By Sarah Snyder, Creative Cauldron
Next month, Creative Cauldron, Falls Church’s premier theater production and education, black box stage, while awaiting is move to new digs now under construction on Broad Street, will finalize its 14 year history at its S. Maple location by mounting a production of “Working,” a musical based on the Studs Terkel book: “Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do.”
Adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso from Terkel’s interviews, “Working” creates a vivid portrait of workers the world often overlooks or takes for granted: the teacher, the waitress, the trucker, the fireman, the housewife, among many others. After its Broadway premiere in 1978, “Working” received a major revision in 2012 with new and updated songs written by Tony Award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as Stephen Schwartz, Craig Carnelia, James Taylor, Micki Grant, and more.
Helen Hayes Award winner, and Cauldron’s Associate Artistic Director Matt Conner is directing. Paige Rammelkamp is music director, and Stefan Sittig is the choreographer. “Working” is sponsored by Mark F. Werblood, attorney at law and Serene Feldman Werblood. The production runs from February 8 — March 3, 2024.
Creative Cauldron is producing the “localized version” of the “Working” script which gives companies the ability to add the stories and experiences from workers in their local community into the production.
Director Matt Conner spoke about his concept for the show, saying “As Creative Cauldron embraces its move from S. Maple Ave. to Broad Street next season, ‘Working’ is the perfect moment to highlight the community of workers who have been a part of our journey for the past 14 years. ‘It takes a village’ will be on full display in this localized version of the show, saluting and celebrating Creative Cauldron and its place in the history of Falls Church.”
The talented cast of “Working” will include Creative Cauldron veterans Erin Granfield, Sally Imbriano, Chelsea Majors, and Molly Rumberger. Granfield was seen most recently at Creative Cauldron as Mevroux Van Tassle in “Ichabod: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The baker’s wife in “Into the Woods,” Louise Seger in “Always…Patsy Cline,” Agnes Davis in “On Air,” (Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Ensemble nomination) and Elmira in “Nevermore.” Additional credits include Francesca Johnson in “The Red Branch Theatre,” the National Tour of “The Music Man” where she understudied and performed the role of Marian.
Sally Imbriano has performed in multiple Cabarets at the Cauldron and was seen as Patsy in “Always… Patsy Cline” and in Creative Cauldron’s Helen Hayes nominated ensemble of “Disenchanted!” Other DC area credits include: Nextstop Theatre Company: “Lucky Stiff” (Annabel Glick) [Helen Hayes Nomination for Outstanding Lead Performer], “Matilda” (Ms Phelps); Olney Theatre Center: “Brothers Paranormal;” Pipeline Playwrights: “Heartland” (Janet); Kennedy Center TYA: “The Dragon King’s Daughter,” “The Mortification of Fovea Munson,” “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus;” Keegan Theatre: “Seussical;” Adventure Theatre MTC: “Winnie the Pooh,” “Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day;” Imagination Stage: “New Kid.”
Molly Rumberger also appeared in Creative Cauldron’s Helen Hayes nominated production of “Disenchanted” and received an Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical nomination for her role as Cinderella. At Monumental Theater she appeared in “Spring Awakening,” “Be More Chill” and won a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Performer. Other regional credits include: “The Wedding Singer” (Next Stop Theatre), and “Big Fish” (Keegan Theatre).
Chelsea Majors first appeared at Creative Cauldron as the Angel in last season’s “The Christmas Angel,” she understudied and stepped into the role of Miss Clavel in this season’s “Madeline’s Christmas.” She appeared recently in “The Great Gatsby Musical” (Landless Theatre) and in Elephant and Piggie’s “We are in a Play!” at Virginia Repertory Theatre.
Making their Creative Cauldron debuts in the “Working” ensemble cast are Oscar Salvador and Tony Lemus. Oscar Salvador is making his mainstage debut after understudying as Luis in Creative Cauldron’s East Coast premiere of “Monarch: A Mexican American Musical,” and as Usnavi in “In The Heights” at Next Stop Theatre and can be seen performing in “Casita” at Disney Encanto x CAMP Immersive Experience. Tony Lemus has appeared locally in “Night of the Living Dead” (Rorschach Theater Company), “Our Town” (St. Mark’s Players), “Grease” (Toby’s Dinner Theatre) “Little Women” (Next Stop Theatre), and “Tick, Tick…Boom” (Monumental Theater).
Swing actors for this production will include some more familiar faces in Pat Mahoney and Gretchen Midgley. Pat Mahoney was most recently in Creative Cauldron’s East Coast premiere of “Monarch: A Mexican American Musical” and as Humphrey Bogart in “Audrey — The New Musical.” Gretchen Midgley also returns as a swing after her critically-acclaimed performance as Ana in “Monarch: A Mexican American Musical.”
Conner, Rammelkamp and Sittig are joined on the Creative Team by Creative Cauldron’s Resident Designer, Margie Jervis, Sets and Costumes, Helen Hayes nominated Lynn Joslin, Lighting Designer, and James Morrisson, Projection Designer. Together these three designers are creating an innovative and flexible scenic environment reminiscent of a metropolitan subway where workers come and go to their jobs. Nicholas Goodman is the Stage Manager.
Tickets can be purchased at creativecauldron.org or by calling 703-436-9948.
Creative Cauldron is an award-winning non-profit theater and educational arts organization whose innovative programs in the performing and visual arts embody collaboration, experimentation and community engagement. It was founded by Artistic Director Laura Connors Hull in 2002. In 2023 Creative Cauldron launched a $500,000 New Home-New Horizon capacity campaign to raise funds for a move into a new theater at the corner of Broad and Washington in Falls Church in the Fall of 2024.
Programs are presented in part through grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsFairfax, the City of Falls Church, the Little City CATCH Foundation the Ross-Roberts Fund for the Arts, and the Robert W and Gladys S Meserve Charitable Trust. Generous corporate and individual sponsors also support Creative Cauldron’s programs.