Working in Chicago
Working in Chicago
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#1Working in Chicago
Posted: 3/24/11 at 2:15pm
Working is playing what might turn out to be a pre-Broadway run in Chicago. The show originated in 1978, adapted by Stephen Schwartz from a book by Chicago author Studs Terkel that featured first-person stories from a variety of Americans responding to the simple question "What kind of work do you do?"
The show has been extensively updated with new interviews conducted in 2008 and two new songs from Lin Manuel Miranda. The new material really works to modernize the piece, complimenting the pre-existing stories about steel workers and maids with tech support phone center employees and hedge fund managers.
Miranda's new songs are both quite strong, the first apparently drawn from his own first job working in a fast-food restaurant and the second serving as the piece's most poignant moment as two recent immigrants sing of doing the work no one else cares to do: Caring for infants and the elderly.
The production is quite strong, featuring an excellent cast of Chicago actors. Despite the impressive resumes of some of the older cast members (all of whom were quite good) the standouts are the two youngest and least-known performers, Gabriel Ruiz and Emjoy Gavino. Gavino score with her monologue about being a flight attendant and James Taylor's ballad about mindless factory jobs ("Millwork") while Ruiz gives a virtuoso performance, flipping through several strong characters, including an an Indian phone center operator who longs to connect with his callers and an opinionated newspaper employee who struggles to find the perfect "kiss-off" line when getting fired.
The show has been cut down to just six performers and tries to strip all glamor and magic from the theater: The cast is visible before the show, getting ready at backstage dressing tables, and the opening of the show features audible cues from the stage manager, driving home the idea that these folks are working, too. Some costume changes are done on stage and at the end, actors, musicians, stage crew and dressers ALL take a bow.
The show was quite good, but I wonder if it could succeed on Broadway. The original production was a Broadway flop despite a stellar cast but went on to a vigorous life in colleges and community theater. I am sure this version will be even more popular, especially as we grapple with layoffs, unemployment and union issues.
The show runs through June, but has hinted it might stay longer- except the performance I saw was more than half-empty. The website features some clips from the performance.
http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/shows_dyn.php?cmd=display_current&display_showtag=working11
Updated On: 3/24/11 at 02:15 PM
theaternut
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/4/03
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#2Working in Chicago
Posted: 3/24/11 at 2:19pm
Damn you spell check!
Fixed. Thanks.
And oh yeah, there is NO show curtain.
Updated On: 3/24/11 at 02:19 PM
AwesomeDanny
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/30/09
#3Working in Chicago
Posted: 3/24/11 at 2:42pmI'm planning on seeing this in May. If anyone is interested, tickets for the show are consistently on hottix.org at a lot nicer prices. I'm glad to hear a great review, I'm really looking forward to it now!
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#4Working in Chicago
Posted: 3/24/11 at 3:13pmWe got our tickets through Hottix- and they were excellent. We ended up paying about $45 a ticket all charges included.
#5Working in Chicago
Posted: 3/24/11 at 3:44pm
I havent seen this yet and plan on doing so in the next couple of weeks.
How was Barbara? I absolutely love watching her on stage. Her performance as Stevie in Albee's The Goat at the Goodman was absolutely riveting.... The only good thing about that awfully directed production. Not to mention her performance in Yeast Nation.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#6Working in Chicago
Posted: 3/24/11 at 9:34pmShe was wonderful as always- Her "It's an Art" (the waitress song) was a real crowd pleaser and her school teacher scene was perfectly played0- you don't know if she's a justifiably pissed off teacher or a bigot. I would have loved to hear her sing "Just a Housewife."
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#7Working in Chicago closing early
Posted: 5/10/11 at 1:30pm
"The commercial production of Studs Terkel's "Working" at the Broadway Playhouse won't be lasting through the summer. The show has announced its final weeks, leading up to a closing on June 5. The show, which was well received, has enjoyed a respectable run of about three months."
This is the second "Pre-Broadway" run to announce an early close this week- White Noise will end it's run early this weekend.
Theater loop
#8Working in Chicago closing early
Posted: 5/10/11 at 2:16pm
How was Barbara? I absolutely love watching her on stage. Her performance as Stevie in Albee's The Goat at the Goodman was absolutely riveting....
I totally agree, though I thought the production on the whole was brilliant. I enjoyed her in Yeast Nation, though the piece itself didn't do much for me. She was a wonderful Desiree in Night Music at the Shakes. She did a decent enough job with what she was given in Working (though oddly cast in some of the roles), but I think it has a LONG way to go before thinking about Broadway.
White Noise is closing? Damn! I was planning on taking a friend from out of town for Memorial Day Weekend. I much preferred it to the production of Working, which didn't do much for me at all. Great cast, but I found the staging, direction and choreography a bit amateurish and tedious. Emjoy Gavino and Juan Gabriel Ruiz really brought out the potential of the piece and stood out in the cast.
crc03772
Understudy Joined: 2/27/08
#9Working in Chicago closing early
Posted: 5/10/11 at 4:05pmI saw this in Chicago last week while I was there. I really thought overall it was a brilliant production. Standouts for me were Michael Mahler and Emjoy Gavino. I like all the updated music, monologues, the additions and didn't really miss any of the omissions from the original show (Un Mejor Dia Vendra). Lin Manuel Miranda's songs in particular were a great addition. It's sad to see this show go so soon, but it had a great run. I just hope future community productions can incorporate the new material...
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#10Working in Chicago closing early
Posted: 5/10/11 at 4:11pmI assume that if the new version is eventually licensed, the scrupt will indicate the possibility of flexible casting. The whole point of this version is that it can be done by just six performers. This makes it very attractive for professional theatres, but college and community groups would most likely prefer to do it with a larger cast.
#11Working in Chicago closing early
Posted: 5/10/11 at 4:26pmI liked this production of Working. White Noise was ridiculous, but not boring. Cannot say I'm surprised it is closing. Glad I caught it this past Saturday.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#12Working in Chicago closing early
Posted: 5/10/11 at 4:30pmEmjoy Gavino was superb. Michael Mahler is always held up as the great young hope of Chicago Theater but I thought Emjoy ran rings around him.
#13Working in Chicago closing early
Posted: 5/10/11 at 6:42pmI much preferred Mahler in High Fidelity. He was a joy to watch in that show.
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