(Above: Lynnea Barry and Trevor Eichhorn lead the cast of Pajama Game at The Shedd Institute.)
By Randi Bjornstad
The original production of Pajama Game won the 1955 Tony Award for Best Musical, and in 2006, it won another for Best Revival of a Musical. Not too bad, and certainly proof of its enduring appeal.
Like many musicals, the plot line is pretty simple — man meets woman, things don’t go well, but in the end they work out — and the title comes from the fact that this musical takes place largely in the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory.
The main characters, Sid Sorokin and Babe Williams, feel an instant attraction after Sorokin becomes the factory’s new boss, but sparks soon fly in the wrong direction because he’s management, she’s a leader in the union, and the factory doesn’t want to give the workers a 7.5-cent pay increase, so the workers go on strike. That turns the plot into not only a boy-girl issue but a management-union one.
That number is germane to the story because it was the title of the novel — 7 1/2 Cents — written in 1953 by Richard Bissell and very quickly turned into a musical. Bissell collaborated with George Abbott on the story (known in musical theater circles as the “book”) for Pajama Game, and the music and lyrics were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross.
It is, after all, a musical comedy, so you know you don’t have to worry — the ending will be a happy one. The show also features some enduring songs among its dozen-plus musical numbers, including Hernando’s Hideaway and Steam Heat.
The Shedd’s production features Trevor Eichhorn as Sid and Lynnea Barry as Babe. The rest of the cast includes Vanessa Greenway, Alex Mauney, Thomas Guastavino, Brandon B. Weaver, Alicia Green, Heidi Turnquist, and Claude Offenbacher.
Members of the ensemble are Jordan Andreasen, Eliana Arpaia, Hanna Foshay, Lucy Geller, Gabrielle Morse, Clarae Smith, Shae Brodsky, Broder Foshay, Riley Given, Grigorii Malakhov, Matthew Michaels, and Nehemiah Nance.
Ron Daum directs, with Robert Ashens as music director and conductor and Keri Davis as rehearsal accompanist, with choreography by Laura Hiszczynzkyi. Anna Björsdotter designed costumes, and Jim Ralph and Connie Huston did scenic design, with scene painting by Huston.
The production team also includes Alex Steele as stage manager and lighting designer, Kierstin Kimbell as props manager and sound technician, Jan Easton as house manager and master carpenter, Alex Lopez as production manager. Executive producer is Jim Ralph.
Musicians include Keri Davis on piano; Daniel Cathey, Matt Taylor, Christina Boorman, and Bob Ragan on reeds; trumpeters Cody Simmons and John Davison; trombonist Richard Lewis; Sean Peterson on bass; and Theo Halpert on percussion.
Pajama Game at The Shedd
When: 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 9-10 and 16-17; 3 p.m. matinees on Sept. 11 and 18
Where: Jaqua Concert Hall, The Shedd Institute, 868 High St., Eugene
Tickets: $29 to $39 (discounts available for students, packages, and groups), available at The Shedd ticket office, by telephone at 541-434-7000, or online at theshedd.org/
Shedd Dinners at Six: Available at 6 p.m. on show days in the Warren Court at The Shedd by reservation only at 5441-434-6000; preset menu is $25.75 for adults and $19.75 for chldren ages 9 years and younger; price includes entree and accompaniments, coffee and tea; extra charge for wine, beer, and soft drinks.
