Home >  A & E

McKeesport High School, April 2-5

Thursday, May 22, 2003

By Victoria (Tori) Burgman, Winchester Thurston School

"Fireworks!" was my immediate reaction to McKeesport's "The Pajama Game," Energy was reverberating from every wall in the auditorium. Even the audience was a mass of nervous anticipation. As a pleasant usher showed me to my seat I looked around in awe of the enthusiastic and professional aspects of it all. Suddenly the lights dimmed and the audience was transported to a pajama factory - a colorful stage with tables set up like sewing machines. Sitting at these tables were members of the chorus wearing cute dresses reminiscent of the 1940's and sewing forcefully at the command of a company supervisor.

The comical plot unfolds, revealing a new superintendent (Sid) for whom the factory girls swoon but who is interested in only two things, his new job and the leader of the Union Grievance Committee (Babe). The two meet in a conflict with an employee and eventually are swept away on an emotional roller coaster following the Union's plea for a seven and a half cent raise.

Sparks flew on stage between the lively Babe (Carrie Zosack) and suave Sid (Ryan Ogrodny). There was visible chemistry as they sang of their love. I found this to be one of the best things about the show, since this connection enhanced their character relationship and enticed the audience to sympathize with the characters when things were going well between them. But when Sid and Babe clashed, there was no doubt the audience squirmed in their seats, praying that they would somehow overcome their differences.

Not only did the leads create energy onstage, the enthusiastic cast danced, sang and acted throughout the long night as if they never tired. One could see just how much effort they had dedicated to this musical in the way they smiled with a confident attitude. Even the miscues here and there were softened by their ability to brighten the stage, finally able to show off months of hard work.

From the pit, the audience could feel the uplifting tunes float through the air bringing an excitement that made us sit up and want to pay attention. However, the tuning in some sections of the orchestra distracted from the overall performance. I found the score of "The Pajama Game" to be sweet and rather satisfying. The orchestra and singers really did their part, performing each number with such gusto that the songs (especially "Her Is" and "There Once Was a Man") were stuck in my head for three straight weeks.

Not only was I entertained by McKeesport's "The Pajama Game," but I was impressed by the professional attitude the performance took. The cast, crew, and orchestra really put effort into making the entirety of the show enjoyable. The cast acted and sang with spirit and confidence while the crew was busy fixing sound levels. The orchestra stuck to their scores, playing their best to help the audience feel what was happening. If McKeesport's goal was to make an electrifying impression, they certainly achieved it.