"Yank!" (2005), a musical by Zellnik brothers composer Joseph and book writer and lyricist David, which is being presented by Park Slope's Gallery Players through November 11, but richly deserves wider note, a recording, and a much longer life, is a great many things. Inspired by Allan Bérubé's invaluable "Coming Out Under Fire: the History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two," published in 1990, "Yank!" is a story of love, romantic and frustrated; gay and lesbian identity; courage and cowardice, under 'friendly' fire from the American armed forces themselves, told in a tuneful, spanking new, 1940s-style musical. "Yank!" is moving, heartbreaking, funny, lyrical, endearing and painful. Do yourself a favor and catch it-now!

Maxime de Toledo as Mitch and Bobby Steggert photo by Mark Krieger

Taking its name from the popular army magazine of the time, "Yank!" focuses on shy Stu-Bobby Steggert, who grows from a scared kid to a hero before our eyes-dubbed "pansy" and "light in the loafers" by Company C, and his strong, handsome heartthrob, Mitch--charismatic, rich-voiced baritone Maxime de Toledo-nicknamed "Hollywood" by the drooling queens in Steno -riotously limned by Todd Faulkner, Matthew Marks, and Brian Mullay--and how the pair deals with love, dreams, self awareness and self esteem in a closeted era, in a hostile, macho environment. At best, Mitch serenades Stu with a sentimental love ballad, "Remembering You," and makes plans to live with him after the war ends, optimistically assured that they're no more than "A Couple of Regular Guys." At worst, pressure from peers, superiors and family, in the form of betrayal, coercion, guilt, prison, and dishonorable discharge, looms, driving them apart and keeping them from being "Just True" to themselves.

Bobby Steggert as Stu, Nancy Anderson as Louise, and Jeffry Denman as Artie photo by Jennifer Maufrais Kelly

The show boasts a tour-de-force by Nancy Anderson, playing everything from the guys' wives, sweethearts and mothers to the radio crooners who comfort and divert the troops with love songs-"Saddest Gal What Am," brimming with double entendres--and torch songs-the weepy "Blue Twilight"--to a tough lesbian WAC, bent on making each of our people an irreproachable "Credit to the Uniform." There's a memorable portrayal, by choreographer Jeffry Denman, as Artie, a gay Yank Magazine reporter, who takes Stu under his wing and, in breezy song and tap dance number "Click," makes him a Yank photographer, shows him the ropes of survival as a gay serviceman, and, with amazing timeliness, even teaches him about tapping to make contact in the YMCA men's room. Denman's Artie also offers his own take on "Credit to the Uniform"--as a seduction number.

Yank Squad photo by Jennifer Maufrais Kelly

Tyson Kaup, James Stover, Daniel Shevlin and Chris Carfizzi cut distinctive figures as our heroes' surrogate family members, swearing allegiance in the upbeat "Your Squad Is Your Squad." A dream ballet, starring Jonathan Day and Chad Harlow, offers Stu an at once whimsical and disturbing vision when things are at their bleakest and he's "Stuck in a Cell." There's beefcake almost immediately, as the new recruits strip and head for the showers, to Stu's fascinated embarrassment, and later, as Artie's many conquests dance in their skivvies.

Gallery Players stalwart Matt Schicker produced "Yank!" Director Igor Goldin and music director and pianist Daniel Feyer--leading a complement composed of Josh Johnson and Tom Piercy on winds, Allison Seidner and Masataka Odaka on low strings, and Ken Swinkin on percussion--help hold it together.

Remaining performances, at this writing, take place at 199 14th Street, off Fourth Avenue, on November 3 at 2 pm and 8 pm, 4 at 3 pm, 8 and 9 at 8 pm, 10 at 2 pm, and 11, Veteran's Day, at 3 pm and 8 pm. Tickets at $18, or $14 for seniors and children 12 and under, are available on line at www.galleryplayers.com or by calling 212/352-3101.

Gallery Players' season continues with David Sedaris' "The Santaland Diaries" (December 1-16), Andrew Lippa's "The Wild Party" (February 2-24), Aristophanes' "Lysistrata" (March 15-30), and Leigh, Darion and Wasserman's "Man of La Mancha" (April 26-May 18).