"The Pajama Game"

June 12, 2019 — There are many songs that are so familiar to most everyone that we recognize them immediately, but have no idea of their origin. How about "Hey There"? Have you heard "There Once Was a Man"? "Steam Heat"? "Hernando's Hideaway"? Most of us can hear them in our heads and even remember many of the lyrics upon hearing the titles. But do you know where they came from? Well, the aforementioned songs were all introduced in The Pajama Game, a musical play that premiered in 1954. It has had many revivals, won two Tony Awards over the years and was made into a movie in 1957.

The play is now in performance at the New London Barn Playhouse in New London, New Hampshire. With book by George Abbott and Richard Bissell and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, this presentation was directed for the Barn by Chad Larabee. Brad Carlson designed the realistic set, a reproduction of a mid-20th Century factory with brick walls and high windows. Emily Kimball did the costume design and Shane Parus was music director.

Heading a large cast were Carly Valancy as union rep Babe Williams and Chris Cherin as factory superintendent Sid Sorokin. Tom Ford played the dual roles of union head Mr. Hasler and Babe's dad, masterfully handling the parts of two characters with dramatically different personalities. With the union in tough negotiations with management of the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory, things get even more complicated when union rep Babe and superintendent Sid, on opposite sides of the dispute, fall in love with one another.

Frankly, some of the singing was a bit flat and the orchestra at times sounded like a recording played off-speed. But the dance numbers were excellent, thanks to Natalie Wisdom's choreography and the fine talent and energy of Caroline Attayek as Gladys and the rest of the dance ensemble.

The New London Barn is just that, a barn. The ancient floor is worn and uneven, but the seating is comfortable. A cow bell is rung to alert patrons the show is about to start, and again when intermission is over. The acoustics of the old building are not the best, but it can be forgiven for that. It's an intimate theater experience and I always look forward to its shows. Its overall record for fine entertainment in a rustic setting in the years I've been attending has been excellent.