Working

Book by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso adapted from a book of interviews with American workers by Studs Terkel. Music and lyrics by Craig Carnelia (THE MASON; JOE; SOMETHING TO POINT TO; JUST A HOUSEWIFE), Micki Grant (LOVIN’ AL; IF I COULD’VE BEEN; CLEANIN’ WOMAN), Stephen Schwartz (ALL THE LIVELONG DAY; NIGHTSKATE; IT’S AN ART; FATHERS AND SONS; NEAT TO BE A NEWSBOY) and James Taylor (MILLWORK; BROTHER TRUCKER). Music by James Talor (UN MEJOR DIA VENDRA) and Mary Rodgers (NOBODY TELLS ME HOW). Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead (NOBODY TELLS ME HOW), Graciela Daniele (UN MEJOR DIA VENDRA) and Matt Landers (UN MEJOR DIA VENDRA). Dance and incidental music by Michele Brourman (TREASURE ISLAND TRIO; NIGHTSKATE; MILLWORK; HUSBANDS AND WIVES). The original Broadway production opened on 14 May 1978 and was directed by Stephen Schwartz, with choreogrpahy by Onna white. The production closed on 4 June 1978, running for a total of 24 performances.

Synopsis and Musical Numbers

Working is all about the American workday – from the Monday morning blues to the second shift blahs – and examines how the working public define their lives, hopes and aspirations in the context of their jobs. The musical opens to a jazzy theme song (ALL THE LIVELONG DAY). As the show unfolds, the various characters tell about themselves: the garage man who takes great pride in all the cars he parks; the stone mason who builds his walks to last (THE MASON); the frightened office of Vice President; the Newsboy (NEAT TO BE A NEWSBOY); the school teacher trying desperately to adapt to the new system (NOBODY TELLS ME HOW); the phone operators; the migrant workers whose lives are ones of severe hardship (UN MEJOR DIA VENDRA); the housewife who enjoys her job and resents those who look down on her (JUST A HOUSEWIFE); the widowed millworker who barely ekes out a living by endless production line labor, despising her job but accepting the necessity of feeding her family as fact (MILLWORK); the retiree who still enjoys his life (JOE); the waitress who has a theatrical flair and who also love her job (IT’S AN ART); the truckers (BROTHER TURCKER); the firefighter; and the soulful cleaning woman who works so her children will have a better chance in life (CLEANIN’ WOMEN).

Mini Gallery