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High school’s romantic comedy musical rife with choreography

If there’s one thing returning thespians agree they’re focused on more for the upcoming musical, it’s dance.

“The dancing is fun, it’s more complicated than last year,” said Kayleigh Greenwood, a junior playing the leading lady, Babe Williams.

Kearney High School will present “The Pajama Game,” a musical about labor grievances and love woes.

“It’s a lot of fun, a light-hearted romantic comedy,” said Wendy Fish, English and communication arts teacher who is co-directing the musical with choir teacher Jason Elam.

For the dancing, there are more stunts such as flipping, lifting people and using the whole set like a railing.

“It was really scary, actually, at first,” Greenwood said. “It’s getting more and more solid the more we go over it.”

Fish said many people may recognize some of the musical numbers the cast will be dancing to such as Bob Fosse’s “Steam Heat.” She said there’s also a variety of dances such as tango, polka and waltz.

“That’s one of the reasons we picked it — the dance numbers,” Fish said.

Many of the dance numbers gets the entire 48 members of the cast involved.

“We have plenty of group (dance) numbers,” said Nick Schworer, a junior who is playing Joe — a factory worker.

The production also hits a little close to home in this economic downturn. The setting is a pajama factory in the 1950s as the nation was coming out of the Great Depression.

“Everyone is getting these (pay) increases — except for our factory,” said Daniel Brooks, a senior playing Hines — the factory timekeeper.

Caleb Hoffman, a junior playing the lead role of Sid Sorokin — the factory’s new superintendent, said the show seems very relevant for today. But beyond that, it’s a good escape, he said.

“It has some really fun parts and I think the music is good,” Hoffman said.

Hoffman’s character runs into trouble as he falls in love with the head of the factory’s grievance committee.

“Eventually he gets the girl,” Hoffman said. “They’re happy for a while.”

Then the couple struggle as the workers are denied pay raises with Sid and Babe caught in the middle of the fight.

"THE PAJAMA GAME"

- When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10; Thursday and Friday, Nov. 12 and 13; and Monday, Nov. 16. There will be a Saturday, Nov. 14, show if the football team loses its Monday, Nov. 9, game.

- Where: Kearney High School

- Cost: $8 in advance for adults, $6 for students; $9 at the door for adults, $7 for students. Tickets are available at the Kearney High School office.

- More information: 628-4585

Kearney Editor Kevin M. Smith can be reached at 628-6010 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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