The Pajama Game
Staging a musical on a social conflict ? With female workers ready to fight to defend their best interests ? It can be done and we did it !
The Pajama Game takes place in a pajama factory. Forced to work at a hellish pace, the women workers ask for a pay rise and naturally the management refuses. However Babe, one of the workers’ leaders is very fond of the newly appointed superintendent who also has a crush on her. This impossible love story starts to interfere with the strike.
Written in 1954 during the McCarthysm era, this work/musical won three Tony Awards and was quickly adapted for the cinema by Stanley Donen, starring Doris Day. The young composers, Jerry Ross and Richard Adler, didn’t hesitate to combine two elements traditionally opposed in Broadway : comedy and melody, but also a taboo subject (class conflict, strike, industrial unrest) with a touch of « romance ». As a result the production targets of the company are set to music, the class interactions are choreographed and the personal ambitions are performed in the great jazzy style of the 50’s.
Jean Lacornerie picked this musical to portray a group of young women ready, even then to overthrow the social hierarchy and male domination. All of this in catching good spirits !
cast / production
By George Abbott et Richard Bissell based on the novel 71/2 Cents by Richard Bissell | music et songs Richard Adler et Jerry Ross | musical direction, arrangements and percussions Gérard Lecointe | stage direction Jean Lacornerie and Raphaël Cottin | starring Dalia Constantin, Marianne Devos, Marie Glorieux, Vincent Heden, Pierre Lecomte, Mathilde Lemonnier, Alexis Mériaux, Amélie Munier, Zacharie Saal, Cloé Horry, Sébastien Jaudon piano and Daniel Romero double basse | scenography Marc Lainé and Stephan Zimmerli | lighting design David Debrinay | costume design Marion Benagès
production: Opéra de Lyon, Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse – Lyon, Théâtre de La Renaissance – Oullins Lyon-Métropole, Angers Nantes Opéra | The Pajama Game is presented in agreement with Music Theatre International (Europe) (www.mtishows.eu) and the Agence Drama – Paris (www.dramaparis.com)
resources
The Pajama Game
sneak preview in radio show 42ème rue !
  2h