Pyjamas in Paradise

 
Before there was Schoolies, there was Pyjamas in Paradise!
 
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, pyjama parties attracted thousands of young people from all around Australia to the small resort town of Surfers Paradise. Their popularity put Surfers on the map.

This musical is a bit like Grease but everyone has an Australian accent.

With original music and classic hits including Rock Around the Clock, Shakin All Over, Pink Shoe Laces, The Great Pretender, It's My Party, La Bamba, Itsy, Bitsy, Teenie, Weenie, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Summer Holiday and I Remember You.

Follow the story of Bruce Large – retired (kind of), fast talking (always), larger than life (definitely) and his controversial dream to turn ‘Surfers’ into paradise!

From the co-writer of Dusty – The Original Pop Diva and Shout!, John-Michael Howson, music theatre legend  Peter Pinne and the Emmy Award winning Ashley Irwin this musical features great  laughs, original music and classic hits from the era.

" This show sizzles" - Stage Whispers Magazine.

" This dazzling musical captivated a pumped audience"  - Theatre People.

 

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Plot / Synopsis

 MUSICAL CONTENT:

 

ACT ONE:

  1. Overture - A Summer Place
  2. Summer Holiday (Bruce Welch/Brian Bennett)/Surf City (Brian Wilson/Jan Berry) Donna/Suzie/Molly/ Barry/ Sid/ Lofty/Off-Stage Chorus
  3. Reprise: Summer Holiday/Surf City – Donna/Barry
  4. Let The Good Times Roll (Leonard Lee)/Shop Around (Berry Gordy/William “Smokey” Robinson) Barry/Sid/Lofty/Donna/ Suzie/Molly/Chorus
  5. I’ll Turn Surfers Into Paradise (John-Michael Howson/Peter Pinne) Bruce/Bea/Meter Maids
  6. Tan Shoes & Pink Shoe Laces (Mickie Grant) Wayne/Chorus
  7. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me (Harry Noble) Barry/Donna/Sid/

Suzie/Lofty/Molly

  1. I’ve Been Everywhere (Geoff Mack) Diana/Wayne
  2. Itsy, Bitsy, Teenie, Weenie, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (Paul J. Vance/Lee Pockriss)/He’s My Blonde Haired Stompie Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy (A. Halford)/Wipeout (Surfaris) Chorus
  3. A Lovely Place (John-Michael Howson/Peter Pinne/Ashley Irwin) Bea/Vi
  4. Diana (Paul Anka) Wayne
  5. I’ll Turn Surfers Into Paradise – Reprise - Bruce
  6. It’s My Party (Herb Weiner/Wally Gold/John Gluck Jnr)/Bye Bye Love (Felice Bryant/Bordeleaux Bryant) Donna/Suzie/Molly
  7. Let The Good Times Roll – Reprise – Chorus
  8. The Great Pretender (Buck Ram) Sid/Chorus
  9. Shakin’ All Over (Johnny Kidd) Lofty/ Chorus
  10. Do You Want To Dance? (Robert Freeman)/Rock Around The Clock (Max C. Freedman/Jimmy DeKnight) Lofty/Barry/ Sid/Donna/Suzie/Molly/Chorus

 

ACT TWO

  1. Let The Good Times Roll (Reprise) Cast
  2. Singing The Blues (Melvin Endsley) Donna/Chorus
  3. Where Did I Go Wrong? (John-Michael Howson/Peter Pinne) Myra/Clarrie
  4. Reprise: Where Did I Go Wrong? – Myra/Clarrie
  5. Don’t Call Wagga Wagga Wagga (Jim Haynes/Greg Champion) Jack/Duncan
  6. The Great Pretender – Reprise – Sid
  7. My Boy Lollipop (Johnny Roberts/Maurice Levy)/ Lollipop (Beverly Ross/Julias Dixon) Molly/Lofty
  8. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye (John D. Loudermilk) Donna
  9. I Remember You (Victor Schertzinger/Johnny Mercer) Myra/Clarrie
  10. Reprise: I Remember You – Myra/Clarrie
  11. La Bamba (Richie Valens)/Tequila (Chuck Rio)/Limbo Rock (Billy Strange/Jon Sheldon) Diana/Chorus
  12. My Special Angel (Jimmy Duncan) Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me – Reprise – Barry/Donna/Chorus
  13. A White Sport Coat (Marty Robbins)/Surfers Style (John-Michael Howson/Peter Pinne) Bruce/Barry/Sid/Lofty
  14. Queensland (John Michael Howson/Ashley Irwin) – Chorus
  15. Let The Good Times Roll (Reprise)
  16. Megamix Reprises: Surf City/Lollipop/Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny/Tequila/It’s My Party/Shop Around/Let The Good Times Roll

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cast

Characters:

 

DONNA

Around 20. An Olivia Newton-John type. Sweet. Romantic. A kindergarten teacher.

 

BARRY

Around 22. The all-Australian boy. Nice looking. Sincere. A recent graduate in engineering.

 

SID

Around 22. A well-built, sure of himself, rough diamond. Talks big. Gives the impression he is a lot more experienced than he is. A carpenter.

 

SUZIE

Around 20. Blonde, cute, pert – can come up with great one-liners and put-downs. A nurse.

 

LOFTY

Around 22. A short guy who is shy but sincere and nice. No experience with girls. An accountant.

 

MOLLY

Around 20. Tall (or big). She towers or dwarfs the others. She is pretty and nice. A hairdresser.

 

MYRA

Donna’s mother. A concerned mother. Around 40. A wido who has worked to give Donna a good life. She lost her husband in the war, but wants Donna to marry Jack, her best friend’s son, and has ‘pushed’ the romance.

 

 

 

CLARRIE

Barry’s father. An ordinary working man. Good bloke who has made wrong decisions. He has raised Barry since his wife ran away. Proud of Barry who has graduated from University.

 

DIANA

A glamorous but much older-than-she-looks party girl who has drifted around the country from town to town, man to man. Someone who is forty but looks much younger.

 

WAYNE

An aging beach bum. 30s. Well built. A charmer. Loves the girls but, like Diana, is a drifter with no firm ambition or roots.

 

BRUCE LARGE

A millionaire retiree who came to Surfers Paradise to retire but was inspired to become a developer. Surfers is his passion. He is a fast talking enthusiast in his mid-50s.

 

BEA LARGE

Bruce’s overdressed and socially aware wife who plays second fiddle to his ambitions. Having no children, she has focused her life on Bruce. Loves the success. Mid-50s.

 

JACK

Donna’s “fiancé.” Jack is 20. Doing his National Service training. A nice Aussie boy with good looks and warmth.

 

DUNCAN

Jack’s National Service mate. Good looking. 20. Quiet.

 

MISS ITSY BITSY

A non-speaking role. A very shapely and glamorous bombshell-type girl.

 

JOHNNY (Surfer Boy)

A non-speaking role. A well-built, tanned Sufer type.

 

Note the following doubles:

Vi/Tourist

Miss Itsy Bitsy/Beach Girl/Latin Dancer

Johnny/Barman/Latin Dancer/Judge

 

Chorus of: Meter Maids/Tourists/Surfers/Beachgoers/Partygoers

 

Sample Script

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Instrumentation / Rentals

Ashley Irwin has completed a magnificent score for show. It comprises Guitar, Guitar 2, Bass, Percussion, Drums, Keyboard, Trumpet 1, Trumpet 2, Reed 1, Reed 2, Trombone.

Production Costs

16% of Box Office.