Overview
Synopsis
Romance is blossoming at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Handsome new Superintendent Sid Sorokin falls hard for feisty Union rep “Babe” Williams, and, despite her dismissal of all things love-related, it seems she’s falling right back. That is, until Sleep-Tite employees are refused a seven-and-a-half cent raise, and the pair find themselves on either side of the union protest that results. Based on Richard Bissel’s novel, 7 ½ cents, Adler and Ross’ Pajama Game portrays the ups and downs of romance, with the added heat of politics making the temperature extra hot. Babe and Sid must figure out how to love when the principles they value most are tearing them apart. First staged in 1954, The Pajama Game won three Tony awards, including best musical, and won another Tony for Best Revival in 2006, a testament to the fact that love, music, and politics are as hot as they ever were. The Pajama Game features hit songs including “Hey There,” “Hernando’s Hideaway” and “Steam Heat” which have also become pop standards that climbed as high as number one in the US charts.
Show Information
Context
The Pajama Game is a classic American musical with music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, and a book by George Abbott and Richard Bissell. It's based on Bissell’s 1953 novel 7½ Cents, which draws from his real-life experiences working in a garment factory. The musical marked the second Broadway outing of the songwriting duo Adler and Ross and was developed under the guidance of veteran director George Abbott, alongside a then up-and-coming choreographer making his first Broadway
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Act One
The curtain rises on the bustling Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Hines, the factory’s excitable Time Study man, welcomes us into the world of the show ("The Pajama Game"). We’re introduced to a lively shop floor lined with sewing machines and buzzing with energy. Hines keeps the seamstresses moving at top speed, while Prez, the flirtatious Union President, drops in to charm some of the female workers. Tensions rise as factory worker Joe asks about the union's
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Showing 8 of 14 characters
Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in The Pajama Game.
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Songs
Act One
- The Pajama Game Opening – Hines
- Racing With the Clock – Factory Workers
- A New Town Is a Blue Town – Sid
- I'm Not At All in Love – Babe and Factory Girls
- I'll Never Be Jealous Again – Mabel and Hines
- Hey There – Sid
- Racing With the Clock (Reprise) – Factory Workers
- Sleep-Tite – Company
- Her Is – Prez and Gladys
- Once a Year Day – Sid, Babe, and Company
- Her Is (Reprise) – Prez and Mae
- Small Talk – Sid and Babe
- There Once Was a Man – Sid and Babe
- Hey There (Reprise) – Sid
Act Two
- Steam Heat – Gladys (Mae in 2006) and the Box Boys
- The World Around Us (added to 2006 production) – Sid
- Hey There (Reprise) – Babe
- If You Win, You Lose (added to 2006 production) – Sid and Babe
- Think of the Time I Save – Hines and Factory Girls
- Hernando's Hideaway – Gladys and Company
- The Three of Us (Me, Myself and I) (added to 2006 production) – Hines and Gladys
- 7½ Cents – Prez, Babe and Factory Workers
- There Once Was a Man (Reprise) – Sid and Babe
- The Pajama Game Finale – Full Company
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Key Terms
A ballad is a song style that tells a story through simple, lyrical verses and a steady rhythm. In theatre, ballads are often slow and emotional, allowing characters to reveal deep feelings or reflect on personal journeys. They can be used to highlight romance, longing, or moments of dramatic intensity.
The art of designing and arranging movement sequences for theatrical dance and physical storytelling.
A period of artistic flourishing, often referring to 1940s-60s Broadway or English Renaissance theatre. This term plays a vital role in understanding theatrical structure and is commonly encountered in stagecraft or performance settings.
The “Golden Age Musical” refers to Broadway shows written roughly between the 1940s and 1960s, a period known for integrating songs, story, and character development. These musicals often balanced romance, comedy, and social themes with memorable melodies and large ensembles. Classics from this era continue to shape the foundation of modern musical theatre.
