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Lees McRae Wraps Up Summer Theatre Shows with “The Pajama Game” Aug. 2-7

By Adrienne Fouts

Lees McRae College will wrap up its 2016 Summer Theatre performances with the production of The Pajama Game, a comedic love story running August 2-7.

Made famous by Doris Day in the 1950s, this vintage piece takes us back in time. A union strike at the Sleep Tite pajama factory generates plenty of steam heat in this toe-tapping comedic love story. Conditions at the factory are anything but peaceful, as sparks fly between new superintendent Sid Sorokin and Babe Williams, leader of the union grievance committee. Their stormy relationship comes to a head when the workers strike for a 7½ cent pay increase, setting off not only a conflict between management and labor, but a battle of the sexes as well.  Songs like “Steam Heat,” “Hey There,” and “Hernando’s Hideaway” will remind us of days gone by.

The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game

The Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7½ Cents by George Abbott and Richard Bissell. The music and lyrics were composed by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. Lees-McRae describes the musical: “A union strike at a pajama factory generates plenty of steam heat in this toe-tapping comedic love story.

Lees-McRae Summer Theatre’s mission is to produce quality theatre experiences for the High Country community, as well as working for the betterment of the area and serving students who are training in their craft.

The program recruits professional, community and student performers and educates audiences and practitioners about the value of performing arts. Lees McRae Summer Theatre has a goal of providing a “positive and collaborative relationship between the college and the community.”

The Pajama Game is one of my favorites,” states director Dr. Janet Barton Speer. “It’s fun to direct a show where every musical number memorable, every dance number is exciting and every love interest leads us into hilarious entanglements.”

For more information about Summer Theatre or to purchase your tickets online, please visitlmc.edu/summertheatre or call 828.898.8709. The Summer Theatre Box Office on the Lees-McRae College campus is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. for walk-in patrons, with adjusted hours on show days. Ticket prices are $40–$35 for adults and $18–$20 for children.

The Pajama Game will take place August 2, 4, and 5 at 7 p.m. and August 3-4 and 6-7 at 2 p.m. The Summer Theatre box office on the Lees-McRae College campus is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. On show days, the box office is open at different times. Tickets are $35-$40 for adults and $18-$20 for children. Visit lmc.edu/summertheatre or call 828-898-8709 for more information.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Lees-McRae College is a private, four-year college offering diverse baccalaureate degrees, strong athletic programs and outstanding faculty. With 1,000 students hailing from 31 states and more than 8 countries, Lees-McRae’s broad core curriculum is enhanced by field-specific career preparation and experiential learning. For more information, please visit www.lmc.edu or call 828-898-5241.