In the photo above, Bernard Tomaszewski, who plays Sid Sorokin, sings Hey, There. Photo by Donna MacKenzie
Hey, There, all you residents of Honeoye Falls-Lima Central Schools, don’t be a fool and miss the Honeoye Falls-Lima High School’s production of the classic Broadway musical The Pajama Game this weekend.
Okay, so the first part of the above sentence plays off the opening lyric of perhaps the most famous tune of the musical, Hey, There which is sung by the show’s male lead Sid Sorokin. However, it is true that the show is one not to be missed.
The Pajama Game’s plot revolves around the employees at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Sid Sorokin, the new plant superintendent, falls for Babe Williams, a union activist at the plant. Their romance hits a snag when the workers go on strike for a seven-and-a-half cent raise, but things get sorted out and they wind up together at the end of the show.
Katie Quigley (center) who plays Babe Williams, and female cast members sing I’m Not At All in Love during a rehearsal for HF-L’s The Pajama Game. Photos by Donna MacKenzie
Two veterans of the HF-L stage play the two leads. Bernard Tomaszewski portrays Sid and Katie Quigley plays Babe. Tomaszewski had the lead of Tom Marlowe in Good News two years ago while Quigley was Katie Nanna in Mary Poppins last year.
“This is kind of similar to Good News in that it is a period piece,” said Tomaszewski during a break in a rehearsal a couple of weeks ago. “My character starts off as the new guy in town, but builds as the musical goes along.”
Other members of the cast besides Tomaszewski and Quigley are Lucas Smith as Vernon Hines (Smith was Bert in Mary Poppins a year ago), Bryan Donahue as Prez (he was George Banks in Mary Poppins), Sam Gilbert as Joe, CJ Tomaszewski as Mr. Hasler (the owner of Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory), Raelynn Bovenzi as Gladys Hotchkiss, Riley Goold as Mabel, Catlin Wheelock as Rita, Meebz Adams as Brenda, Sydney Picciotti as Virginia, Christine Halfmann as Mara, Taylor French as Mary, Eric Williamson as Charley, Ben Bernstein as First Helper, Tony Ennis as Second Helper, Mikaela Burke as Mae, Amelia Hedlund as Poopsie, Ryan Stansbury as Max, Abby Hoare as Sandra, Lauren Freeman as Pat, Tigh Regan as Pop, Brooke Erion as Charlene, Zetta Hayes as Carmen, Anastasia Fedele as Ann, Mary Royce as Doris, Chris Olson as the Waiter and Sarah Shouse as Karen. Alexandra Cleveland, Audrey Natale and Kelsey Natale are part of the Steam Heat dancers along with Bernstein, Stansbury, Erion, Fedele, Hedlund, Picciotti and Royce. The dancers in the song Hernando’s Hideway, which along with Steam Heat are the other two recognizable songs from the show, are Bernstein, Audrey Natale, Kelsey Natale, Picciotti, Stansbury and Williamson. Nicole Charland, Lauren Cody, Katie Dale, Anna Garcia, Liddie Hoare, Brigitte Koharski, Loren Manchester, Gabby Patchett, Anna Powell, Madeline Rose, Shira Silverstein and Rachel Torregiano are featured as employees of the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory
“As a junior this year, it is a bit different for me being an upperclassman and being looked up to by the younger cast members, but this cast is very close,” Quigley said.
Other students are working behind the scenes to help put the show on stage. They are Claire Torregiano (student director), Katie Cadregari, Emma Mays, Claire Santucci, Caylin Perryman, Megan Owens, Mackenzie Camp, Jenna Erb, Anna Cole, Rachel Roof, Dominick Abraham, Clayton Fisher, Eric Oatman and Nathan Hargrave (stage crew), Sarah Smith, Michele Waterstratt and Morgan MacMahon (sound crew), Gillian Kurtic, Makenna Graney, MacMahon, Elena Fox, Kelly Taylor, Hanellie Harris and Lyndsey Allison (hair and make-up crew), Abigail Percy, Kylee Leap and Meryl Gartland (lighting crew), Riley Hoffman, Brooke Puchebner, Christine White, Fionnagh Krenzer, Lydia Ennis and McMahon (costume crew), Kara Oatman and Tabetha Besancency (publicity) and Melissa Antalek, Ryan Barski, Kiernan Beckett, Kadin Deisenroth, Jaima Dewitt, Max Magee, Maddie McClelland, Natalie Northrup, Will Pangia, Rachel Sequeira and Elizabeth Wall (pit orchestra).
Both Bernard Tomaszewski and Quigley said that the students have been excited to work with the new artistic director John Hennessey. Hennessey is no stranger to this show, having been in the show when he was a student at Rush-Henrietta High School where he was directed by Bob Sagan.
“There’s a lot of character parts for the kids,” Hennessey said. “Every kid has a moment to shine.”
HF-L’s production of The Pajama Game will be at the District Auditorium in the Honeoye Falls-Lima Middle School, 619 Quaker Meeting House Road on Thursday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 25 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students. All shows are reserved seating. Tickets can be purchased online at www.seatyourself.biz/hflcsd or email the box office at hflboxoffice@gmail.com. Tickets are also available at the door.
