The Pajama Game

 Let me say up front that I think this production is in many ways better than the recent Broadway revival. Sure there is no bare-chested Harry Connick JR. but we get bare-chested Paul Dean, a newcomer to Southern Cal and a welcome one. Dean even sounded like Connick on occasion and shares the same kind of smoky voice.

     Every bit his match was the incomparable Darcie Roberts who I knew when she was a mere chorine back in Wichita. Since then she has become a bonafide Broadway star having just returned from CURTAINS and before that she was the lead in the first national tour of THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. It was great seeing her again. Not only is she a great talent but what a pair of legs!

     If THE PAJAMA GAME were only peopled with Dean and Roberts it would be good. What makes it superb is the rest of the cast. Nick Degruccio returns to the stage as a performer and charms the audience with his performance. He, of course, has been directing up a storm around town (LA CAGE, FOLLIES, and a great GUYS AND DOLLS). It was great to see him up on the boards again and having a ball.

     Terra C Macleod is a hell of a dancer and singer. Together with two great dancers they beautifully recreate Bob Fosse’s choreography for Steam Heat. She is a riot with her sprawling body in the Hernando’s Hideaway scene. Speaking of hilarious Robert Pieranunzi is a sitcom waiting to happen. Both are very funny.

     The production is very well directed by Steven Glaudini. My theatre companion exclaimed afterwards “now there’s a guy who knows how to direct a musical.” My friend should know because he writes musicals for a living.  The script is the new revised script used in the recent production in New York and is slightly tweaked version of the original, which even adds a song (Think of the time I save) and provides several fresh laughs. Recommended.

MUSICAL THEATRE WEST CARPENTER CENTER Long Beach CA 562 856 1999