nice turn as a long-suffering baseball widow.
This enchanting show offers terrific music, dance, romance, and comedy, yet “Damn Yankees” soars even more with its powerful theme. You don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy it. All you need is “heart, miles and miles of heart.”
‘Damn Yankees’
Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
The Fred Anzevino Theatre
721 Howard St., Evanston
Tickets: 773-939-4101 or theo-u.com/
Runs: 2 hours (one intermission)
Closes: July 5, 2026
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