“PAJAMA GAME” PRODUCTION

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28532, 11 March 1958, Page 7

“PAJAMA GAME” PRODUCTION

Season In City Soon

Four aircraft will be used to carry the cast and scenery of “The Pajama Game” from Wellington to Christchurch on March 27.

j “As the show opens that evenI ing. it will still maintain its record of not having missed one , night’s performance during its ; three months and a half tour of I New Zealand.” said Miss M Peopler. advance manager of “The " Pajama Game” for J. C. William- . son Theatres, Ltd. I Although the production is of , American origin, all members of . the cast are Australians. There . is onlv one American travelling with the show. Mr F. Hebert, the . producer, who was director of the ■ American version for two years , and a half. The ballet mistress. Miss Bettv Pounder, who has been with the firm for 17 years, was sent to the United States to study the ballet in the Broadway production. Miss Pounder, who has been connected in various ways with ballet since she was aged six has been to New Zealand several times. Youngest Member Heaviest The youngest member of the cast is Miss Dorothy Francis who is only 17 and 16 stone. A stenographer in Melbourne, Miss Francis made her first appearance 1 on the stage in “The Pajama ' Game” after successfully applying for the role of the Fat Girl Employees of a pyjama factory 1 are campaigning for a 7.’, per cent 1 rise an hour. The head of the I grievance committee falls in love ! with the new superintendent and > finally wins him around to her wav of thinking. t The superintendent checks the 1 company’s books and finds that • the manager, who has been against the rise, has been’ em- , bezzling the company’s funds. After this is disclosed, everything ( works out as hoped. Instead of importing overseas stars. J C Williamson Theatres decided that there were plenty ' available in Australia. Nearly all ' the stars have appeared in New Zealand before. Tikky Taylor, who plays the ’ role of the confidential secretary to the manager, was noticed, and ! given an audition by the producer • while she was playing in “Can- ! Can’’ in Dunedin. Not only have the women changed the styles and colours of their hair, but the men have too. William Newman, the male ! lead, has • had a crew cut ; especially for the role and Tikky . Taylor has been transformed [ from a blonde to a redhead.