Work life gets a little tense when the workers at Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory demand a raise of 7 ½ cents in this musical set in 1954! Especially when things between the new superintendent and the head of the union grievance committee get steamy. The award winning musical had everything from love interests, real life work situations, comedy, and lots of “symbolism” as the comedic character and narrator, Hines, says throughout. From the enthusiastic dance moves during the “Once-A-Year Day” number, to the deep and sultry sounds of Curtis Bannisters voice in “Hey There,” this musical truly had me on the edge of my seat.
The love connection between Babe, the head of the union grievance committee, and Sid the superintendent was definitely the star of the show and it had me giddy as I watched it bloom throughout the musical. Sid is such a smooth talker that you can guarantee he will win over Babe’s once broken heart by the end, no matter what work issues get between them. Their love connection isn’t the only one though! There are a few other forbidden love stories happening throughout with their own troubles and triumphs.
It is difficult to choose my favorite scene in this production as there were so many amazing dance numbers and songs that had me smiling from ear-to-ear. One of the scenes I loved was “Once-A-Year Day.” This performance was so energetic and fun to watch it will have you wishing you were on stage with the cast dancing around acting a fool. It makes you sit back and remember that you should also have at least one day a year where you can act like a goofy kid again.
Another fun and interesting scene was the “Steam Heat” number which was somewhat like an intermission performance and played off like it was a visiting act there to entertain you before the rest of the show began. Once introduced by Hines, three of the cast members came out in Charlie Chaplin-like outfits to perform the catchy and award-winning song. The dance moves for this performance were intriguing to watch as some were very challenging to land such as flipping their hats around and sliding around the stage. It was fun hearing other audience members applaud and voice their admiration to the cast in this performance which made everyone else more comfortable in doing so.
All-in-all I really enjoyed this production and would even go see it again! I am huge fan of romantic comedies and of course drama, so this had everything I loved wrapped into a musical. If you are looking for a night of entertainment, this musical at Theatre at the Center in Munster is a great option. The Pajama Game is on stage until October 13th with multiple show times. Get your tickets here or at the Box Office!
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