I have a soft spot for the musical Working for many reasons. I've worked on the show twice - once in grad school and once when I was teaching in NY - and found both productions to be wonderful experiences. Plus, there's one particular song in the show that has special resonance for me. My dad is/was a mason, so "The Mason" song just moves me to no end. In fact, all of the blue collar pieces are very touching to me - honest observances of workers who work hard, often for no credit, but who want more for their kids. Plus plus, I've been fortunate enough to work with most of the contributors to this show, thanks to my job, and I love them all (can I say I have extra love for Micki Grant? I'm sure I can). I'll admit to being skeptical about how the musical would work with only six actors - since I had worked on the show at colleges, we used many students in the cast - but knowing this concept had been successfully done in Chicago and L.A. in the past helped put my mind at ease.
I shouldn't have worried. This Working works like gangbusters! I really thought the production, produced by the Prospect Theater Company, was terrific. Well-cast, wonderfully directed and smartly designed, Working hits all the right buttons. I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats. :)
Each performer gets to shine more than once, since the six actors double (even triple and quadruple) up and play more than one character. They were all wonderful singers, but probably even better actors. This piece is so text-driven, even in the song lyrics, that you need solid acting to make them work completely. All of the actors were good at making their different characters a specific individual and giving all of the professions the dignity they deserved. I think that's one of the things that makes this musical so special - the dignity afforded to professions you wouldn't normally think about.
This version of the show has two new songs, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and both of the new songs were terrific. They fit inside the existing piece beautifully. I was most taken by his song "A Very Good Day." It starts off pleasantly, but when it gets to the refrain, all of a sudden I was knocked back in my seat by emotion and recognition. It's really a special song, I think.
All of the songs are pretty iconic to me by now - I've been listening to them for over twenty years. I'm always moved by "Millwork" and "If I Could've Been," and they were particularly well-performed, as was "Cleanin' Women" and "Fathers and Sons." Oh, shoot, all the songs were well done. And "The Mason" brought tears to my eyes, as always. Craig Carnelia and Studs Terkel really captured my dad all right.
Hats off to the director for taking a look at this musical with clear eyes and making some fresh, original choices. The transitions from scene to scene are beautifully put together, and the opening sequence is beautifully eloquent and sets just the right tone. And congratulations to all the wonderful actors - Marie-France Arcilla, Joe Cassidy, Donna Lynne Champlin, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Nehal Joshi and Kenita R. Miller. Well-done, all. Everyone get yourself to 59E59 to see Working - you won't be sorry.
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