BACKGROUND OF RICHARD ADLER, JERRY ROSS & THE PAJAMA GAME

MUSICAL
Music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross.

STAGE PRODUCTIONS
Originally produced by Frederick Brisson, Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince at the St. James Theatre, New York City, on May 13, 1954.

SYNOPSIS OF THE PAJAMA GAME

Synopsis
Act I
Hines, a Time Study man at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, opens the show with the title song, "The Pajama Game". Prez, president of the union, talks about the possibility of a strike if the workers don't get a 7 1/2 cent raise. Hasler, the head of the company, states that the 7 1/2 cent raise is unnecessary as Hines orders the workers to hurry the speed of the production line. They sing "Racing with the Clock". Sid Sorokin, is the new superintendent for the factory and after an altercation with a worker sings "A New Town Is A Blue Town". Babe, head of the Grievance Committee questions Sid about the incident as Sid attempts to flirts with her. Babe is teased about Sid's advances and she claims that he is really not her type with the song "I'm Not at All in Love". Hines, who is in love with Gladys (Hasler's secretary), accuses Gladys of flirting with Sid. When Gladys stomps out of the room, Hines promises he won't be jealous again with the song "I'll Never Be Jealous Again". Sid asks Babe out on a date, but Babe refuses him because he represents management and she represents labor. Sid is disappointed at Babe's refusal and sings about his feelings for her with the song "Hey There". Prez flirts with Gladys, explaining that his wife doesn't understand him and sings "Her Is". At the company picnic, the workers sing the company song "Sleep-Tite". Sid manages to get Babe to agree to take a walk together. The picnickers sing "Once-A-Year-Day". Sid visits Babe and her father, Pop, at their house. When Pop leaves for his job with the railroad Sid accuses Babe of using small talk to avoid showing her feelings and they sing "Small Talk", ending with a kiss. The next day Babe and Sid reinforce their feelings as they sing "There Once Was A Man". Hasler refuses to give the 7 1/2 cent raise so Prez calls a production slowdown with a reprise of "Racing with the Clock". Tempers flare and Babe causes a breakdown in the entire production line. Sid is forced to fire her. He is heartbroken and sings a reprise of "Hey There".

Act II
Prez makes a speech to the union workers and the meeting ends with the evening's song-and-dance entertainment "Steam Heat". Pop invites Sid to come to the house and talk to Babe. She refuses to continue to see Sid because she feels strongly about the union raise that he, as management, must oppose. She goes to her room and is confused about what to do singing the reprise of "Hey There". Hines is quite upset by the slowdown and sings "Think Of The Time I Save". Sid becomes suspicious of the company ledger and flirts with Gladys until she agrees to let him have the key to the book. She suggest that they meet at a secret club "Hernando's Hideaway". Gladys tries to entice Sid to the dance floor by loaning him the ledger book key for the evening, and a ballet scene ensues. After reading the ledger, Sid threatens to go to the Board of Directors' meeting to tell them Hasler has been falsifying the ledger book: Hasler has already added the cost of the raise to the production costs, but hasn't given it to the workers. This along with the many orders that have been lost because of the slowdown put Hasler in a tight spot. At the union rally, Prez and Babe sing about how much the raise will mean over time "7 1/2 And A Half Cents". Sid announces that Hasler will give in to the 7 1/2 cent raise. Babe and Sid express their love each other in the reprise of "There Once Was a Man". The show ends with a party at Hernando's Hideaway as they introduce the Sleep-Tite Pajama Parade, which includes Mabel, Mae and Prez modeling pajamas. The entire ensemble sings a reprise of "The Pajama Game".

A full synopsis of The Pajama Game can be found at the MTI web site - http://www.mtishows.com/show_detail.asp?showid=000057

Role	Voice Type (Range)	Dance	Age Range
Catherine "Babe" Williams - Feisty head of the union grievance committee	Mezzo / Belt	Yes	25-35
Sid Sorokin - Handsome factory superintendent and new in town	Batitone / Tenor	Yes	30-40
Gladys Hotchkiss - Quick-witted secretary to the company president		Yes	25-35
Vernon Hines - Funny time-study man, in love with Gladys and very jealous		Some	35-50
Prez - Union president who is married and chases other women		Some	35-50
Mabel - Secretary to Sid		Some	45-65
Myron "Old Man" Hasler - Company president		Some	45-65
Pop - Babe's agreeable father		Some	45-65
Mae - A loud-mouthed member of the Grievance Committee		Some	20-65
Brenda - A member of the Grievance Committee		Some	20-65
Charlie - A worker in the factory and the handyman		Some	20-65
Eddie		Some	20-65
Joe - a factory worker and Prez's right-hand man		Some	20-65
First Helper - An unhappy factory helper who Sid hits		Some	20-65
Second Helper - An unhappy factory helper		Some	20-65
Poopsie - a factory girl who fights with the union		Some	20-65
Max - A salesman		Some	20-55
Virginia - A factory girl who fights with the union		Some	25-55
Adult Chorus		Some	16-65
Dancers		Yes	16-65

ORCHESTRA INSTRUMENTATION

Full Orchestration

THE PAJAMA GAME SCENES

SETTING: This musical takes place in a small town in the Middle West.

LIST OF MUSICAL NUMBERS