For 87 years, Community Players has been showcasing the skills of talented volunteers who devote a good eight weeks of their busy lives to bring quality entertainment to this community.
Now they've brought to the stage for the first time the lively, Tony Award-winning musical, "The Pajama Game," about labor/management dissension at the Sleep-Tite pajama factory, where struggling workers churn out PJs under the watchful eye of efficiency expert Vernon Hines (Hinsey) and the penny-pinching thumb of Old Man Hasler.
When the workers discover they are the lowest earners in their industry, the grievance committee, led by Babe Williams, and the union organizers, led by "Prez" demand a pay increase of 7½ cents per hour.
This creates difficulties for the new factory superintendent, Sid Sorokin, who is determined to keep his job, despite the increasing pressures from his higher ups.
In true musical fashion, Labor (Babe) and Management (Sid) embark on the rocky road to romance, running into obstacles at every turn until finally it seems they reach a dead end.
Director Deb Smith pays tribute to the original production and amps up the double entendre humor for a contemporary audience.
Choreographer Whitney Spencer captures that fun in her production numbers, with special kudos for "Steam Heat," featuring Wendy Clarenson, Ryan Weichmann and Jason Strunk, "Hernando's Hideaway" and "Once-a-Year Day."
Kelsey Burd gives a feisty performance as Babe, nicely blending her character's strength with a hint of insecurity, especially in the love department. Burd is vocally superb and sets a nice pace.
Other notable performances include Sean Stevens, who gives a fine turn as the youthful superintendent, Sid Sorokin; Dave Lemmon as the bumbling Old Man Hasler; and Kevin Wickert as Hines.
Stiller is a freelance writer who reviews plays for The Pantagraph.
Venue: Community Players Theatre, 201 Robinhood Lane, Bloomington
Times and dates: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and Nov. 12-14, 2:30 p.m. Sunday and Nov. 15
Cost: $6 to $15
Box office number: 309-663-2121
Running time: 2 hr. 40 min., including 15-min. intermission