The original Damn Yankees is set during the Yankees' period of MLB dominance in the '50s, but director/choreographer Sergio Trujillo wanted to bring this revival a bit closer to the modern day. So he sets it in 2000, when the Yankees won their third World Series in a row.

Additionally, he changed Boyd/Hardy's team from the Washington Senators, which no longer exist, to the Baltimore Orioles. "The Washington Nationals are [now] the Washington team, but they're not on the same league as the New York Yankees," Trujillo explained. "We thought the Baltimore Orioles made the most sense because we wanted to tell a David-and-Goliath story."

Joe Boyd and Joe Hardy are Black men in this revival, and the story acknowledges that. "We added a very small, but very significant, story to our musical in that Joe's father played in the legendary Negro Leagues, and because of the prejudices in the 1950s, he wasn't allowed to play," Trujillo said. "That heightens the stakes for Joe's story."

"He carries three dreams," elaborated Austin Scott, who plays Joe Hardy. "He has his own dream of being a being a baseball star. He has his father's dream from the Negro Leagues and everything he was denied. And he's got the dream of his city, of Baltimore, of winning the pennant."

What remains mostly unchanged in this Damn Yankees is the iconic score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. (Lynn Ahrens provided additional lyrics for the revival.) Songs like "Whatever Lola Wants," "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo.," "A Little Brains, a Little Talent," and "Who's Got the Pain?" have become musical theatre classics, and you'll hear them all at the Marquis.

The legendary George Steinbrenner is best known for being the longest-serving Yankees owner in history. But did you know he was also a Broadway producer? He was involved with six shows between 1967 and 1988, even earning a Tony Award nomination when Seesaw was up for Best Musical in 1974.

With Damn Yankees, the baseball/Broadway connection is even stronger. Major League Baseball is a producing partner on the revival, and one of its lead producers is Haley Swindal, Steinbrenner's granddaughter. The creative team also includes an official baseball consultant to help the cast play athletes as authentically as possible.

Harris summed up the similarities: "They're both things that need to be seen live. [They both] have a structure that, within the structure, you're going to see unique things that will only happen then, the crazy single moments. That's why I go see Broadway shows: 'Who's that understudy that's on? Will they be good? Oh no, was that supposed to happen?'"

And finally: "Lots of sweaty men in tight pants."

Self-proclaimed baseball rookie Scott is learning more about the sport as he goes, but he certainly knows of record-holding Yankees star Aaron Judge, an eight-time MLB All-Star and three-time American League MVP winner whom the actor described as nearly "superhuman."

"I understand why people are fascinated with this man. It's not just his power and his form. It's his stillness," Scott said. "There's this confidence he has when he's at bat, and that's something I definitely want to find within my Joe.

"He's an excellent role model," the actor continued. "It's a little bit daunting looking at this 6'8" jacked dude and being like, 'I'm going try and get there in six months, but it is an incredible goal to have to be as close to him as I possibly can."

The cast was literally close to Judge and his teammates when they got to meet them at Yankee Stadium. Judge gave Scott advice, but the actor can't remember what it was — "I was starstruck!" he said with a laugh.

Trujillo got his start as a Broadway dancer before pivoting to directing and choreographing. In the 1999 Bob Fosse tribute revue Fosse, he even danced the Damn Yankees number "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo."

"Fosse's repertoire, his movement, comes very easy to me, but my goal has been to revisit, reinterpret this story," said Trujillo. "There's a couple nods I will make to Bob along the way. I won't tell you where they are; if you know about Fosse, you'll identify [them] in a second. But ultimately, I want this revisal to have its own identity, and choreographically, I want to put my stamp on it."

Fosse isn't the only iconic dancer associated with the musical: The legendary Gwen Verdon originated the role of the seductress Lola, and Chicago and Sweet Charity Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth played her in 1994. Julianne Hough is ready to join that legacy in her Broadway musical debut.

“The leading ladies of Broadway […] that taught me what I loved through singing, acting, dancing — it was Gwen [Verdon, the original Lola], it was Ann [Reinking],” Hough said.

She hopes to continue the cycle and get new audiences, including her Dancing With the Stars fans, excited about theatre, too. "[If] they want to take that little walk over to Broadway and see me dance [...] and go and see another show, and go and see all the shows, keeping theatre and the community alive, that's the dream."

Before becoming a Broadway star, Harris listened to Damn Yankees's 1994 cast recording with Victor Garber, Bebe Neuwirth, and Jarrod Emick "constantly," he said. "It had a virility to it. It was masculine, it was sexy, but it was gigantic, and it stuck with me."

"Cut to my career in the theatre [...] I've done Hedwig and Assassins and Proof and things that were more bespoke, and I've never done the big Broadway musical. I've never done the big ensemble and the big dance numbers, and I always wanted to. It's been a bucket list for me."

He described his take on Applegate, the devil in disguise, as less "used-car salesman" and more "alluring and puppet master-y." Said Harris with a smile, "It's always fun to be naughty."

Fittingly, Damn Yankees was announced on September 27, when the Yankees and Orioles were scheduled to play at Yankee Stadium. Rain canceled the game, but hey, it's the thought that counts.

Hopefully, the weather will be better on March 24: the 2027 MLB season's opening day and Damn Yankees's first Broadway performance. And on the show's opening night, April 20, the Yankees are scheduled to play at home against Milwaukee. Batter up!

Check back for information on Damn Yankees tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

Photo credit: Neil Patrick Harris, Julianne Hough, Austin Scott, and Sergio Trujillo for the announcement of Damn Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (Photos by Emilio Madrid)