Singing on the job

The idea of musical theater tends to conjure images of peppy actors hamming it up with catchy songs and dance. But Working, the latest show from the Department of Theater Arts, doesn’t fall neatly into that category. It’s not a strictly traditional or contemporary musical.

The idea of musical theater tends to conjure images of peppy actors hamming it up with catchy songs and dance. But Working, the latest show from the Department of Theater Arts, doesn’t fall neatly into that category. It’s not a strictly traditional or contemporary musical.

Rather, “it’s on the cusp,” said Sarah Andrews-Collier, director of Working and chair of the Theater Arts Department.

When the play was selected for production a year ago, it was done so as a direct response to the economy, as Working focuses on the average American in his or her job. As people encounter trouble finding jobs—and keeping them—in the present economy, the play speaks to problems that many of us currently face.

Working debuted in Chicago in 1978 and minor changes have since been made to the script and music, but the essential story and structure have remained the same. The cast is made up of average Americans working blue- and white-collar jobs. A housewife, a fireman, a waitress and a trucker account for just a few of the script’s 26 roles. While some interaction between characters occurs, the play is primarily a set of monologues and songs where characters speak about their jobs.

Their comments cut to the heart of daily problems that most workers encounter: How to find deeper meaning in one’s job, how to sustain a sense of dignity in a degrading job and how to stay optimistic and honest.

Written by Stephen Schwartz—who is best known for Wicked—and Nina Faso, the play is based on a book of the same title written by Studs Terkel, first printed in 1974. Prior to writing the book, Terkel conducted countless oral interviews with average working Americans around the country. To what extent he fictionalized the resulting stories is uncertain, but it’s clear that he intended to represent the ideas and sentiments of people working lower- to middle-class jobs.

The intimacy of the songs and monologues in Working reflect the oral interviews that they were taken from. Farm workers and prostitutes give us a sense of their daily life. Cleaning women and copy boys allow us a glimpse into their relationships with their jobs. Some songs express a melancholy, such as “Nobody Tells Me How,” where a teacher laments the changing school systems and a new generation of disrespectful children. Other songs are playful and uplifting, such as the waitress’s “It’s An Art,” in which she takes pride in her work and considers it her own personal art.

There is certainly song and dance, but don’t expect canes and top hats. In contrast to showy musicals like Guys and Dolls or Chicago, Working is a more realistic, more relatable play.

A host of almost 40 talented student actors and actresses from Portland State will perform in the show. It’s the first show this year where they can show off their musical and dancing talents. Working will also feature a live band that will include bass, drums, guitar and guest musical director, Mike Van Liew, on piano.