Theater Review
There are a number of Broadway musicals whose memorable opening scenes have added pages to musical theater lore; scenes that transform the darkened space surrounding the audience immediately, magically to the reality behind the proscenium. Recall the opening sequence of ‘The Lion King,’ when the animals serpentine their way right through the audience on their journey to Pride Rock. Or in ‘Cats,’ where the audience meets the feline stars prowling through the magnificent junkyard as the curtain opens. The opening scene of Palisades High School’s production of ‘The Pajama Game’ envelops the audience in the marvel of theater as the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory set assembles itself as if with a rub of a magic lantern. Factory machines, stitchers, sewers, office workers and shop stewards set up one of the happiest and richly comical Broadway musicals right before our eyes. A gamble and a homage, this production pays attention to the special significance ‘The Pajama Game’ has in the Palisades, the home of John Raitt, who immortalized the leading role on Broadway and film with his signature baritone songs such as ‘Hey There’ and ‘A New Town Is A Blue Town.’ A gamble certainly worth taking, as the Palisades cast, crew and orchestra make a credible, accomplished and enjoyable evening out of it. The orchestra’s exuberance and confidence in the overture opening night was matched with skill as they mastered the score that traverses American-style from waltz to syncopated rhythm. This year, the orchestra has grown in size and more importantly in breath, which can only help to build a topnotch music program season after season. That the theme, a labor dispute, could provide the fuel for this musical without resulting in a leaden 1930’s social treatise, is a salute to writers George Abbot and Richard Bissel, who worked with lyricists Richard Adler and Jerry Ross to create a richly comical musical packed with hit tunes. ‘The Pajama Game’s’ premiere on Broadway in 1954 was a labor of love, akin to a high school production. The show’s producers had to take on roles of the stage managers to save on the production’s costs and help with their own struggling financial needs. Director Monica Iannesa, choreographer Monique Smith, musical director Terry Henderson and vocal director Dwight Stone provide the skeleton of the PaliHi production, but the flesh belongs to the student actors, who fill the stage with three-dimensional men and women. The romantic leads, played so aptly by Eric Rosenstein (Sid Stroking) and Gilli Messer (Babe Williams) deliver memorable tunes into the night. Messer, a modern-mezzo leading lady, never fails when singing ‘I’m Not At All In Love,’ or when she joins forces with Rosenstein in ‘Small Talk’ and ‘There Once Was A Man.’ For the first time, I realized how rich the smaller parts are, as portrayed with all they’ve got by Taylor Fisher (Gladys) and Adam McCrory (Hines). Fisher, who has really come into her own as a singer and dancer, not only mastered the black tights and bowler of ‘Steam Heat’ (choreographed by a very young Bob Fosse), but the sexy, seductive vamp in ‘Hernando’ Hideaway.’ In the comedy role of Hines, McCrory lights up the stage, whether with his slapstick pratfalls or when delivering the unforgettable ‘Think Of The Time I Save’ and ‘I Would Trust Her (I’ll Never Be Jealous Again’). Also, the roles of Prez (Jeremy Ungar), Mable (Tia Lebherz) and Hasler (Jake Weingarten) show off these actors’ broad comedic range. This production, this cast, this orchestra have surpassed the high school norm and extends an invitation to the community at large. My only regret is that the acoustics and audience comfort in Mercer Hall don’t come close to meeting the challenge. We need a new theater on the level of that at Hamilton High School that could not only match the sophistication of the Palisades High drama department, but also that of the Palisades community at large. In the meantime, ‘The Pajama Game’ continues for one more weekend, June 2, 3 and 4, 7:30 p.m. in Mercer Hall at PaliHi, 15777 Bowdoin. General admission is $10, luxury seating, $20. Tickets are available at the door or by calling 454-0611.
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