Director’s Note:
"I was constantly astonished by the extraordinary dreams of ordinary people. No matter how bewildering the times, no matter how dissembling the official language, those we call ordinary are aware of a sense of personal worth, no matter how demeaning their jobs may seem."
- Studs Terkel, 1978
I am not sure I ever would have picked up the libretto to Working, A Musical, had it not been for the extraordinary situation we found ourselves in this year, but I couldn’t be happier that I did. My incredible team and I were determined to find a piece of theatre that would showcase our students’ talents, aid their social-emotional learning, and keep them safe during a global pandemic. A cohort who lost so much the past year deserved to have an experience that would bring them joy, comfort, and socially-distanced camaraderie. We found all of these things in Working.
Working is what is considered an ethnodrama - a piece of documentary theatre composed of significant selections from data; in this case, interviews from Studs Terkel’s book, Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do. Most of the interviews were conducted decades ago. Their names have been changed, but their words have not. Some references are dated, something might catch you off-guard, or may offend, but they are the real words of real people. In rehearsal, I used these teachable moments of questioning to inform our practice. Our job as actors is not to be our characters, but to become them. There is value in listening to and empathizing with others, even when we disagree. There is great value in learning from the past. As our audience, you are welcome to feel critical. Ideally, in watching this show, you will experience a range of emotions.
In the past year, we have come to appreciate the contributions essential workers and first responders have on our communities. Although all the amazing songs in this show are written by talented, award winning artists, the words are from the mouths of those who work in our factories, offices, and kitchens. This play gives the unsung heroes of America a song to sing. A big thanks to all those who keep us healthy and safe.
I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to grow as an educator and theatre practitioner. Putting on a musical in a pandemic was not a simple task, but my team and I were able to rise above any challenge we were faced with, giving our students an experience that none of us will soon forget. Many thanks to all who supported this production, our dedicated cast and crew, and to you, our audience, for the opportunity to join with you in the magic of theatre again.
Theatre informs, theatre cultivates, theatre heals. #supportthearts
Fay Gerbes Pacht
