Kerry Schoonaert
Staff Writer
On April 21, the Department of Theatre Arts will close its 2015-2016 season with the classic musical “The Pajama Game,” written by George Abbott and Richard Bissell.
The musical is based on Richard Bissell’s novel “7 1/2 Cents.” The original Broadway production of “The Pajama Game” opened May 13, 1954 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical.
The performance will feature songs like “Hey There,” “Steam Heat,” and “Hernando’s Hideaway,” written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross.
The musical’s storyline follows the labor troubles in a pajama factor that ensue after workers demand a raise.
At the same time, Katherine “Babe” Williams, the head of the Union Grievance Committee, and Sid Sorokin, the new factory superintendent, are at odds over work conditions while they spark a romantic relationship.
Students, faculty, staff and community members auditioned for the show on Feb. 7-8.
Freshman theatre major Sierra Sorrell will play “Babe” Williams and senior theatre major Mark Branson will perform as Sid Sorokin.
The Department of Theatre Arts puts on four productions every school year. They intentionally schedule at least one classical production and musical production each season. The other two plays can fall somewhere under modern or classic.
Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts Scott Richard Klein said the department only puts on one musical a year because of the cost to produce and perform one.
“To put on a musical can cost anywhere from twenty five hundred to three thousand dollars,” Klein said.
The department uses a lectureship endowment established by Richard T. Brittingham in 2003 to produce the shows for their season.
The cast receives their scripts the first day of rehearsals, which start Feb. 22 and continue up to the day of the first performance.
Sorrell has been in three other productions at Cameron and said she is excited to be a part of her first musical.
“I’m excited to get to sing and dance on stage,” said Sorrell, “which is something that I have never done in a show, and I’m excited to work with a bunch of new people I haven’t worked with yet.”
All students can get in to see the show for free with their Cameron ID.
“The Pajama Game” debuts April 21-24. Show times will be 7:30 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. The performance will be held in the University Theatre.
Tickets can be purchased by contacting the Cameron University Box Office at 581-2478.