The Pajama Game – Arena Stage, at the Mead Center for American Theater, Washington DC

Tim Rogan and Britney Coleman in The Pajama Game at Arena Stage, at the Mead Center for American Theater, Washington DC. Picture: Margot Schulman

The Pajama Game continues at Arena Stage, at the Mead Center for American Theater, Washington DC until 24 December 2017.

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Arena Stage, at the Mead Center for American Theater, is a vibrant venue situated on the waterfront in Washington DC. Its artistic director, Molly Smith, has chosen to produce The Pajama Game for the Christmas season, a too rarely done musical written in 1954 with a great score and terrific dance numbers, but with a book that also conveys a level of sexism we would be surprised to see in today’s society.

Whereas a 1950s audience only saw a romantic story, today’s audiences will see the inherent and obvious sexism in  the relationships of the characters on stage.

To quote Smith: “the brilliance of American musical theatre is its ability to underscore ideas that echo through the decades and reminds us where we come from and points to where society is going.”

The original production made a star of chorus dancer Shirley MacLaine who understudied actress Carol Haney (as Gladys Hotchkiss) and was spotted by Hollywood producer Hal Wallis the first time she went on.

In that same role Broadway veteran Nancy Anderson stops the show with both her big numbers, ‘Steam Heat’ and ‘Hernando’s Hideaway’ – with thanks to the talent of choreographer Parker Esse who manages to pay tribute to the style and genius of Fosse without ever copying him.

In the leading role of Babe, immortalised on the big screen by Doris Day, Britney Coleman gives a contemporary edge to the character in her singing and acting, blowing the audience away with her rendition of ‘I’m Not At All in Love’ and her duet to ‘There Once Was a Man’ with DC-born heartthrob Tim Rogan (in the role of Sid Sorokin). The latter delivers the classic ballad ‘Hey There’ in spectacular style.

Eddie Korbich is also perfectly cast as Hines, and the supporting cast of singers and dancers is equally top notch.

But the icing on the cake of this fresh production is Broadway legend Donna McKechnie, who receives a loud round of applause when she first appears on stage as Mabel, Sid’s secretary and mother figure of the factory workers. Her lovely soft-shoe with Hines to ‘I’ll Never Be Jealous Again’, impeccably choreographed by Esse, brings the house down.

Director Alan Paul, along with Esse, manages to successfully update this period piece without destroying its spirit, also staging it in the round so no audience member is frustrated!

The colourful costumes by Alejo Vietti and imaginative set design by James Noone also contribute to freshen up this classic show, as do the new orchestrations of the glorious Jerry Ross and Richard Adler score by James Cunningham and Michael Dansicker (for the dance music).

Patrick Honoré