Working

Working.

Working is a stage musical based on the novel Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do.

Cast

• Susan Bigelow - Kate Rushton
• Arny Freeman - Anthony Palazzo/Joe Zutty
• Bob Gunton - Bud Jonas/Frank Decker
• David Patrick Kelly - Brett Meyer/Benny Blue/Charlie Blossom
• Robin Lamont - Barbara Herrick/Sharon Atkins/Cathleen Moran
• Matt Landers - Conrad Swibel/Tom Patrick/Tim Devlin/Ralph Werner
• Bobo Lewis - Rose Hoffman/Grace Clements/Fran Swenson/Lucille Page
• Joe Mantegna - Emilio Hernandez/Dave McCormick
• Matthew McGrath - John Rushton
• Lenora Nemetz - Babe Secoli/Terry Mason/Delores Dante
• David Langston Smyrl - Al Calinda/Will Robinson
• Lynne Thigpen - Diane Wilson/Heather Lamb/JoAnne Robinson/Maggie Holmes

Plot

In the morning all the workers are getting ready for their jobs. 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. 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. 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. Her bag boy, Roberto Nunez, 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. 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. His mother, Kate Rushton, a housewife, who complains that people doubt her intelligence because she chooses to stay at home all day. 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. As evening rolls in, all the workers remember their dreams of old.

Anthony Coelho likes his job because in a hundred years people will still see his work. On the highway, Frank Decker and Dave are driving their truck. 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. At the park Joe Zutty, a retired man, talks about his life. 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. 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. The ensemble boasts about their accomplishments as workers.

Musical numbers

Act I

• "All The Livelong Day" – Company
• "Traffic Jam" - People in Traffic
• "Lovin' Al" – Al and His Ladies
• "Nobody Tells Me How" - Rose Hoffman
• "I'm Just Movin'" - Babe & Other Checkers
• "Un mejor Dia Vendra" - Emilio Hernandez & Migrant Workers
• "Neat to be a Newsboy" – John Rushton and Newsboys
• "Just A Housewife" - Kate Rushton and Housewives
• "Millwork"- Barbara Herrick, Brett Meyer and Fireman
• "If I Could've Been" - Company

Act II

• "The Mason" – Brett Meyer
• "Brother Trucker" - Frank Decker, Dave McCormick, Charlie Blossom and Ralph Werner
• "It's an Art" - Delores Dante and Customers
• "Joe" – Joe
• "Cleanin' Women" - Maggie Holmes & Women Company
• "Fathers & Sons" – Mike Dillard & Male Company *"Something to Point To" - Company