The Pajama Game
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| The Pajama Game | |
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| Original Broadway Windowcard | |
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| Music | Richard Adler Jerry Ross |
| Lyrics | Richard Adler Jerry Ross |
| Book | George Abbott Richard Bissell |
| Based upon | Novel 7-1/2 Cents by Richard Bissell |
| Productions | 1954 Broadway 1957 film 1973 Broadway Revival 2006 Broadway Revival |
| Awards | Tony Award for Best Musical Tony Award for Best Revival |
The Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7-1/2 Cents by Richard Bissell. It features a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where worker demands for a seven and a half cent raise are going unheeded. In the midst of this ordeal, love blossoms between Babe, the complaint committee head, and Sid, the new factory superintendent.
The original Broadway production opened on May 13, 1954 and ran for 1,063 performances. It was revived in 1973, and again in 2006 by The Roundabout Theatre Company. The original production won a Tony for Best Musical, and the 2006 Broadway revival won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The musical is a popular choice for community group productions.
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[edit] Characters
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[edit] Plot
A strike is imminent at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory. The union is seeking a wage raise 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 slow-down 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 already tacked on the extra 71/2 cents to the overall cost, but has kept all the extra profits for himself.
Sid then brings about Hasler's consent to a pay raise and is able to bring peace to the factory and to his love life. Everyone goes out to celebrate—at Hernando's Hideaway.[1]
[edit] Musical numbers
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[edit] Notes on the music
The music is generally played by a big band, the music being a jazzy, upbeat type of music.
- "Hernando's Hideaway"
For the 2006 revival, Harry Connick Jr. played the piano, when Gladys (Megan Lawrence), Sid, and Company were on stage for "Hernando's Hideaway". "The length and form of the song remain steady," Kathleen Marshall said, "but he can improvise within it."
- "Steam Heat"
In the original production, and in the film version, the famed dance number "Steam Heat" was danced by Gladys. In the 2006 revival, the number was made with Mae (Joyce Chittick), instead of Gladys. Kathleen Marshall explains: "Hines accuses Gladys of being a flirt, and she's not. So does it make sense that she'd go and strut her stuff in front of the whole union? Hines would say, 'Aha, you floozy, I caught you!' Also, she's the boss's secretary, so why would she be at a union meeting? I think it's much more fun that Gladys doesn't really let go until she goes out with Sid, gets real drunk, and throws caution to the wind."
[edit] New songs for the 2006 revival
- "The Three of Us (Me, Myself and I)"(Words & music by Richard Adler)
In 2006, Hines (Michael McKean) performed the new number, "The Three of Us" at show's end with Gladys (Megan Lawrence). At the time of the revival, Adler was quoted as saying that he wrote the song for Jimmy Durante in 1964. "It was written for Jimmy Durante," says McKean, "and Durante used to do it in his act, but he never recorded it, so it’s kind of an orphan." The song was actually featured in the 1966 television musical, "Olympus 7-000," part of the "ABC Stage 67" series which also produced Stephen Sondheim's "Evening Primrose." Eddie Foy, Jr. (who had played Hines in the original Broadway and movie versions of "The Pajama Game") introduced the song in "Olympus 7-000" and can be heard singing it on the Command Records soundtrack album. Donald O'Connor, Larry Blyden and Phyllis Newman also starred in the TV special with Foy.
- "The World Around Us"
"The World Around Us" was part of the 1954 Broadway previews and opening, but was dropped during the first week of the Broadway run, replaced by Babe's reprise of "Hey There." This would leave Sid with no songs in the second act, aside from the "The Once was a Man" reprise. The number was restored for the 2006 Broadway revival, allowing star Harry Connick, Jr. to have a second-act song.
- "If You Win, You Lose" (Words & music by Richard Adler)
For the 1973 revival, in place of the second-act "Hey There" reprise, there was a new song, "Watch Your Heart." Retitled "If You Win, You Lose," the song has been heard in recent productions of the show and was heard in the 2006 Broadway production.
[edit] Production history
[edit] Original Broadway
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., Carol Haney, and Stanley Prager.
This production is noted for starting the career of Shirley MacLaine. A relative unknown at the time, she was selected to understudy Carol Haney's role. MacLaine filled the role for several months, as Haney was out of commission with a broken ankle. Director/producer Hal B. Wallis was an audience member at one of MacLaine's performances, and signed her as a contract player for Paramount Pictures.
[edit] Film, 1957
The film version was released by Warner Bros. in 1957 and featured the original stage cast except for Janis Paige, who was replaced by Doris Day.
[edit] Broadway revival, 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 of the original production in 1954, George Abbott, with choreography by Zoya Leporska. The cast included Hal Linden, Barbara McNair, and Cab Calloway as Hines.
[edit] Broadway, 2006
The Roundabout Theatre Company revival opened on February 23, 2006, and closed on June 17, 2006, after 129 performances (and 41 previews). Kathleen Marshall was choreographer and director, with a cast starring Harry Connick, Jr. making his Broadway acting debut as Sid, Kelli O'Hara as Babe, and Michael McKean as Hines. The revival included three added songs, by Richard Adler. The original book by George Abbott and Richard Bissell was revised by Peter Ackerman (screenwriter Ice Age).
[edit] Awards & Nominations
[edit] Original Broadway
- 1955 Tony Awards
- Best Musical (winner)
- Best Featured Actress in a Musical -- Carol Haney (winner)
- Best Choreographer -- Bob Fosse (winner)
[edit] Broadway, 2006
- 2006 Tony Awards
- Best Revival of a Musical (winner)
- Best Choreography -- Kathleen Marshall (winner)
- Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical -- Harry Connick, Jr. (nominee)
- Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical -- Kelli O'Hara (nominee)
- Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical -- Megan Lawrence (nominee)
- Best Direction of a Musical -- Kathleen Marshall (nominee)
- Best Orchestrations -- Dick Lieb and Danny Troob (nominee)
- Best Scenic Design of a Musical -- Derek McLane (nominee)
- Best Costume Design of a Musical -- Martin Pakledinaz (nominee)
- Theatre World Award
- Harry Connick, Jr.
- Drama Desk Award 2006
- Outstanding Choreography -- Kathleen Marshall (winner)
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical (nominee)
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical -- Harry Connick, Jr. (nominee)
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical -- Kelli O'Hara (nominee)
- Outstanding Director of a Musical -- Kathleen Marshall (nominee)
- Outstanding Orchestrations -- Danny Troob & Dick Lieb (nominee)
- Outstanding Sound Design -- Brian Ronan (nominee)
- Outer Critics Circle Award 2006
- Outstanding Choreography -- Kathleen Marshall (winner)
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical (nominee)
- Outstanding Direction of a Musical -- Kathleen Marshall (nominee)
- Outstanding Costume Design -- Martin Pakledinaz (nominee)
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical -- Harry Connick, Jr. (nominee)
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical -- Kelli O'Hara (nominee)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical -- Peter Benson (nominee)
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical -- Megan Lawrence (nominee)
[edit] Recordings
- The original 1954 cast recording is available on Sony Records.
- The cast recording for the 2006 revival is a two-disc set: The first disc contains the Broadway cast recording from The Pajama Game; and as a suggestion from the Sony record company, there is a second disc, which contains new recordings of songs from Harry Connick, Jr.'s compositions for the 2001 musical Thou Shalt Not, performed by Harry Connick Jr. and Kelli O'Hara. The double album is produced by Tracey Freeman and Harry Connick, Jr.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- The Pajama Game at the Internet Broadway Database
- The Pajama Game (2006) at broadway.com
- The Pajama Game (2006) Reviews
- Video feature: Opening Night: The Pajama Game (2006)
- The Pajama Game (1957) at the Internet Movie Database
- Show history at Music Theatre International
- The Pajama Game (1954)
- Review of recording
| Awards | ||
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| Preceded by La Cage aux Folles |
Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical 2006 |
Succeeded by Company |
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