''The Pajama Game'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

based on the 1953 novel '' 7½ Cents'' by Richard Bissell. The book is by

George Abbott George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887 – January 31, 1995) was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer whose career spanned eight decades. Early years Abbott was born in Forestville, New Yo ...

and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by

Richard Adler Richard Adler (August 3, 1921 – June 21, 2012) was an American lyricist, writer, composer and producer of several Broadway shows. Life and career Adler was born in New York City, the son of Elsa Adrienne (née Richard) and Clarence Adler. His ...

and Jerry Ross. and dances were staged by

Bob Fosse Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American actor, choreographer, dancer, and film and stage director. He directed and choreographed musical works on stage and screen, including the stage musicals ''The Pajam ...

in his choreography debut. The story deals with labor troubles and romance in a

pajama Pajamas ( US) or pyjamas (Commonwealth) (), sometimes colloquially shortened to PJs, jammies, jam-jams, or in South Asia night suits, are several related types of clothing worn as nightwear or while lounging or performing remote work from hom ...

factory. The original

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production opened on May 13, 1954, at the St. James Theatre, and ran for 1,063 performances, with a brief stop at the Shubert Theatre at the end of the run. It was revived in 1973, and again in 2006 by The Roundabout Theatre Company. The original production, produced by Frederick Brisson, Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince, won a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

for Best Musical. The 2006 Broadway revival won a

Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical The Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical has been awarded since 1994. Before that time, both plays and musicals were considered together for the Tony Award for Best Revival. The award is given to the best musical play which has already appeared ...

. The musical is a popular choice for community and school group productions. The original West End production opened at the

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the London Coliseum Theatre ...

on October 13, 1955, where it ran for 588 performances.

Characters

*Sid Sorokin, the handsome new factory superintendent who falls in love with Babe, despite their being on opposite sides of the labor dispute central to the plot. *Katherine "Babe" Williams, the leader of the Union Grievance Committee, who falls in love with Sid. *Myron "Old Man" Hasler, the strict head of the pajama factory who keeps a secret. *Gladys Hotchkiss, Hasler's attractive, quick-witted secretary, who dates Hines and is chased by Prez. *Vernon Hines, the factory timekeeper, who thinks Gladys flirts too much and, as a result is always jealous. *Prez, the head of the union and a skirt chaser, despite being a married man. *Mabel, the mother hen of the factory and Sid's secretary. *Mae, a loud-mouthed member of the Grievance Committee, who accepts Prez's advances, much to his surprise. *Pop, Babe's kind and agreeable father. *Max, a salesman. *Charley, a worker in the factory and the handyman. *Joe, a factory worker and Prez's right-hand man. *Brenda, a member of the Grievance Committee. *Virginia, a factory girl and union activist. *Poopsie, a factory girl and union activist. *Gus, an unhappy factory helper who Sid shoves.

Plot

Act I Vernon Hines, the efficiency expert at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory in Cedar Rapids,

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, breaks the fourth wall to introduce the story ("The Pajama Game Opening"). Inside the factory, workers churn out pajamas at a backbreaking pace ("Racing with the Clock"). In the middle of this, Sid Sorokin, has come from out of town to work in the factory as the new superintendent ("A New Town Is a Blue Town"). The

union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

, led by Prez, is seeking a wage raise of seven-and-a-half cents an hour, though the company president, Myron Hasler, refuses to give way. Katherine "Babe" Williams is the leader of the Union Grievance Committee. Sid and Babe are in opposite camps, yet romantic interest is sparked at their first encounter. Despite cajoling from her fellow garment workers, Babe appears to reject Sid ("I'm Not At All in Love"). Meanwhile, Hines is in love with Gladys Hotchkiss, the company president's

secretary A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...

, but is pushing her away with his jealous behavior. After witnessing a fight between the couple, Sid's secretary, Mabel, tries to help Hines break from his jealous ways ("I'll Never Be Jealous Again"). Meanwhile, Sid, rejected again by Babe, is forced to confide his feelings to a

dictaphone Dictaphone was an American company founded by Alexander Graham Bell that produced dictation machines. It is now a division of Nuance Communications, based in Burlington, Massachusetts. Although the name "Dictaphone" is a trademark, it has bec ...

("Hey There"). During the annual company picnic, kicked off with the official ''Sleep-Tite'' Company Anthem ("Sleep-Tite"), Hines demonstrates his knife throwing act while intoxicated, almost striking Babe while attempting to knock an apple off her head. Prez chases after Gladys, who rejects his advances ("Her Is"). Babe warms up to Sid, and they turn the entire picnic into a celebratory dance ("Once a Year Day"). As the picnic-goers head home, Prez turns his attentions to Mae, who responds in the positive far more quickly and aggressively than he'd expected ("Her Is (Reprise)"). At Babe's home, Sid's romantic overtures are deflected by Babe, who makes casual conversation on tangential subjects ("Small Talk"). Eventually the walls come down between the two, who admit their love for one another ("There Once Was a Man"), but their estrangement is reinforced when they return to the factory. A slow-down is staged by the union, strongly supported by Babe ("Racing with the Clock (Reprise)"). Sid, as factory superintendent, demands an "honest day's work" and threatens to fire slackers. Babe, however, is still determined to fight for their cause, and intentionally jams the factory line, causing a breakdown, and Sid reluctantly fires her. As she leaves, he begins to wonder again whether a romance with her is a mistake ("Hey There (Reprise)"). Act II At the Union meeting, after a rallying speech by Prez, Gladys (Mae in the 2006 revival) performs for the rest of the union, with "the boys from the cutting room floor" ("Steam Heat"). After the main meeting, the Grievance Committee meets at Babe's house, to discuss further tactics, such as mismatching sizes of pajamas and sewing the fly-buttons onto the bottoms such that they are likely to come off and leave their wearer pants-less. At the meeting, as Prez and Mae's relationship is waning, Sid arrives and tries to smooth things over with Babe. Despite her feelings for Sid, she pushes him away ("Hey There (Reprise)"). Back at the factory, the girls reassure Hines, who is personally offended by the slow down, that he is doing nothing wrong ("Think of the Time I Save"). Hasler has a meeting in his office with Max, one of the company's traveling salesmen, about an incident that occurred in Peoria,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

. Hines is called in to try on pajama pants, which fall down in front of everybody just as Gladys walks in. Believing that he is fooling around, she angrily dismisses him. Sid, now convinced that Babe's championship of the union is justified, takes Gladys out for the evening to a

night club A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...

, Hernando's Hideaway ("Hernando's Hideaway"), where he wheedles the key to the company's books from her. Hines and Babe each discover the pair and assume they are becoming romantically involved. Babe storms out, and Hines believes his jealous imaginings have come true ("I'll Never Be Jealous Again Ballet"). Using Gladys' key, Sid accesses the firm's books and discovers that Hasler, has already tacked on the extra seven and one-half cents to the production cost, but has kept all the extra profits for himself. Hines, still jealous out of his mind, has broken into Gladys' office, and flings knives past Sid and Gladys, narrowly missing an increasingly paranoid Mr. Hasler. After detaining Hines, Sid then brings about Hasler's consent to a pay raise and rushes to bring the news to the Union Rally, already in progress ("7½ Cents"). This news brings peace to the factory and to his love life, allowing him to reconnect with Babe ("There Once Was a Man (Reprise)"). Everyone goes out to celebrate at Hernando's Hideaway clothed in company brand pajamas ("The Pajama Game Finale").

Musical numbers

; Act I * "The Pajama Game Opening" – Hines * "Racing With the Clock" – Factory Workers * "A New Town Is a Blue Town" – Sid * " I'm Not At All in Love" – Babe and Factory Girls * "I'll Never Be Jealous Again" – Mabel and Hines * "

Hey There "Hey There" is a show tune from the musical play ''The Pajama Game,'' written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. It was published in 1954. It was introduced by John Raitt in the original production. In the show, Sid sings it to a recording dev ...

" – Sid * "Racing With the Clock" (Reprise) – Factory Workers * "Sleep-Tite" – Company * "Her Is" – Prez and Gladys * "Once a Year Day" – Sid, Babe, and Company * "Her Is" (Reprise) – Prez and Mae * "Small Talk" – Sid and Babe * "There Once Was a Man" – Sid and Babe * "

" (Reprise) – Sid ; Act II * "

Steam Heat "Steam Heat" is a show tune from the 1954 in music, 1954 Broadway theatre, Broadway musical theater, musical ''The Pajama Game'', written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross (composer), Jerry Ross. "Steam Heat" was one of four songs which Adler and R ...

" – Gladys (Mae in 2006) and the Box Boys * "The World Around Us" (added to 2006 production) – Sid * "Hey There" (Reprise) – Babe * "If You Win, You Lose" (added to 2006 production) – Sid and Babe * "Think of the Time I Save" – Hines and Factory Girls * "

Hernando's Hideaway "Hernando's Hideaway" is a tango show tune, largely in long metre, from the musical ''The Pajama Game'', written by Jerry Ross and Richard Adler and published in 1954. It was sung in the stage and film versions of the musical by Carol Haney. The s ...

" – Gladys and Company * "The Three of Us (Me, Myself and I)" (added to 2006 production) – Hines and Gladys * "7½ Cents" – Prez, Babe and Factory Workers * "There Once Was a Man" (Reprise) – Sid and Babe * "The Pajama Game Finale" – Full Company

Notes on the music

Two of the songs, "There Once Was a Man" and "A New Town Is a Blue Town", were actually written by

Frank Loesser Frank Henry Loesser (; June 29, 1910 – July 28, 1969) was an American songwriter who wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musicals ''Guys and Dolls'' and ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'', among others. He won a Tony ...

, although they were uncredited.

"Hernando's Hideaway"

For the 2006 revival, Harry Connick Jr. played the piano, when Gladys (

Megan Lawrence Megan Lawrence (born 1972) is an American actress best known for her roles on Broadway. Among other honors, she has been nominated for a Tony Award. She has also appeared Off-Broadway, in regional theatre and on television. Life and career Lawre ...

), Sid, and Company were on stage for "Hernando's Hideaway".

Simonson, Robert Robert Simonson (born September 11, 1964) is an American journalist and author. Personal life Robert Simonson was born in Wisconsin; he has lived in Brooklyn since 1988. Career Robert Simonson began writing about cocktails, spirits and bars for ...

and Jones, Kenneth
"Hey There: 'The Pajama Game' Is Played Once More on Broadway"
playbill.com, February 26, 2006 "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."

New songs for the 2006 revival

="The Three of Us (Me, Myself and I)"

= Words and 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 James Francis Durante ( , ; February 10, 1893 – January 29, 1980) was an American comedian, actor, singer, vaudevillian, and pianist. His distinctive gravelly speech, Lower East Side accent, comic language-butchery, jazz-influenced song ...

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 ''ABC Stage 67'' is the umbrella title for a series of 26 weekly American television shows that included dramas, variety shows, documentaries and original musicals. It premiered on ABC on September 14, 1966, with Murray Schisgal's ''The Love ...

'' series which also produced

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

's ''

Evening Primrose ''Oenothera'' is a genus of about 145 species of herbaceous flowering plants native to the Americas. It is the type genus of the family Onagraceae. Common names include evening primrose, suncups, and sundrops. They are not closely related to ...

''. 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 sings it on the

Command Records Origin and history Command Records was a record label founded by Enoch Light in 1959 and, in October that year, was acquired by ABC-Paramount Records. Light produced a majority of the releases in the label's catalog. The company focused on prod ...

soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' ...

Donald O'Connor Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer and actor. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule. His best ...

Larry Blyden Ivan Lawrence Blieden (June 23, 1925 – June 6, 1975), known as Larry Blyden, was an American actor, stage producer and director, and game show host. He made his Broadway stage debut in 1948 and went on to appear in numerous productions on ...

and

Phyllis Newman Phyllis Newman (March 19, 1933 – September 15, 2019) was an American actress and singer. She won the 1962 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Martha Vail in the musical ''Subways Are for Sleeping'' on Broadway, ...

co-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 reprise of "There Once was a Man". 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 and 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 included in recent productions of the show and was in the 2006 Broadway production.

Production history

Original Broadway

The original Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on May 13, 1954, and closed on November 24, 1956, after 1,063 performances. It was directed by

and

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...

and was the first

show to feature the choreography of

. The production's scenic designer and costume designer was

Lemuel Ayers Lemuel Ayers (January 22, 1915, New York City, New York - August 14, 1955, New York City) was an American costume designer, scenic designer, lighting designer, and producer who had a prolific career on Broadway from 1939 until his death from cance ...

. The original cast included

Eddie Foy Jr. Edwin Fitzgerald Jr. (February 4, 1905 – July 15, 1983), known professionally as Eddie Foy Jr., was an American stage, film, and television actor. Early life Edwin Fitzgerald Jr. was born on February 4, 1905, in New Rochelle, New York, the ...

(Hines),

Stanley Prager Stanley Prager (January 8, 1917 – January 18, 1972) was an American actor and a television and theatre director. Life and career Born in New York City, Prager began his career as the stage manager for the Broadway production ''The Skin of O ...

(Prez), Gordon Woodbrun (Joe),

Ralph Dunn Ralph Dunn (May 23, 1900 – February 19, 1968) was an American film, television, and stage actor. Early years Dunn was born in Titusville, Pennsylvania. His father was a veterinarian for the U.S. Army during World War I, and his mother ...

(Hasler),

Carol Haney Carol Haney (born Carolyn Haney; December 24, 1924 – May 10, 1964) was an American dancer and actress. After assisting Gene Kelly in choreographing films, Haney won a Tony Award for her role in Broadway's ''The Pajama Game'', while later wo ...

(Gladys),

John Raitt John Emmet Raitt (; January 29, 1917 – February 20, 2005) was an American actor and singer best known for his performances in musical theatre. Early years Raitt was born in Santa Ana, California, United States. He got his start in theatre as ...

(Sid Sorokin),

Reta Shaw Reta Shaw (September 13, 1912 – January 8, 1982) was an American character actress known for playing strong, hard-edged, working women in film and on many of the most popular television programs of the 1960s and 1970s in the United Sta ...

(Mabel),

Buzz Miller Vernal "Buzz" Miller (December 23, 1923 – February 23, 1999) was an American dancer who was equally at home on Broadway and in contemporary ballet and modern dance. Early life and Training Vernal Miller, known from boyhood as Buzz, was born ...

(Second Helper),

Janis Paige Janis Paige (born Donna Mae Tjaden; September 16, 1922) is an American retired actress and singer. Born in Tacoma, Washington, she began singing in local amateur shows at the age of five. After high school, she moved to Los Angeles, where she b ...

(Babe Williams),

Rae Allen Rae may refer to: People *Rae (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Rae (surname), including a list of people with the surname Nicknames for * Rachel (given name) * Rachelle *Raquel * Raven (given name) * Reema * Reena ...

(Poopsie) and Jack Waldron (Salesman). This production is also noted for jump-starting the career of

Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty, April 24, 1934) is an American actress, author, and former dancer. Known for her portrayals of quirky, strong-willed and eccentric women, MacLaine has received numerous accolades over her seven-dec ...

. An unknown 20-year-old at the time, she was selected to understudy Carol Haney's role. Starting in late May 1954, MacLaine filled the role while Haney was out of commission with an injured ankle. Director/producer

Hal B. Wallis Harold Brent Wallis (born Aaron Blum Wolowicz; October 19, 1898 – October 5, 1986) was an American film producer. He is best known for producing '' Casablanca'' (1942), '' The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), and ''True Grit'' (1969), along ...

was an audience member at one of MacLaine's performances, and signed her as a contract player for

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. The production received the Tony Award for Best Musical, and Carol Haney's performance and Bob Fosse's choreography were also honored.

Original London

''The Pajama Game'' opened at the

on 13 October 1955 and ran for 588 performances – an undoubted hit.

Edmund Hockridge Edmund James Arthur Hockridge (9 August 1919 – 15 March 2009) was a Canadian baritone and actor who had an active performance career in musicals, operas, concerts, plays and on radio. According to his obituary in ''The Guardian'', his li ...

played Sid Sorokin and

Joy Nichols Joy Eileen Nichols (17 February 1925 – 23 June 1992) was an Australian-British comedian, actress and singer who also worked in the United States. She was best known as one of the stars of ''Take It From Here'' on BBC Radio. Biography Nichols, ...

played Babe Williams. Max Wall, in a rare outing to the musical stage, played Hines,

Elizabeth Seal Elizabeth Anne Seal (born 28 August 1933) is a British actress. In 1961, she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in the title role of ''Irma La Douce''. Career Elizabeth Seal made her professional debut ...

, who later found stardom playing the lead role in ''

Irma La Douce ''Irma la Douce'' (, "Irma the Sweet") is a 1963 American romantic comedy film directed by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond, based on the 1956 French stage musical of the same name by Marguerite Monnot and Alexa ...

'', played Gladys, and Frank Lawless played Prez.

Original Australia and New Zealand

The original Australian production presented by J.C. Williamson commenced at

Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne Her Majesty's Theatre is a 1,700-seat theatre in Melbourne's East End Theatre District, Australia. Built in 1886, it is located at 219 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. It is classified by the National Trust of Australia and is listed on the Victor ...

on February 2, 1957. The cast was led by

Toni Lamond Patricia Lamond Lawman AM (born 29 March 1932), professionally known as Toni Lamond, is an Australian vaudevillian, cabaret performer, singer, actress, dancer, and comedian. She has had a successful career spanning some 80 years, both locally ...

as Babe Williams and William Newman as Sid Sorokin, with Keith Petersen as Hines,

Jill Perryman Jill Perryman AM, MBE (born 30 May 1933) is an Australian former stage and screen actress and singer. Combining both her stage acting and her singing, she featured in numerous musical theatre roles, over eight decades and spanning 70 years of ...

as Mabel, Don Richards as Prez and Tikki Taylor as Gladys. It subsequently toured to Sydney's Empire Theatre, commencing June 12, 1957, followed by

Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane (1888–1983), (also known as ''His Majesty's Theatre'' between 1901–1952) opened as Her Imperial Majesty's Opera House in Brisbane, Australia on 2 April 1888. It was the largest theatre in Brisbane. It was loca ...

from November 12, 1957. The show then made a return engagement to Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, commencing

Boxing Day Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Though it originated as a holiday to give gifts to the poor, today Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It ...

, December 26, 1957. The production continued touring through 1958, first to

His Majesty's Theatre, Perth His Majesty's Theatre is an Edwardian Baroque theatre in Perth, Western Australia. Constructed from 1902 to 1904 during a period of great growth for the town, the theatre is located on the corner of Hay Street and King Street in Perth's cent ...

from May 3, 1958, then to

Theatre Royal, Adelaide The Theatre Royal on Hindley Street, Adelaide was a significant venue in the history of the stage and cinema in South Australia. After a small predecessor of the same name in Franklin Street, Adelaide (built 1838), the Theatre Royal in Hindley S ...

from June 18, 1958. After its Australian season, the tour commenced its New Zealand season on February 10, 1958 at His Majesty's Theatre,

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

, followed by the Grand Opera House, Wellington, from March 12, 1958, where it concluded its run.

Film, 1957

The

film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

was released by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

in 1957 and featured the original stage cast except for Janis Paige, whose role is played by

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

, and

, whose role is played by Jack Straw.

Broadway revival, 1973

A Broadway revival opened on December 9, 1973, at the

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, originally the Globe Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 205 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1910, the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was designed by Carrère and Hasti ...

, but it closed on February 3, 1974, after just 65 performances. It was directed by

, one of the two directors of the original production in 1954, with choreography by Zoya Leporska. The cast included

Hal Linden Hal Linden (born Harold Lipshitz, March 20, 1931) is an American stage and screen actor, television director and musician. Linden began his career as a big band musician and singer in the 1950s. After a stint in the United States Army, he began ...

, Barbara McNair, and

Cab Calloway Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor and dancer. He was associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he was a regular performer and became a popular vocalist ...

as Hines.

West End, 1999

A West End revival arrived at the

Victoria Palace Theatre The Victoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, opposite Victoria Station. The structure is categorised as a Grade II* listed building. History Origins The theatre began life as a small conc ...

in October 1999 having originated at Birmingham Rep and transferred to the Victoria Palace via Toronto. Directed by

Simon Callow Simon Phillip Hugh Callow (born 15 June 1949) is an English film, television and voice actor, director, narrator and writer. He was twice nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his roles in ''A Room with a View (1985 ...

, it briefly starred Ulrika Johnson as Babe (Birmingham Rep), but she left the production when it travelled to Toronto where Babe was played by Camilla Scott, then in London, Leslie Ashe. Sid Sorokin was played by Graham Bickley throughout, earning himself a Dora Award nomination for 'Outstanding Performance by a male in a Principal Role' in Toronto. It also starred John Hegley and Anita Dobson with choreography by David Bintley. It closed on 18 December 1999.

Broadway, 2006

The

Roundabout Theatre Company The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizabet ...

revival, produced by special arrangement with Jeffrey Richards, James Fuld Jr. and Scott Landis, opened on February 23, 2006 and closed on June 17, 2006, after 129 performances (and 41 previews).

Kathleen Marshall Kathleen Marshall (born September 28, 1962) is an American director, choreographer, and creative consultant. Life and career Born in Madison, Wisconsin, she graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1980 and S ...

was choreographer and director, with a cast starring Harry Connick Jr., making his Broadway acting debut as Sid,

Kelli O'Hara Kelli Christine O'Hara (born April 16, 1976) is an American actress and singer, most known for her work on the Broadway and opera stages. A seven-time Tony Award nominee, O'Hara won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her pe ...

as Babe,

Michael McKean Michael John McKean (; born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, composer, singer, and musician known for various roles in film and television such as Lenny Kosnowski in '' Laverne & Shirley'', David St. Hubbins in '' ...

as Hines,

Roz Ryan Roz Ryan (born Rosalyn Bowen; July 7, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and comedian who has worked for productions in film, television, and Broadway theatre for over 40 years. Ryan's first role on Broadway was in '' Ain't Misbehavin, a Fa ...

as Mabel, and

as Gladys. The revival included three added songs by

. The original book by George Abbott and Richard Bissell was revised by

Peter Ackerman Peter Ackerman (November 6, 1946 – April 26, 2022) was an American businessman, the founder and former chairman of Americans Elect, and the founding chair of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. Ackerman was the managing director o ...

. This revival cast made a recording that was included in full on the two-part album '' Harry on Broadway, Act I'' with Connick Jr. and O'Hara recording a second set of selections from the 2001 musical '' Thou Shalt Not''.

Chichester Festival Theatre and West End, 2013/2014

Directed by Richard Eyre, the UK 2013 revival of ''The Pajama Game'' opened on April 22 at Chichester Festival Theatre's Minerva Theatre and the cast included television personality

Gary Wilmot Harold Owen "Gary" Wilmot, MBE (born 8 May 1954) is a British singer, actor, comedian, presenter, writer and director who rose to fame as a contestant on ''New Faces''. As a television presenter, he is best known as the host of '' You and Me'', ...

. The production's sold-out run at Chichester ended on 8 June 2013, and on 1 May 2014 it transferred to the West End's

Shaftesbury Theatre The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden. Opened in 1911 as the New Prince's Theatre, it was the last theatre to be built in Shaftesbury Avenue. History The theatre was d ...

. The West End transfer received positive reviews from a number of national media outlets. The production ran for a limited season at the Shaftesbury Theatre, closing on 13 September 2014.

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

2006 Broadway revival

Recordings

*The 1954 cast recording, originally issued by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

and currently available on

Sony Masterworks Sony Music Masterworks (Sony Masterworks) is a record label, the result of a restructuring of Sony Music's classical music division. Before the acquisition of Bertelsmann's shares in the former Sony BMG, the label was known as Sony BMG Masterwor ...

. *The 1957 film soundtrack recording, originally issued by Columbia Records and currently available on

Collectables Records Collectables is a reissue record label founded in 1980 by Jerry Greene. Jerry Greene formed Lost Nite and Crimson record labels. Soul Survivors gained the hit "Expressway to Your Heart" (1967) while on Crimson Records. History It maintains a ca ...

. *An EP of the Australian cast was recorded during the New Zealand leg of the tour. The track list included "The Pajama Game", "Her Is", "Hey There", "I'll Never Be Jealous Again", and "7 1/2 Cents". *The cast recording for the 2006 revival is a two-disc set: The first disc contains the

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

. The double album is produced by Tracey Freeman and Harry Connick Jr.

References

External links

*
''The Pajama Game'' (2006) at broadway.com''The Pajama Game'' (2006) ReviewsVideo feature: Opening Night: ''The Pajama Game'' (2006)
*
''The Pajama Game''
Music Theatre International website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pajama Game, The 1954 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on novels Musicals by Richard Adler Musicals by Jerry Ross Musicals choreographed by Bob Fosse Plays set in Iowa Tony Award for Best Musical Tony Award-winning musicals