Creative Cauldron’s localization of Studs Terkel’s “Working” is nothing short of spectacular, its newest production to be a special chapter in its book of success stories.
Pulitzer Prize winner Terkel (1912-2008) wrote “Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do” in 1974, and it was made into a Broadway play, nominated for five Tony Awards.
Creative’s program notes it is “rare for a show’s composer to allow theatre directors to alter their scripts in any way,” but one of the composers, Stephen Schwartz working with Daniel C. Levine, permits “localizations,” thereby ensuring winners.
Although the topic and the title may sound dull, it’s anything but, loaded with action and great singing as one after another of the actors tells what it’s like to be a trucker, a welder, a phone operator, a parent and more.
Director Matt Conner weaves local people in the musical, complete with videos from Falls Church residents, including some number (but not all) of important contributors to the Cauldron, who briefly tell what they do and how they like their jobs.
The manager of Harvey’s in Falls Church says her 49 years in the restaurant business are what she craves, and she does it well. Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi talks.
Students from Creative’s acting school get in on the act, listing what they want to be when they grow up.
What do you want to be?
Person by person, job by job, the outstanding cast assumes multiple roles telling their stories and why they have meaning, but…they really wished they could have been something else like they sing in “If I Could’ve Been.”
Stefan Sittg’s choreography is excellent, especially in the humorous number by the daffy waitress (Molly Rumberger) who sings “It’s An Art” while dancing with a tray and bouncing from one end of the stage to the other, in between impatient customers and a maitre d’ who wearily show their irritation.
Another hilarious piece is the scene when actors who move up and down like robots in the manner of Verizon’s customer service “representatives” who answer the phone with an automated message. This, after a hedge fund manager (Oscar Salvador) summons their help while stock market numbers run in the background and his receptionist (Sally Imbriano, the best singer in the show) argues for increased recognition.
Tony Lemus is a happy delivery man who gleefully rides a bicycle propped upon the benches, with video running behind him of a ride down a lane which looks a lot like summertime along the W&OD trail, for probably the best video clip in the show which has plenty of them.
Applause to James Morrison, the projection designer whose visuals are critical elements, embellishing the stories and adding to the play’s enjoyment.
Costumer Margie Jervis has overdressed Erin Granfield as a third grade school teacher in stuffy clothes. In her teaching roles with letters of the alphabet running, Granfield laments “now” compared to “then” in the classroom, wishing the classroom was a bit more orderly. “Nobody Tells Me How” she wails.
Chelsea Majors is another important member of the ensemble who makes it a complete six-pack. She joins the crew in “Something to Point To,” at the end when they proudly claim their accomplishments.
Where would we be without these folks?
Paige Rammelkamp is the musical director with orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire. In one early scene they use paper cups as musical instruments.
Who would have thought?
Lighting director Lynn Joslin never missed a cue, constantly changing lights and colors, outlining columns, ceiling, and perimeters of the walls in different shades.
Jervis’s set is a modern design with large cement-like columns reminiscent of Carl Andre’s sculptures, but these light up and make merry, changing colors and effectively shielding most of the musicians backstage,
Benches which the cast moves about in every scene are used for, yes, seats, a podium, tables, parts of the bicycle and more.
The story tellers have “creatively” meshed the story’s ending with Creative’s move to its new 5,000 square feet home at Broad and Washington where theatregoers can become part of the production.