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The Pajama Game coming to Johnny Mercer
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SAVANNAH - The Tony® Award-winning Best Musical Revival of 2006, “The Pajama Game” comes to the Johnny Mercer Theatre in Savannah for one performance only on April 14 at 7:30 p.m.  

Hot on the heels of the recent Broadway smash hit, see this nationally touring musical that has audiences laughing in the aisles. Tickets, ranging from $30 to $50, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Johnny Mercer Theatre box office, online at www.savannahcivic.com or charged by phone at (912) 651-6556. Discounts are available for subscribers and groups of 20 or more by calling (912) 651-6557.

Bright and riotously funny, this fast-paced, frisky tale received two Tony® Awards for the 2006 production, including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Choreography.  This must-see musical has also received seven Drama Desk Award nominations, as well as eight Outer Critics Circle Award nominations.  The original 1954 production of “The Pajama Game” was the winner of three 1955 Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, Choreography and Featured Actress in a Musical.

“Its exuberance and spontaneity make the entire theater crackle with energy,” exclaims Variety.  “Hilarious and exciting,” declares NY Magazine. “The Pajama Game’ jumps with joy,” proclaims USA Today.

The high-energy score of “The Pajama Game,” by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, brims with popular hits and musical theater standards such as “Hey There,” “Steam Heat” and the hilarious “Hernando’s Hideaway.”

Based on Richard Bissell’s novel, “7 1/2 Cents,” “The Pajama Game” tells the story of Babe, a feisty employee representative who finds her match in the pajama shop superintendent, Sid.

Overflowing with pajamas, love, singing and conflicts between the labor union and the management, the real story is the seven-and-a-half-cents-per-hour raise the pajama factory workers are demanding to keep their salaries comparable with other garment-workers pay.

Sid pushes both himself and the workers hard in order to prove himself to the owner, but a visit by the union grievances committee in the form of lovely-but-tough Babe brings out his soft, romantic side.  Despite their love, Babe warns Sid that the turmoil between the union and the management will cause problems for them too, and Sid has to juggle his job, his heart and his conscience to find a solution that will solve everything.

The original production of “The Pajama Game” had successful pre-Broadway runs in New Haven and Boston, and opened to great reviews at the St. James Theatre in New York on May 13, 1954.  The performance starred John Raitt as Sid Sorokin, Janis Paige as Babe Williams, Eddie Foy Jr. as Hines and Carol Haney as Gladys.

The show closed in 1956 after 1,063 performances, becoming only the eighth musical in Broadway history to run over one thousand performances.

In 1957 Warner Bros. released a film version starring John Raitt, Doris Day, Eddie Foy Jr. and Carol Haney.  Directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen, with screenplay written by Abbott and Richard Bissell, the film launched the career of Shirley MacLaine, who had been Haney’s understudy in the on-stage production.

“The Pajama Game” was revived on Broadway in 1973 with Hal Linden, Barbara McNair, and Cab Calloway as Hines. The musical was revived again in 2006 starring Harry Connick Jr. and Kelli O’Hara which took Broadway by storm with a sold out, smash hit run, earning two Tony® Award wins and nine nominations.

The creative team includes George Abbott (author/director), Richard Pike Bissell (author), and Richard Adler and Jerry Ross (music and lyrics).  The original Broadway cast recording was produced by Columbia Records.

The 2008-09 national Broadway tour of “The Pajama Game” is produced by Phoenix Entertainment, in partnership with OD Musical Company of Korea.  Now entering its ninth year of operations, Phoenix Entertainment is an international theatrical producing and management enterprise founded by long time colleagues Stephen Kane and Michael McFadden.

Over two decades of theatrical success and industry partnership have resulted in the Phoenix team delivering thousands of performances of more than 75 live productions on four continents.

Savannah, Richmond Hill, Tybee ready for July 4 celebrations
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The Savannah Waterfront Association will hold its annual 4th of July celebration, including fireworks, Monday on River Street from 4-10 p.m.

VIP seating for viewing fireworks will be available for active and retired military and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Hypnotics will perform from 8-10 p.m., including a patriotic set during the fireworks to complement the show.

The fireworks sponsored at 9:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to park off of River Street since the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department will close the street from 6 p.m.-3 a.m.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police are gearing up for this weekend’s July 4th and First Friday festivities; and ask the public to be mindful of traffic conditions in the Downtown area.

In anticipation of potential road delays, Metro will increase traffic and foot patrols in the Downtown festival area, starting Friday afternoon. Officers also will patrol Hutchinson Island in greater force to assist with traffic flow, prevent bottle-necking and help move motorists safely. To ensure safety and help minimize delays, motorists are asked to be vigilant, patient and co-operative.

Public parking lots on River Street will close on Monday at about 3 a.m. until early Tuesday afternoon. River Street will close to vehicular traffic Monday at 3 p.m. and will reopen early Tuesday morning.

All traffic and parking laws will be enforced on in Downtown Savannah and Hutchinson Island. Vehicles parked in the roadway, or in a manner that obstructs traffic will be towed at the owner’s expense. Please note that parking vehicles on the Truman Parkway and Talmadge Bridge also is dangerous and illegal.

Interstate 16 will be available to drivers leaving the firework show. To leave Downtown, traffic originating from points beyond Bay Street will be directed away from Martin Luther King Boulevard to other routes, such as Whitaker and West Bay streets. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to East Lathrop Avenue to access I-16 via Louisville Road.

Police recommend use of city parking garages, where drivers will be given maps for the easiest Downtown exit routes following the firework display. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, expect delays and heed posted signage. The key components of the traffic plan include:

Prohibiting traffic from turning southbound onto Whitaker from Bay. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to alternate routes to I-16 through East Lathrop and Louisville Road, or through Garden City.

Parking garage traffic will be routed southbound on MLK, Whitaker and Price streets.

Alternate routes to I-16 are West Gwinnett and 37th streets. Price Street also can be used to get to 37th Street, which will take traffic to westbound I-16.

Additional signage will be deployed to assist drivers in locating the alternative routes to I-16.

Traffic may be heavy along Highway 80 for those leaving Tybee Island’s fireworks display. There is a slight potential for shallow coastal flooding due to King Tides July 4.  At this time, this flooding is not expected to close Highway 80. Remember if there is shallow coastal flooding:

Traffic headed toward Wilmington Island via President Street should flow as usual.

Also please remember that the city curfew law remains in effect for this event.  All persons 16 years of age and under must be off the streets at 11 p.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Officers will be enforcing this ordinance.

As always you can stay up to date with the latest on the Festival, road closures and other related updates by following the Twitter feed @SCMPD, Facebook or www.scmpd.org.

Richmond Hill will host 4th of July events Saturday, starting with Star Spangled Cars and Coffee from 9-11 a.m. Car owners can bring in a car and interact with other automobile enthusiasts. Visitors can bring the family to view the cars and tour the Richmond Hill History Museum, formerly the Henry Ford Kindergarten. Admission to the event is free and coffee can be purchased for 25 cents with a $1 donation to the museum. This event will take place at the Richmond Hill History Museum located at 11460 Ford Ave. 

Fort McAllister will hold its 4th of July celebration Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with living history programs including demonstrations of Civil War drills and rifle and cannon firings. Visitors can participate in old fashioned games including sack races, an egg toss, wheel barrow races and a Civil War-era baseball game. Fresh watermelon will be available.  Admission for this event is $8 per adult (18+), $5 per Youth (6-17), under 6 are free. For more information, call (912) 727-2339.

Richmond Hill will kick off its annual Red, White, and Blue Independence Day Celebration at J. F. Gregory Park located at 521 Cedar St. For more information, visit www.richmondhill-ga.gov or call (912) 756-3345.

Tybee Island changed the date of their annual  fireworks from Sunday, July 3 to Monday, July 4. The Independence Day celebration will held be at the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion with a fireworks extravaganza. It will be held from 9:30-10 p.m.