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| Obscure question regarding THE PAJAMA GAME | |
| Posted by: RobertC 12:48 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| When Shirley MacLaine went in for Carol Haney in The Pajama Game, did she dance "The Jealousy Ballet"? Thank You. |
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| re: Obscure question regarding THE PAJAMA GAME | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 05:24 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: Obscure question regarding THE PAJAMA GAME - RobertC 12:48 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| Given that MacLaine first went on for Haney just two weeks after opening night, I suppose it's possible that the "Jealousy Ballet" was cut at her first performance. She has said that she'd never had an understudy rehearsal so it's hard to imagine that she could have danced the whole role without having had a rehearsal — if it's true that she had not had an understudy rehearsal. She's told the story slightly differently at different times, and some of the times she has clearly gotten some things wrong. One thing she's said is that she showed up late for half-hour call on the evening of May 26, when she first went on for Haney, who had injured herself at the matinee. Wouldn't the stage management have made sure that MacLaine stayed around after the matinee? I suppose it's possible that no one had yet realized how serious the injury was, but I wonder about the truth of MacLaine's story about showing up late, after also saying that she saw Haney fall at the matinee. Really? I'm not Shirley MacLaine, but if I were the understudy, I would not have run off after the matinee if I saw that happen. Anyway, even if the ballet was cut at her first performance, I'd be pretty sure it was soon put back. There seem to have been performances at which Haney played the role except for the dancing, when MacLaine would jump in and sub for her, something not unheard of in other shows as well. Walter Terry, dance critic of the Herald Tribune, wrote about the show's choreography in the edition of the Trib dated June 6, 1954. He praised MacLaine and didn't mention anything listed in the playbill having been cut, although he also did not mention the "Jealousy Ballet" specifically. |
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| re: Obscure question regarding THE PAJAMA GAME | |
| Posted by: Charlie_Baker 04:09 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: Obscure question regarding THE PAJAMA GAME - RobertC 12:48 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| In her book My Lucky Stars, she goes on at some length about the first time she went on for Carol Haney, mostly focusing on having to do Steam Heat without a full rehearsal. I don't remember her writing about anything being cut. | |
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| re: Obscure question regarding THE PAJAMA GAME | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 01:24 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 01:13 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
| In reply to: Obscure question regarding THE PAJAMA GAME - RobertC 12:48 pm EDT 06/18/18 | |
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| I can't answer directly, but why would a show that's a smash hit (and pretty early in its run) make any cut for the understudy in a supporting role? Plus Eddie Foy Jr., one of the show's over the title stars, was involved in the "jealousy" number, though reports were that he was throwing up when it was announced the understudy was going on at that performance. Shirley MacLaine does like to embroider a bit (a bit?) in her storytelling, but I seem to remember her in her first or second book writing about this. | |
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