| Working | |
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Logo for Working
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| Music | Stephen Schwartz Craig Carnelia Micki Grant Mary Rodgers James Taylor |
| Lyrics | Stephen Schwartz Craig Carnelia Micki Grant James Taylor Susan Birkenhead |
| Book | Stephen Schwartz Nina Faso |
| Basis | Working byStuds Terkel |
| Productions | 1977 Chicago 1978 Broadway 1982 American Playhouse 1999 New Haven 2008 Sarasota 2009 San Diego 2011 Chicago 2011 Los Angeles 2017 London |
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.
The musical was first staged at the Goodman TheatreinChicago from December 1977 through February 1978.[1]
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 choreographedbyOnna 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, David Smyrl,[2] Terri Treas, Matt McGrath 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.
Before the revisions, it was done as an amateur production by Kent State University, Trumbull Campus, Summer Stock. It has been done there again sometime in the 21st century. Because of the extremely low royalty fee, the production was the highest netting for the Summer Stock to that point even though the turnout was not high.
The musical has undergone several revisions. In March 1999, it was presented at Long Wharf Theater, New Haven, Connecticut, with direction by Christopher Ashley.[3]
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. The production opened Off-Broadway at the 59E59 Theaters on December 12, 2012, after previews which started on December 1, 2012. Again directed by Gordon Greenberg, it won a special ensemble Drama Desk Awards[4][5] the cast features Joe Cassidy, Donna Lynne Champlin, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Nehal Joshi and Kenita Miller. It had "developmental productions" directed by Gordon GreenbergatAsolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota, Florida in May 2008 and at the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, California, in March 2009. Schwartz revised the musical with Greenberg, which includes two new songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The show's Asian premiere was in Singapore, performed by LASALLE College of the Arts at the Creative Cube in September 2011.[6]
The show's European premiere was in London at the Southwark Playhouse, from 2 June to 8 July 2017.[7]
The show's Latin American premiere was in an all Spanish version in Montevideo, Uruguay at the Teatro Tablado in 2003. Directed and Choreographed by Alvaro Loureiro and Stefan Sittig.
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 will 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 Núñez, 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 Día Vendrá). 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 delivers 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 and look after her family (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).
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).
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Between the Broadway production, the original licensed version, and the 2012 revised version, Working has featured over 50 different characters. The show is traditionally performed with extensive doubling. The Broadway production featured 17 actors (ten men and seven women), the original licensed version calls for nine actors (five men and four women), and the 2012 revised version calls for six actors (three men and three women).
Characters featured in more than one version of Working
Characters featured in the Broadway production only
Characters featured in the original licensed version only
Characters featured in the 2012 revised version only
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Tony Award | Best Book of a Musical | Stephen Schwartz | Nominated |
| Best Original Score | Stephen Schwartz, Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, James Taylor, Mary Rodgers and Susan Birkenhead | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Steven Boockvor | Nominated | ||
| Rex Everhart | Nominated | |||
| Best Scenic Design | David Mitchell | Nominated | ||
| Best Lighting Design | Ken Billington | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Musical | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Matt Landers | Nominated | ||
| Brad Sullivan | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Bobo Lewis | Won | ||
| Lenora Nemetz | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Director of a Musical | Stephen Schwartz | Won | ||
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