Baseball and musical comedy are joined by an American sensibility that is brash, bright and joyous.  The show was developed by Richard Adler, Jerry Ross, George Abbott, Bob Fosse and Hal Prince, the creative team of the hit musical the previous year, The Pajama Game.  The original Broadway production of Damn Yankees won eight Tony Awards and was later made into a movie starring Gwen Verdon, Tab Hunter and Ray Walston. 

The show is about middle-aged baseball fanatic Joe Boyd who trades his soul to the Devil (the charming but devious Mr. Applegate) for a chance to lead his favorite team to victory in the pennant race against the New York Yankees.  As young baseball sensation Joe Hardy, he transforms the hapless Washington Senators into a winning team, only to realize the true worth of the life (and wife) he's left behind.  With the help of a handy escape clause and a guilt-ridden temptress named Lola, Joe outsmarts Applegate, returns to his former self and shepherds the Senators to the World Series.  Musical numbers include "Heart" (you gotta have heart, all you really need is heart), "Whatever Lola Wants," and "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO".

Gary Baumgartner is the CFCT skipper managing the team for Damn Yankees.  Baumgartner directed many hit plays for CFCT that have included Lend Me a Tenor, M*A*S*H, Rumors, and Harvey.

Adam Western plays the role of the Devil, Mr. Applegate.  Western is an employee of KWWL television and KWLO The Radio Group.  Adam studied Improv at Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis and appeared on stage at the Guthrie Theater.  Joe Hardy (the younger version of Joe Boyd) will be played by Mike Wissink.  Wissink earned his BA in music from UNI.  Mike has appeared with CFCT, WCP, GBPAC and on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno.  Wissink sings with The Proud Image Chorus.  Jackie Kehoe will play the venerable Lola.  Kehoe is a theatre major at the University of Iowa.  She appeared in Footloose, Cats and Beauty and the Beast at WCP.  Kehoe also appeared in Rocky Horror Picture Show at Theatre Cedar Rapids.  Gary Baumgartner will play Joe Boyd, the man who becomes young again to be the famous ball player.  Gary has appeared on stage in many plays at WCP, studied theatre at UNI and earned a degree in marketing from Upper Iowa University.  Teri Sikula will play  Joe's wife, Meg.  Sikula is an art teacher in the Hudson Community School District.  She last appeared for CFCT as Sonia Walsk, the lead female in the Marvin Hamlisch/Neil Simon musical They're Playing Our Song.  Sister Peg will be played by Michelle Rathe.  Rathe earned her BA from Iowa State and is an English and drama teacher at Cedar Falls High School.  She has directed and appeared on stage in many shows, including CFCT's Pippin last June.  Gloria Thorpe is the Newspaper reporter out to get "the scoop" and is being played by Sara Galm.  Galm appeared in several shows with CFCT, WCP and Spencer Community Theatre.  Galm earned her MAE in Postsecondary Education from UNI.  The role of Van Buren, the team manager,  will be played by veteran performer Duane McDonald.  McDonald is the Patron Services Manager at the GBPAC.  He has appeared in multiple shows at CFCT and WCP.  McDonald is on the board of directors of the CFCT, Chairs the auction committee and serves on the Golf Tourney Committee.