''Working'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

with a book by

Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin'' (1972), and ''Wicked'' (20 ...

and Nina Faso, music by Schwartz,

Craig Carnelia Craig Carnelia (born 1949) is an American musical theater composer and singer, known for his collaboration on the musicals '' Working'' and ''Sweet Smell of Success''. Biography Carnelia grew up in Floral Park, New York. He was exposed to Broadw ...

Micki Grant Micki Grant (born Minnie Louise Perkins, June 30, 1929 – August 22, 2021) was an American singer (soprano), actress, writer, and composer. She performed in '' Having Our Say'' (as Sadie Delaney), '' Tambourines to Glory'' and '' Jericho-Jim Cr ...

Mary Rodgers Mary Rodgers (January 11, 1931 – June 26, 2014) was an American composer, screenwriter, and author who wrote the novel '' Freaky Friday'', which served as the basis of a 1976 film starring Jodie Foster, for which she wrote the screenplay, as ...

, and

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

, 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.

Productions

The musical was first staged at the

Goodman Theatre Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of the Chicago theatre scene, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization. Part of its present theater complex occupies the lan ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

from December 1977 through February 1978. It then was produced on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

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

choreographed Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

Onna White Onna White (March 24, 1922 – April 8, 2005) was a Canadian choreographer and dancer, nominated for eight Tony Awards. Early life and career Born in Inverness, Nova Scotia, White began taking dance lessons at the age of twelve, and eventual ...

, with a cast featuring

Patti LuPone Patti Ann LuPone (born April 21, 1949) is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of Fa ...

Bob Gunton Robert Patrick Gunton Jr. (born November 15, 1945) is an American character actor of stage and screen. He is known for playing strict authoritarian characters, including Warden Samuel Norton in the 1994 prison drama '' The Shawshank Redemption'' ...

Joe Mantegna Joseph Anthony Mantegna (, ; born November 13, 1947) is an American actor. Mantegna began his career on stage in 1969 in the Chicago production of the musical ''Hair''. He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Joseph Jeffe ...

Lynne Thigpen Cherlynne Theresa Thigpen (December 22, 1948 – March 12, 2003) was an American actress of stage and screen. She was known for her role as "The Chief" of ACME Crimenet in the game show '' Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?'' and various spi ...

, David Patrick Kelly, Robin Lamont, Steven Boockvor,

Rex Everhart Rex Everhart (June 13, 1920 – March 13, 2000) was an American film and theatre actor. Everhart appeared in such films as '' Superman'', in 1978. He was also known for his role as Enos the Truck-Driver in the horror film, '' Friday the 13th ...

Bobo Lewis Barbara "Bobo" Lewis (May 14, 1926 – November 6, 1998) was an American comedic actress of film, musical theatre, stage and television. Born in Miami, Florida, Lewis studied acting and won a Drama Desk Award in 1978 for portraying a teacher ...

Lenora Nemetz Lenora Nemetz is an American stage and musical theatre actress. Career Nemetz left her native Pittsburgh as a teenager to work on Broadway. Her Broadway debut was in ''Cabaret''. A protégé of Bob Fosse, Nemetz first came to the attention of ...

Brad Sullivan Bradford Ernest Sullivan (November 18, 1931 – December 31, 2008) was an American character actor on film, stage and television. He was best known for playing the killer Cole in ''The Sting'', hockey goon Mo Wanchuk in '' Slap Shot'', mobster G ...

, Matt Landers,

David Smyrl David Langston Smyrl (September 13, 1935 – March 22, 2016), sometimes credited professionally as David L. Smyrl, was an American actor and television writer. He was best known for his role of Mr. Handford, the fictional retired firefighter who ...

Terri Treas Terri is an alternative spelling of Terry. It is a common feminine given name and is also a diminutive for Teresa. Notable people with the name include: *Terri Allard (born 1962), American country/folk singer/songwriter * Terri S. Armstrong, Ame ...

Matt McGrath Matthew John "Matt" McGrath (December 28, 1875 – January 29, 1941) was a member of the Irish American Athletic Club, the New York Athletic Club, and the New York City Police Department. At the time of his death at age 64, he attained the ran ...

and

Arny Freeman Arny Freeman (August 28, 1908 —February 13, 1986) was a Chicago-born American character actor. He appeared in commercials, television series episodes, Broadway plays, and motion pictures; he was also credited as Arnie Freeman and as Arnold Fre ...

, 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 The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

series ''

American Playhouse ''American Playhouse'' is an American anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Overview It premiered on January 12, 1982, with ''The Shady Hill Kidnapping'', written and narrated by John Cheever an ...

'', directed by Schwartz and

Kirk Browning Kirk Browning (March 28, 1921 – February 10, 2008) was an American television director and producer who had hundreds of productions to his credit, including 185 broadcasts of '' Live from Lincoln Center''. Born in New York City, Browning drop ...

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 this century. The musical has undergone several revisions. In March 1999, it was presented at

Long Wharf Theater Long Wharf Theatre is a nonprofit institution in New Haven, Connecticut, a pioneer in the not-for-profit regional theatre movement, the originator of several prominent plays, and a venue where many internationally known actors have appeared. Fou ...

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

, with direction by

Christopher Ashley Christopher Ashley (born July 6, 1964) is an American stage director. Since 2007, he has been the artistic director of the La Jolla Playhouse. Career Ashley graduated from Yale University in 1986, with a Bachelor of Art in Theatre.

. A further revised version opened at the

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place is operated by Broadway In Chicago, a Nederlander subsidiary. Located at Water Tower Place in Chicago, Illinois, it was formerly known as Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place. It was reopened in 2004 and ...

, Chicago, starting in February 2011 in previews through June, with direction and revisions by

Gordon Greenberg Gordon Greenberg (born 1969) is a stage director, a theater and television writer, and an Artistic Associate at The New Group. Education Greenberg attended Stanford University and NYU Film School Tisch School of the Arts, as well as The Lincoln ...

. The cast features Gene Weygandt, Barbara Robertson, Emjoy Gavin, and E. Faye Butler. The production opened

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

at the 59E59 Theaters on December 12, 2012, after previews which started on December 1, 2012. Again directed by

, it won a special ensemble

Drama Desk Awards The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...

the cast features Joe Cassidy,

Donna Lynne Champlin Donna Lynne Champlin (born January 21, 1971) is an American actress, dancer and singer from New York City. She is best known for playing Paula Proctor on The CW comedy-drama series ''Crazy Ex-Girlfriend''. Early life Champlin was born in Rochest ...

, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Nehal Joshi and Kenita Miller. It had "developmental productions" directed by

Asolo Repertory Theatre The Asolo Repertory Theatre or Asolo Rep (AKA: Asolo Theatre Company, Inc.) is a professional theater in Sarasota, Florida. It is the largest Actors' Equity Association, Equity theatre in Florida, and the largest Repertory, Repertory theatre in t ...

Sarasota, Florida Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sout ...

in May 2008 and at the

Old Globe Theatre The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons. Plays are performed in three separate theatres in the complex, which i ...

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

, California, in March 2009. Schwartz revised the musical with Greenberg, which includes two new songs written by

Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker. He is known for creating the Broadway musicals ''Hamilton'' (2015) and ''In the Heights'' (2005), and the soundtracks for the Disney animate ...

. The show's Asian premiere was in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

, performed by

LASALLE College of the Arts LASALLE College of the Arts (informally LASALLE) is a publicly-funded post-secondary arts institution, planned to be a constituent college of the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS) by 2024 along with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Sing ...

at the Creative Cube in September 2011. The show's European premier was in London at the

Southwark Playhouse Southwark Playhouse is a theatre in London, located between Borough and Elephant and Castle tube stations. History The Southwark Playhouse Theatre Company was founded in 1993 by Juliet Alderdice and Tom Wilson. They identified the need for a h ...

, from 2 June to 8 July 2017.

Synopsis

Act 1

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).

Act 2

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).

Musical numbers

;Broadway Production ;Act One *“All the Livelong Day” – Company ''(Stephen Schwartz)'' *“Lovin' Al” – Al Calinda and Ensemble ''(Micki Grant)'' *“The Mason” – Male Soloist ''(Craig Carnelia)'' *“Neat to Be a Newsboy” – John Rushton and Newsboys ''(Schwartz)'' *“Nobody Tells Me How” - Rose Hoffman ''(Mary Rodgers & Susan Birkenhead)'' *“Treasure Island Trio” – Danced by three female Dance Soloists ''(Michele Brourman)'' *“''Un Mejor Día Vendrá''” – Emilio Hernández and Migrant Workers ''(James Taylor, Graciela Daniele & Matt Landers)'' *“Just a Housewife - Kate Rushton and Housewives ''(Carnelia)'' *“Millwork” – Female Soloist and two Male Backup Singers ''(Taylor)'' *“Nightskate” – Danced by Marco Camerone ''(Brourman & Schwartz)'' *“Joe” – Joe Zutty ''(Carnelia)'' *“If I Could've Been” - Company ''(Grant)'' ;Act Two *“It's an Art” - Delores Dante and Customers ''(Schwartz)'' *“Brother Trucker” - Dave McCormick, Frank Decker and two Male Backup Singers ''(Taylor)'' *“Husbands and Wives” – Danced by Booker & Lucille Page, Will & JoAnn Robinson, Tim & Carla Devlin and Other Couples ''(Brourman)'' *“Fathers and Sons” – Male Soloist ''(Schwartz)'' *“Cleanin' Women” - Maggie Holmes ''(Grant)'' *“Something to Point To” - Company ''(Carnelia)'' ;Original Licensed Version *“All the Livelong Day” – Company ''(Stephen Schwartz)'' *“Traffic Jam” – Company ''(James Taylor)'' *“Lovin' Al” – Al Calinda and Ensemble ''(Micki Grant)'' *“Nobody Tells Me How” - Rose Hoffman ''(Mary Rodgers & Susan Birkenhead)'' *“I’m Just Movin’” – Babe Secoli and two Other Checkers ''(Schwartz)'' *“''Un Mejor Dia Vendra''” – Roberto Nunez and Migrant Workers ''(Taylor, Graciela Daniele & Matt Landers)'' *“Just a Housewife - Kate Rushton ''(Craig Carnelia)'' *“Millwork” – Grace Clements and Millworkers ''(Taylor)'' *“If I Could've Been” - Company ''(Grant)'' *“The Mason” – Male Soloist ''(Carnelia)'' *“Brother Trucker” – Frank Decker, Dave McCormick and Truckers ''(Taylor)'' *“It's an Art” - Delores Dante and Customers ''(Schwartz)'' *“Joe” – Joe Zutty ''(Carnelia)'' *“Cleanin' Women” - Maggie Holmes ''(Grant)'' *“Fathers and Sons” – Mike Dillard ''(Schwartz)'' *“Something to Point To” – Company ''(Carnelia)'' ;2012 Revised Version *“All the Livelong Day” – Company ''(Stephen Schwartz)'' *“Delivery” – Freddy Rodriguez and Ensemble ''(Lin-Manuel Miranda)'' *“Nobody Tells Me How” - Rose Hoffman ''(Mary Rodgers & Susan Birkenhead)'' *“Brother Trucker” – Frank Decker and Ensemble ''(James Taylor)'' *“Just a Housewife - Kate Rushton ''(Craig Carnelia)'' *“Millwork” – Grace Clements and Millworkers ''(Taylor)'' *“If I Could've Been” - Company ''(Micki Grant)'' *“The Mason” – Male Soloist ''(Carnelia)'' *“It's an Art” - Delores Dante and Customers ''(Schwartz)'' *“Joe” – Joe Zutty ''(Carnelia)'' *“A Very Good Day” – Utkarsh Trajillo and Theresa Liu ''(Miranda)'' *“Cleanin' Women” - Maggie Holmes & Cleaning Women ''(Grant)'' *“Fathers and Sons” – Mike Dillard ''(Schwartz)'' *“Something to Point To” – Company ''(Carnelia)''

Characters (in alphabetical order)

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'' * Sharon Atkins, receptionist * Charlie Blossom, ex-copyboy * Al Calinda, parking lot attendant ''(Not featured in the 2012 revised version)'' * Grace Clements, millworker * Anthony Coelho, stonemason ''(Anthony Palazzo in the Broadway production)'' * Candy Cottingham, fundraiser ''(Not featured in the Broadway production)'' * Delores Dante, waitress * Frank Decker, interstate trucker * Mike Dillard, ironworker ''(Mike LeFevre, steelworker, in the Broadway production)'' * Rose Hoffman, schoolteacher * Maggie Holmes, cleaning woman * Heather Lamb, telephone operator ''(Not featured in the 2012 revised version)'' * Terry Mason, flight attendant ''(Not featured in the original licensed version)'' * Dave McCormick, interstate trucker ''(Not featured in the 2012 revised version)'' * Amanda McKenny, project manager ''(Not featured in the Broadway production)'' * Tom Patrick, fireman * Kate Rushton, housewife * Babe Secoli, supermarket checker ''(Not featured in the 2012 revised version)'' * Conrad Swibel, UPS deliveryman ''(Gas meter reader in the Broadway production)'' * Roberta Victor, prostitute * Ralph Werner, salesman * Rex Winship, corporate executive ''(Herb Rosen in the Broadway production)'' * Joe Zutty, retired * "The Mason" Soloist Characters featured in the Broadway production only * Benny Blue, bar pianist * Marco Camerone, hockey player * Tim Devlin, salesman * Carla Devlin, his wife * John Fortune, advertising copy chief * Emilio Hernández, migrant worker * Barbara Herrick, agency vice-president * Bud Jonas, football coach * Brett Meyer, box boy * Cathleen Moran, hospital aide * Booker Page, seaman * Lucille Page, his wife * Will Robinson, bus driver * JoAnne Robinson, his wife * John Rushton, newsboy * Fran Swenson, hotel switchboard operator * Jill Torrance, model * Nora Watson, editor * Diane Wilson, secretary Characters featured in the original licensed version only * Enid Dubois, telephone solicitor * Roberto Núñez, box boy/migrant worker Characters featured in the 2012 revised version only * Raj Chadha, tech support * Allen Epstein, community organizer * Eddie Jaffe, publicist * Theresa Liu, nanny * Freddy Rodríguez, fast food worker * Utkarsh Trajillo, eldercare worker

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

References

External links

The Official Stephen Schwartz fan site: All about WorkingInternet Broadway Database listingInternet Movie Database listing
*
Working
' (2012 revised version) at the Music Theatre International website {{DEFAULTSORT:Working 1978 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals inspired by real-life events Musicals by Stephen Schwartz