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Working (musical)
Encyclopedia
Working is a musical
with a book by Stephen Schwartz
and Nina Faso, music by Schwartz, Craig Carnelia
, Micki Grant
, Mary Rodgers
, and James Taylor
, and lyrics by Schwartz, Carnelia, Grant, Taylor, and Susan Birkenhead
.
The musical is based on the Studs Terkel book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do (1974), which has interviews with people from different regions and occupations.
in Chicago
from December 1977 through February 1978.
It then was produced on Broadway
at the 46th Street Theatre, opening on May 14, 1978 where it ran for 24 performances and 12 previews. It was directed by Schwartz and choreographed by Onna White
, with a cast featuring Patti LuPone
, Bob Gunton
, Joe Mantegna
, Lynne Thigpen
, David Patrick Kelly
, Robin Lamont, Steven Boockvor, Rex Everhart
, Bobo Lewis
, Lenora Nemetz
, Brad Sullivan
, Matt Landers, and Arny Freeman
, an actor who was interviewed in the book. In 1982, Schwartz and Nina Faso adapted the show for a ninety-minute telecast on the PBS series American Playhouse
, directed by Schwartz and Kirk Browning
and introduced by Terkel.
The musical has undergone several revisions. In March 1999, it was presented at Long Wharf Theater, New Haven, Connecticut
, with direction by Christopher Ashley
. It had "developmental productions" at Asolo Repertory Theatre
, Sarasota, Florida
in May 2008 and at the Old Globe Theatre
, San Diego, California, in March 2009. Schwartz revised the musical, which includes two new songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
A further revised version opened at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, Chicago, starting in February 2011 in previews through June, with direction and revisions by Gordon Greenberg
. The cast features Gene Weygandt, Barbara Robertson, Emjoy Gavin, and E. Faye Butler.
Its next production is scheduled for June 3 - July 10 in Los Angeles as part of the 2nd annual Hollywood Fringe Festival.
In the morning all the workers are getting ready for their jobs (All the Livelong Day). Mike Dillard, a steelworker, talks about the dangers of his job. Some people get caught in a (Traffic Jam) on the highway. Some of the cars stop at an office building where Al Calinda, a parking lot attendant is working. He parks the cars and states that he has been parking cars his whole life, and probably for the rest of his life (Lovin Al). On top of the parking lot there is an office building. Amanda McKenny is displeased that people stereotype her with her job. She has a strained relationship with her boss, Rex Winship, who tells us he wants to be a teacher. Rose Hoffman, a teacher who has one year left until retirement, is unhappy with the changes she sees in the school system (Nobody Tells Me How). She remembers a student of hers, Babe Secoli, who is now a checker at the Treasure Island Supermarket. Babe explains that her job requires work from every part of the body (I'm Just Movin). Her bag boy, Roberto Nunez, is unhappy with the music that is playing in the market, which is the Cuban Revolution celebratory song along with the hardships of working on a farm and hopes a better day will come (Un Mejor Dia Vendra). In the neighborhood, Conrad Swibel is on his UPS delivery route, talking about the perks of his job: meeting women, and the bad parts, getting chased by dogs. After he leaves, John Rushton delievers the newspaper and tells of his dreams for the future (Neat to be a Newsboy). His mother, Kate Rushton, a housewife, who complains that people doubt her intelligence because she chooses to stay at home all day (Just a Housewife). Candy Cottingham says that she needs to separate people from their jobs for her job as a political fundraiser. Grace Clements explains that she does not want to see any young people doing her job as a millworker because of the physical stress on the body (Millwork). As evening rolls in, all the workers remember their dreams of old (If I Could've Been).
Act 2
Anthony Coelho likes his job because in a hundred years people will still see his work (The Mason). On the highway, Frank Decker and Dave are driving their truck (Brother Trucker). Frank explains that he barely sees his family because of his schedule. He makes a call and because of the signal is transferred to the operator, Heather Lamb. She, Sharon Atkins, and Enid DuBois explain that sometimes it's hard not to listen in on phone conversations. Dolores Dante loves her job and is proud to be a waitress (It's an Art). At the park Joe Zutty, a retired man, talks about his life (Joe). He spends his days as a volunteer firefighter. Tom Patrick, who also works as a firefighter, gets emotional talking about the lives he saved. Maggie Holmes talks about wanting a better life for her daughter (Cleanin' Woman). Finally, Ralph Werner recounts his dream life. Mike Dillard comes back and relates how much time he has missed with his family because of work (Fathers and Sons). The ensemble boasts about their accomplishments as workers (Something to Point To).
Act 2
Additional songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda - "A Very Good Day" and "Delivery" performed in Chicago
Drama Desk Awards
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book by Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz (composer)
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
and Nina Faso, music by Schwartz, Craig Carnelia
Craig Carnelia
Craig Carnelia is an American musical theater composer and singer, known for his collaboration on the musicals Working and Sweet Smell of Success.-Biography:...
, Micki Grant
Micki Grant
Micki Grant is an American singer actress, writer and composer. She performed in Having Our Say , Tambourines to Glory and Jericho-Jim Crow, The Gingham Dog, Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope and has received three Tony Award nominations for her writing...
, Mary Rodgers
Mary Rodgers
Mary Rodgers is an American composer of musicals and an author of children's books. She is a daughter of composer Richard Rodgers and his wife, Dorothy Rodgers, as is her sister, Linda Rodgers Emory...
, and James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, and lyrics by Schwartz, Carnelia, Grant, Taylor, and Susan Birkenhead
Susan Birkenhead
Susan Birkenhead is an American lyricist.Birkenhead made her Broadway debut as one of a team of songwriters contributing to Working , for which she received her first Tony Award nomination. Her second was earned for Jelly's Last Jam , which won her the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics and a...
.
The musical is based on the Studs Terkel book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do (1974), which has interviews with people from different regions and occupations.
Productions
The musical was first staged at the Goodman TheatreGoodman Theatre
The Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of Chicago theatre, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
from December 1977 through February 1978.
It then was produced on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the 46th Street Theatre, opening on May 14, 1978 where it ran for 24 performances and 12 previews. It was directed by Schwartz and choreographed by Onna White
Onna White
Onna White was a Canadian choreographer and dancer nominated for eight Tony Awards.-Career:Born in Inverness, Nova Scotia, White began taking dance lessons at the age of twelve, and eventually her studies took her to the famed San Francisco Ballet Company, where she danced in the first full-length...
, with a cast featuring Patti LuPone
Patti LuPone
Patti Ann LuPone is an American singer and actress, known for her Tony Award-winning performances as Eva Perón in the 1979 stage musical Evita and as Madame Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, and for her Olivier Award-winning performance as Fantine in the original London cast of Les...
, Bob Gunton
Bob Gunton
Robert Patrick "Bob" Gunton, Jr. is an American actor. He is known for playing strict, authoritarian characters, with his best known roles as Warden Samuel Norton in the 1994 prison film The Shawshank Redemption, Chief George Earle in 1993's Demolition Man, and President Juan Peron in the original...
, Joe Mantegna
Joe Mantegna
Joseph Anthony "Joe" Mantegna, Jr. is an American actor, producer, writer,director, and voice actor. He is best known for his roles in box office hits such as Three Amigos , The Godfather Part III , Forget Paris , and Up Close & Personal...
, Lynne Thigpen
Lynne Thigpen
Cherlynne Theresa “Lynne” Thigpen was an American stage and television actress, most famous as "The Chief" in the various Carmen Sandiego television series.-Early life:...
, David Patrick Kelly
David Patrick Kelly
David Patrick Kelly is an American actor and musician who has appeared in numerous films, including some major roles.-Career:...
, Robin Lamont, Steven Boockvor, Rex Everhart
Rex Everhart
Rex Everhart was an American film and musical theatre actor.Everhart appeared in such films as 1978's Superman...
, Bobo Lewis
Bobo Lewis
Barbara "Bobo" Lewis was an American comedic actress of film, musical theatre, stage and television.-Stage roles:...
, Lenora Nemetz
Lenora Nemetz
-Career:Nemetz left her native Pittsburgh as a teenager to work on Broadway. She performed her way across the country for the last three decades, starting with her Broadway debut in Cabaret. A protege of Bob Fosse, Nemetz first came to the attention of New York critics when she replaced Chita...
, Brad Sullivan
Brad Sullivan
Brad Sullivan was an American actor known for character roles in television and on film and stage.-Early life and career:...
, Matt Landers, and Arny Freeman
Arny Freeman
Arny Freeman was an American character actor. He appeared in commercials, television series episodes, Broadway plays, and motion pictures. He is interviewed in Studs Terkel’s Working. Born in Chicago, IL, he died in Los Angeles, CA...
, an actor who was interviewed in the book. In 1982, Schwartz and Nina Faso adapted the show for a ninety-minute telecast on the PBS series American Playhouse
American Playhouse
American Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.It premiered on January 12, 1982 with The Shady Hill Kidnapping, written and narrated by John Cheever and directed by Paul Bogart...
, directed by Schwartz and Kirk Browning
Kirk Browning
Kirk Browning was an American television director and producer who had hundreds of productions to his credit, including 185 broadcasts of Live from Lincoln Center....
and introduced by Terkel.
The musical has undergone several revisions. In March 1999, it was presented at Long Wharf Theater, New Haven, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, with direction by Christopher Ashley
Christopher Ashley
Christopher Ashley is a stage director. Since 2007, he has been the artistic director of the La Jolla Playhouse.In 1997, he completed The Drama League program for directors....
. It had "developmental productions" at Asolo Repertory Theatre
Asolo Repertory Theatre
The Asolo Repertory Theatre or Asolo Rep is a professional theater in Sarasota, Florida. It is the largest Equity theatre in Florida, and the largest Repertory theatre in the Southeastern United States. Asolo Rep is a resident regional theatre company which also invites in guest artists...
, Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
in May 2008 and at the Old Globe Theatre
Old Globe Theatre
The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons...
, San Diego, California, in March 2009. Schwartz revised the musical, which includes two new songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
A further revised version opened at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, Chicago, starting in February 2011 in previews through June, with direction and revisions by Gordon Greenberg
Gordon Greenberg
-Education:Greenberg attended Stanford University and NYU Film School Tisch School of the Arts, as well as The Lincoln Center Directors Lab, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and Stagedoor Manor.-Career:...
. The cast features Gene Weygandt, Barbara Robertson, Emjoy Gavin, and E. Faye Butler.
Its next production is scheduled for June 3 - July 10 in Los Angeles as part of the 2nd annual Hollywood Fringe Festival.
Synopsis
Act 1In the morning all the workers are getting ready for their jobs (All the Livelong Day). Mike Dillard, a steelworker, talks about the dangers of his job. Some people get caught in a (Traffic Jam) on the highway. Some of the cars stop at an office building where Al Calinda, a parking lot attendant is working. He parks the cars and states that he has been parking cars his whole life, and probably for the rest of his life (Lovin Al). On top of the parking lot there is an office building. Amanda McKenny is displeased that people stereotype her with her job. She has a strained relationship with her boss, Rex Winship, who tells us he wants to be a teacher. Rose Hoffman, a teacher who has one year left until retirement, is unhappy with the changes she sees in the school system (Nobody Tells Me How). She remembers a student of hers, Babe Secoli, who is now a checker at the Treasure Island Supermarket. Babe explains that her job requires work from every part of the body (I'm Just Movin). Her bag boy, Roberto Nunez, is unhappy with the music that is playing in the market, which is the Cuban Revolution celebratory song along with the hardships of working on a farm and hopes a better day will come (Un Mejor Dia Vendra). In the neighborhood, Conrad Swibel is on his UPS delivery route, talking about the perks of his job: meeting women, and the bad parts, getting chased by dogs. After he leaves, John Rushton delievers the newspaper and tells of his dreams for the future (Neat to be a Newsboy). His mother, Kate Rushton, a housewife, who complains that people doubt her intelligence because she chooses to stay at home all day (Just a Housewife). Candy Cottingham says that she needs to separate people from their jobs for her job as a political fundraiser. Grace Clements explains that she does not want to see any young people doing her job as a millworker because of the physical stress on the body (Millwork). As evening rolls in, all the workers remember their dreams of old (If I Could've Been).
Act 2
Anthony Coelho likes his job because in a hundred years people will still see his work (The Mason). On the highway, Frank Decker and Dave are driving their truck (Brother Trucker). Frank explains that he barely sees his family because of his schedule. He makes a call and because of the signal is transferred to the operator, Heather Lamb. She, Sharon Atkins, and Enid DuBois explain that sometimes it's hard not to listen in on phone conversations. Dolores Dante loves her job and is proud to be a waitress (It's an Art). At the park Joe Zutty, a retired man, talks about his life (Joe). He spends his days as a volunteer firefighter. Tom Patrick, who also works as a firefighter, gets emotional talking about the lives he saved. Maggie Holmes talks about wanting a better life for her daughter (Cleanin' Woman). Finally, Ralph Werner recounts his dream life. Mike Dillard comes back and relates how much time he has missed with his family because of work (Fathers and Sons). The ensemble boasts about their accomplishments as workers (Something to Point To).
Musical numbers
Act 1- All The Livelong Day – Company
- Traffic Jam - People in Traffic
- Lovin' Al – Al and His Ladies
- Nobody Tells Me How - Rose Hoffman
- I'm Just Movin'- Babe & Other Checkers
- Un mejor Dia Vendra - Roberto Nunez & Migrant Workers
- Neat to be a Newsboy – John Rushton and Newsboys
- Just A Housewife - Kate Rushton and Housewives
- Millwork- Singer & Millworkers
- If I Could've Been - Company
Act 2
- The Mason – Anthony Coelho
- Brother Trucker - Frank Decker, Dave McCormick & Truckers
- It's an Art - Delores Dante and Customers
- Joe – Joe
- Cleanin' Women - Maggie Holmes & Women Company
- Fathers & Sons – Mike Dillard & Male Company
- Something to Point To - Company
Additional songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda - "A Very Good Day" and "Delivery" performed in Chicago
Awards and nominations
Tony Awards- Best Book of a Musical (Stephen SchwartzStephen SchwartzStephen Schwartz may refer to:*Stephen Schwartz , American musical theater and film lyricist and composer*Stephen Suleyman Schwartz , journalist, political author, and historian...
, nominee) - Best Original Score (nominee)
- Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Steven Boockvor, nominee)
- Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Rex EverhartRex EverhartRex Everhart was an American film and musical theatre actor.Everhart appeared in such films as 1978's Superman...
, nominee) - Best Scenic Design (nominee)
- Best Lighting Design (nominee)
Drama Desk Awards
- Outstanding Musical (nominee)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Matt Landers, nominee)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Brad SullivanBrad SullivanBrad Sullivan was an American actor known for character roles in television and on film and stage.-Early life and career:...
, nominee) - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Bobo LewisBobo LewisBarbara "Bobo" Lewis was an American comedic actress of film, musical theatre, stage and television.-Stage roles:...
, winner) - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Lenora NemetzLenora Nemetz-Career:Nemetz left her native Pittsburgh as a teenager to work on Broadway. She performed her way across the country for the last three decades, starting with her Broadway debut in Cabaret. A protege of Bob Fosse, Nemetz first came to the attention of New York critics when she replaced Chita...
, nominee) - Outstanding Director of a Musical (Stephen SchwartzStephen SchwartzStephen Schwartz may refer to:*Stephen Schwartz , American musical theater and film lyricist and composer*Stephen Suleyman Schwartz , journalist, political author, and historian...
, winner)