Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: New Jersey

Women's Theater Working Unalloyed Pleasure
Women's Theater Company

Also see Bob's reviews of Date of a Lifetime and Pinkolandia


Scott McGowan, Debra Lynch, Joe Elfante, Lea Antolini-Lid, Brittany Goodwin and Danny Arnold
Serendipity has struck at New Jersey's Women's Theatre where the Women's Theater Company's production of Working, Stephen Schwartz' 1978 musical adaptation of Studs Terkel's 1974 book based on his interviews with working Americans.

The book has been incisively revised by the director Gordon Greenberg to reflect the concerns which a contracted job market with declining economy opportunities has brought about in America (the time is specified as 2010), while retaining the expressions of the spirit of pride and hope and expectation for the future which Terkel celebrates in his book. To this end, the song stack of musical stories has been somewhat revised and updated. In addition to the retained classic songs by Stephen Schwartz, Craig Carnelia, Mickey Grant, James Taylor, and Mary Rodgers and Susan Birkenhead, there are two new songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

From the rousing opening ensemble song, "All The Live Long Day" (Schwartz) which incorporates excerpts from Walt Whitman's "I Hear America Singing," we are on a warm and stirring evening-long journey through the hearts and minds of American workers.

All of the six singer-actors provide rich, carefully delineated portraits for each of their multiple roles. Debra Lynch is impressive both in the scope and diversity of her characterizations and her strong vocal interpretations. Her Rose Hoffman is a conscientious veteran school teacher who finds that she cannot effectively cope with a new, less motivated generation of students as she sadly laments that "Nobody Tells Me How" (Rodgers-Birkenhead). In rich contrast, Lynch also conveys the insuppressible joy which bubbles up in a hotel cleaning lady at the thought of the future that her daughter will be able to have because of her labor as she sings the delightful "Cleanin' Women" (Micki Grant).

Lea Antolini-Lea stops the show cold as a proud waitress who knows that "It's an Art" (Schwartz) to be a good one, but doesn't always get the respect that she deserves. Throughout, Antolini demonstrates the strong, melodic singing which she has always brought to local stages, but her dancing comedic performance is the work of a most talented comedienne. Brittany Goodwin fully conveys the perseverance, sadness and despair of grinding factory work without hope for change as she describes her "Millwork" (James Taylor).

Joe Elefante captures the bittersweet and moving "Fathers and Sons" (Schwartz), and as "Joe" (Craig Carnelia), a retired shipping clerk, Elefante subtly performs a thought-provoking short story. Scott McGowan sings movingly of the pride in work which "The Mason" (Carnelia) feels in the house which he builds, and recreates the rhythms of life on the highway in his "Brother Trucker" (James Taylor), bringing a lively presence to his many roles. Danny Arnold quickly moves Working into high gear by capturing the joy of a young man getting his first job in "Delivery" (Lin-Manuel Miranda).

Director Barbara Krajkowski and musical stager Lauren Moran Mills maintain a strong and smooth pace, fully integrating what could be an episodic show into a cohesive and deeply involving experience. Together with music director Warren Helms, an enviably accomplished musical artist, and a strong cast, Krajkowski and Mills have brought a freshness to the musical interpretations. Brian Grace's multiple costumes unobtrusively lend individuality to the gallery of workers represented.

The intimate setting and the terrific acoustics of the space allow us to hear the musical program unamplified and with an intimate detail which is of considerable value to the evening's success.

The terrific choral ensemble performance of the stirring and inspiring finale "Something to Point To" (Carnelia) is the final highpoint of a delightful evening in the theatre whose quality would do honor to any theatre company.

Working continues performances (Friday and Saturday 8 pm/ Sunday 3 pm) through March 23, 2014, at the Women's Theatre Company at the Parsippany Arts Center, 1130 Knoll Road, Lake Hiawatha. Box Office: 973-316-3033 / online: womenstheater.org/.

Working, a musical from the book by Studs Terkel adapted by Stephen Schwartz with additional contributions by Gordon Greenberg. Songs by Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers, Susan Birkenhead and Stephen Schwartz. Directed by Barbara Krajkowski.

Cast:
Lea Antolini-Lid, Danny Arnold, Joe Elefante, Brittany Goodwin/
Debra Lynch, Scott McGowan


Photo: Courtesy of Women's Theatre Company


- Bob Rendell