Character guide
Lola
from Damn Yankees
Lola is the devil's seductive enforcer in Damn Yankees, sent to keep Joe Hardy tied to his fateful bargain in the classic 1955 Adler and Ross musical.
- Show
- Damn Yankees
- Premiered
- 1955
- Role
- Supporting
- Composer
- Adler & Ross
Who is Lola?
Lola is Mr. Applegate's go-to temptress, brought in to distract Joe Hardy and make sure he does not slip away from their deal. She is glamorous and confident, using charm and seduction as tools of her trade, but as she spends more time around Joe, she starts to develop genuine sympathy for him and his situation.
That shift gives Lola more depth than a simple femme fatale. She becomes someone who questions her loyalty to Applegate, which adds a layer of surprise and heart to the show's second half.
Lola's presence and appeal
Lola is a supporting role, but it is one of the show's flashiest, built around show-stopping dance numbers and a bold, playful vocal style. The part calls for a performer who can command a stage physically, since much of Lola's characterization comes through movement and choreography as much as singing.
Performers and audiences love Lola because she gets to be both funny and formidable, a character who starts as comic relief and ends up revealing real feeling underneath the glamour.
Frequently asked
What show is Lola from?
Lola appears in Damn Yankees, a 1955 musical with music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross.
Is Lola a lead or supporting role?
Lola is a supporting role, though a prominent and highly memorable one in the show.
What is Lola's job in the story?
She is sent by Mr. Applegate to seduce and distract Joe Hardy so he stays committed to his devilish bargain.
Think you can name today's mystery character in eight guesses?
Play today's THEATERLE