A devilish young man by the name of Applegate (John Stillwaggon) laid claim to a humble church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, but not through conventional means of manual force. Instead, this epic battle was lost through song, dance, drama and a barrage of charm.

His method was composed through the hit musical “Damn Yankees.” How fitting it is that – just like the fictional Devil – the incorrigibly charismatic Stillwaggon happens to be a faithful New York Yankees fan.

The Narrows Community Theater began its newest season this weekend with this fiendishly captivating musical comedy, loosely based on the “Faust” legend. It takes place in 1950s Washington, and the Senators are in the middle of a woefully unlucky streak.

Devout fan Joe Boyd (Michel Schneider), well past his athletic prime, sits at home and laments the uninspired performance of his home team. If only he could be decades younger – he’d give anything.

Out pops the alluring Applegate to offer him a deal – he can make him 22-years-old again – for a price. He’d have the chance to be a hero.

However, since Boyd is an established real estate agent, he manages to haggle an escape clause out of the wily weasel: he has until the twenty fourth of September to change his mind – otherwise, he belongs to Applegate’s satanic syndicate.

He accepts.

Now, as Joe Hardy (Christopher Lee Short) – man without a past – he has the opportunity to live out his dreams. And Applegate knows exactly what to do to keep him in line: whenever Joe dares to revisit his old life, he sends in his secret weapon, the sexy Lola (Meg Corcoran).

After all, “Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.”

Although the dance numbers admittedly needed some work, as some parts were not perfectly synchronized, they held an affable charm, but the vocal talent was what truly made the performance shine.

Both incarnations of the daring dreamer, Joe, were absolutely astounding.

Short held the stage through an admirable display of sensitivity and poise, especially during “Back Home,” a duet with his fictional wife, Meg (Eileen Dreyer), close to the show’s finale.

Corcoran was every bit the sultry seductress. With a booming voice and a charismatic demeanor, her numbers were some of the most enjoyable in the production.

The only regret is that the musical’s most impressive vocalist, Schneider, was not around to demonstrate his powerful pipes for a large section of the performance – but such is the role. In fact, Schneider’s display of singing competence is so notable that it is safe to say that the troupe’s interpretation of “Damn Yankees” is worth watching simply to bear presence to his stunning ability to manipulate the vocal folds.

The same can easily be said for Stillwaggon, whose comedic ability is so overpowering that he effortlessly stole each scene that held his presence – and compelled a yearning for his return in the rest. A natural funnyman, he contributed to the performance one of its most amusing lines: “What do you expect me to do? Bathe in a pig’s blood or something,” he flippantly replied to Joe’s flabbergasted appraisal of their handshake deal-maker.

He attributes this to the trusting nature of the musical’s director, Dawn Barry, whose efforts certainly paid off, since the blocking was often top-notch – especially that of Applegate’s.

While the show does have some problems, it never fails to prevail because – along with an onslaught of musical finesse and charisma – it has heart.

Photo by Christopher Sirota

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