(Posted July 14, 2016)
The Madison County Arts Council will present its summer musical, “The Pajama Game,” at 7:30 p.m. July 22-23 and 2:30 p.m. July 24 at the Joyce Hildebrand Auditorium at London High School.
Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $10 for students and will be available at the door.
The 25-member cast includes people from a broad geographic area, including London, Springfield, Columbus, Xenia, West Jefferson, Plain City, South Vienna, Jamestown, Galloway and South Charleston.
Matthew Tlachac is the romantic male lead, Sid Sorokin. Tlachac is a favorite among Arts Council audiences and the community at large. He has appeared in several Arts Council productions and performed in London’s popular barbershop quartet, The Music Men of London.
Krissy Hartman portrays Sorokin’s romantic counterpart, Babe Williams, marking her first mainstage appearance with the Arts Council. Hartman has appeared in several lead roles with the Springfield Arts Council, most recently as Sandy in “Grease.”
“The Pajama Game” received the Tony Award for Best Music in 1955. The 1957 film adaptation featured Doris Day and John Raitt. The score, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, brims with songs and dances that have become musical theater standards, including “Hey There, You With the Stars in Your Eyes,” “Steam Heat” and “Hernando’s Hideaway.”
The story takes place in 1955 at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory where conditions are anything by peaceful as sparks fly between Sid, the factory’s new superintendent, and Babe, leader of the union grievance committee. Their stormy relationship comes to a head when the workers strike for a 7.5-cent pay increase, setting off not only a conflict between management and labor, but a battle of the sexes, as well.
Other principal cast members include both familiar Arts Council performers and newcomers. Paul Oswalt, a stage veteran who most recently played the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz,” takes the comic role of Vernon Hines. His baritone voice has been heard in the Music Men of London.
Madison Wells makes her first appearance with the Arts Council in th role of Gladys. She’ll lend her mellow mezzo-soprano voice to two of the show’s most well known numbers, “Steam Heat” and “Hernando’s Hideaway.”
Nathan Haley, another audience favorite, brings a wonderful comic personality to the role of Prez. The busy-body role of Mabel is filled by Ciera Bierbaugh. Her alto voice and comic timing bring genuine humor to the role. Another newcomer to the Arts Council is Curt Minor of South Charleston, who has great comedic timing as Myron Hasler.
In secondary roles, Madeline Moore, Linda Miner and Kevin Brown are making their first appearances with the Arts Council. Jeannie Porter, Brynne Mayne, Zach Gerhardt, Julie Akers, Aaron Gates and Bruce Thompson have become company favorites. Ensemble members of the cast are Abby Arnold, Olivia Dillon, Jessica Fair, Kylie Fisher, Chelsea Gorman, Ashley Hay, Lindsey Lightner, Bailee Mayne and Ruth Peart.
