Movies - The Pajama Game

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	Movies - The Pajama Game

The Pajama Game is a Broadway musical based on the novel 7-1/2 Cents by Richard Bissell. It features a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The original Broadway production ran from May 13, 1954 to November 24, 1956. It was revived between December 9, 1973 to February 3, 1974. A currently production by The Roundabout Theatre Company has been running since February 23, 2006.

The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where the workers' demands for a seven and a half cent raise are going unheeded. In the midst of this ordeal, love blossoms between Babe, a union leader, and Sid, the new factory superintendent.

Plot

A strike is imminent at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory. The union is seeking a wage rise of seven and a half cents an hour. Sid and Babe are in opposite camps yet a romance is born between them. At first Babe rejects Sid and he is forced to confide his feelings to a dictaphone. During the picnic for the factory workers, he makes better progress, but their estrangement is reinforced when they return to the factory. A go-slow is staged by the union, strongly supported by Babe. Sid, as factory superintendent, demands an "honest day's work" and threatens to fire slackers. Babe is enraged by his attitude and kicks her foot into the machinery, causes a general breakdown and is immediately fired by Sid.

Hines, the popular efficiency expert, is in love with Gladys, the company president's secretary. Periodically, he brings a more optimistic outlook to the life of the factory. Becoming convinced that Babe's championship of the union is justified, Sid simulates an interest in Gladys by taking her out for the evening to the night club, Hernando's Hideaway. Through her help, he is eventually able to gain access to the firm's books and discovers that the boss Hasler has been adding to his price the pay increase demanded by the workers.

Sid then brings about Hasler's consent to a pay rise and is able to bring peace to the factory and to his love life. Everyone goes out to celebrate—at Hernando's Hideaway.

(Summary adapted from http://www.nodanw.com/shows_p/pajama_game.htm)

Characters

The following are the characters in the show:

Sid Sorokin, the handsome new factory superintendent
Catherine "Babe" Williams, the leader of the Union Grievance Committee
Vernon Hines, the jealous factory timekeeper who believes Gladys is trying to entice all the men in the factory with her flirtatious behavior
Old Man Hasler, the strict head of the pajama factory
Gladys Hotchkiss, Hasler's attractive, quick-witted secretary
Prez, the head of the union
Mabel, a no-nonsense mother hen of the factory, Sid's secretary.
Mae, a worker in the factory and a member of the Grievance Committee
Pop, Babe's kind and agreeable father
Poopsie, a worker in the factory and a member of the Grievance Committee
Charley, a worker in the factory and the handyman

Songs

"The Pajama Game"
"Racing With the Clock"
"A New Town is a Blue Town"
"I'm Not At All In Love"
"I'll Never Be Jealous Again"
"Hey There" (a #1 Pop hit for Rosemary Clooney
)
"Her Is"
"Sleep-Tite"
"Once A Year Day"
"Her Is (Reprise)"
"Small Talk"
"There Once Was A Man"
"Steam Heat"
"Think of the Time I Save"
"Hernando's Hideaway"
"71/2 Cents"

Broadway

1954

The original Broadway production opened on May 13, 1954 and closed on November 24, 1956 after 1,063 performances. It was directed by George Abbott and Jerome Robbins and featured choreography by Bob Fosse. The original cast included John Raitt, Janis Paige, Eddie Foy, Jr., and Carol Haney.

Awards

1955 Tony Award winner
*Best Musical
*Best Featured Actress in a Musical -- Carol Haney
*Best Choreographer -- Bob Fosse

External links

1973

A Broadway revival opened on December 9, 1973 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, but it closed on February 3, 1974 after just 65 performances. Directed by one of the two directors at the original production in 1954, George Abbott, with choreography by Zoya Leporska. The cast this time included Hal Linden, Barbara McNair, and Cab Calloway as Hines.

External link

2006

The Roundabout Theatre Company opened a revival on February 23, 2006, with Kathleen Marshall as choreographer and director. The cast includes Harry Connick, Jr. as Sid, Kelli O'Hara as Babe, and Michael McKean as Hines. The revival includes three added songs, by Richard Adler. Performances started at the American Airlines Theatre January 19, 2006, and is scheduled to run until June 11, 2006. A one week extension was announced on Valentine's day, now through Sunday, June 18th, but this was not accurate, since Connick has other commitments in summer 2006, and the Pajama Game is still scheduled to run through June 11.

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