In celebration of the Braves bringing professional baseball to Gwinnett County, Aurora Theatre, Gwinnett’s professional theatre, opens the 2008-2009 season with the home-run hit, Damn Yankees. The most beloved baseball musical of all time, Damn Yankees, is a show for the ages with Tony award-winning runs in 1956, again in 1994 and another revival is currently running at New York City Center. Damn Yankees endures on the strength of a story with universal appeal and a musical score that keeps your toes tapping.

Fanatic Joe Boyd makes a devil of a deal to become the new young sensation Joe Hardy in order to transform the hapless home team and finally defeat those Damn Yankees. Hit songs include: "Heart,"  "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal Mo" and "Whatever Lola Wants."

"Damn Yankees is show that we have wanted to produce for a long time. So the minute we heard the news that professional baseball was coming to Gwinnett, we knew we had the Aurora season opener," recalls Anthony Rodriguez, Aurora Theatre Producing Artistic Director.

With the crossover appeal of Damn Yankees from sports fans to theatre patrons, Aurora Theatre is taking a page from the sports marketing handbook and introducing "Bat Day."  At every Saturday Matinee performance, patrons will receive a souvenir mini-baseball bat.

Additionally, Aurora Theatre is teaming up with the Gwinnett Braves in an innovative marketing partnership. On August 7, 2008, Gwinnett Braves General Manager Bruce Baldwin will throw out the first pitch before the show and officially start the Aurora Theatre season. Visitors will be able to get information about the Gwinnett Braves and upcoming events in the Aurora Theatre lobby, and volunteers will wear Gwinnett Braves merchandise during the run of Damn Yankees.

Cast & Crew of Damn Yankees

Anthony Rodriguez -- Mr. Applegate

Wendy Melkonian* -- Lola

Justin Tanner* -- Joe Hardy aka Young Joe

Bruce Taylor -- Joe Boyd aka Old Joe

Rachel Miller -- Gloria Thorpe

Jennifer Levison -- Meg

Steve Hudson -- Mr. Welch, Team Owner

Spencer Stephens -- Mr. Van Buren, Team Manager

Justin Miskin -- Ensemble

Justin McGough -- Ensemble

Joey Ellington -- Ensemble

Benji Stockton -- Ensemble

John Markowski -- Ensemble

Anthony Owen -- Ensemble

Jeremy McShan -- Ensemble

Erin Considine -- Ensemble

Ami Rosen -- Ensemble

Caitlin Smith -- Ensemble

Kathryn Turk -- Ensemble

Caleigh Allen -- Ensemble

Anthony Rodriguez -- Producer

Susan Reid -- Director

Ann-Carol Pence -- Music Director

Katie Arjona -- Choreographer

Deadra Moore* -- Production Stage Manager

Jason White -- Asst. Stage Manager

Bob Hoffman -- Set Design

Rob Dillard -- Lighting Design

Amanda Sutt -- Costume Design

MC Park -- Properties Design

Christopher Bartelski -- Sound Design

Sarah Thomson -- Scenic Artist

Nathan McGill -- Videographer

*Denotes member of Actors Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.

Damn Yankees runs August 7 - September 7, 2008

Performances are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.  Tickets are $16-30.

Special Preview Performance is Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $10 with Library Card and only $5 with Gwinnett County Student ID, and the Wednesday Discount Matinee is August 27 at 10:00 a.m.

Bat Day Performances are August 9, 16, 23, 30 and September 6 at 2:30 p.m.

Aurora Theatre
128 Pike Street
Lawrenceville, GA 30045
678-226-6222

www.auroratheatre.com

Aurora Theatre, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation and is a member of the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts, Theatre Communications Group, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Lawrenceville Tourism and Trade Association, Suwanee Business Alliance and Duluth Merchants Association.