FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stephen Schwartz, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Director Gordon Greenberg collaborating
ON RE-IMAGINED “WORKING” FOR ASOLO REP
March 27, 2008 (SARASOTA, FL) – Stephen Schwartz, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Director Gordon Greenberg are collaborating on a re-imagined production of WORKING A Musical to be produced by Asolo Rep in Sarasota. Schwartz and Miranda are contributing new material to the show.
Asolo Rep’s Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards – “We are proud and honored to bring together such an award-winning group of artists to breathe new creative life into such a beloved work. The creative team is brilliant. They are all at the top of their game and extremely talented. This new version of WORKING is fresh and dynamic; it pulses with the energy and rhythm of today.”
Asolo Rep’s production of WORKING will be directed by Gordon Greenberg and choreographed by Joshua Rhodes; with music direction by Mark Hartman, scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Mattie Ullrich, lighting design by Jeff Croiter, and projection design by Aaron Rhyne & Beowulf Boritt.
WORKING already features the work of musical high-achievers such as Stephen Schwartz, James Taylor, Micki Grant, Craig Carnelia, and Mary Rodgers. And the revamped production will featurenew music by Broadway’s rising star, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who was recently lauded for his big hit In the Heights.
Casting for the show has just been finalized and discloses a substantially smaller group of actors than the original version of WORKING. The cast of six includes Marie-France Arcilla, Darrin Baker, Colin Donnell, Danielle Lee Greaves, Nehal Joshi, and Liz McCartney.
Says Gordon Greenberg about the production, “It’s amazing. Terkel’s hugely popular exploration of ‘the extraordinary dreams of ordinary people’ is still as relevant as ever and full of insights. Stephen and I have been talking about doing a pared down production of WORKING for the past eight years, even before we began working on The Baker’s Wife. Using only six transformative actors, the idea was to expose the bones of the production itself, allowing the audience a glimpse into the actors’, stage managers, and crew’s processes. With Lin-Manuel creating additional material and Asolo Rep to launch the new production, we’ve found the ideal circumstances to finally realize this vision.”
Rehearsals commence in Florida on April 22, with previews on May 14 and 15, 2008. Opening night is on May 16th at 8:00 p.m. with a "mingle with the stars" champagne afterparty following the performance. The show runs Tuesday to Sunday through June 8, 2008.
Tickets ($10 - $56) are available by calling the Box Office at 1-800-361-8388 or going to the Asolo Rep website at www.asolo.org. This is an Asolo Rep production in the MERTZ Theatre at 5555 North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, Florida.
SYNOPSIS
Do you love your job? Or can you not wait to punch out at the end of the day? Are you ecstatic to go to work every morning? Or do you prefer the ease of retirement? Working explores the gamut of people’s emotions about their jobs. This well-loved musical based on the writings of Studs Terkel remains a witty and timely commentary on how work defines the worker’s self-worth and cultural legacy. This inventive re-imagining of a powerful and emotional audience favorite features characters from all walks of life ranging from trucker to housewife, waitress to corporate executive, fireman to schoolteacher, and more. With such a wide cross-section of characters, you’ll surely feel that at least one of them is singing your song.
DIRECTOR’S NOTE by Gordon Greenberg
When I first read Studs Terkel’s book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, I was struck by its honesty and simplicity. Terkel managed to capture and catalogue a cross section of Americans talking about their jobs in the most candid ways. Before the advent of reality television, this was a revelation. It elevated the every day thoughts of working people to the level of drama.
In their descriptions of what they did for a living, the people who contributed to the book Working conveyed a sense of longing – a yearning to know that their jobs were significant beyond just their paychecks. Ultimately, it became clear that all of them shared the same desire -- to leave a mark on the world. From the waitress who sees herself as a star to the banker who believes that he works harder than anyone else, they all seemed to have a very human longing for relevance.
In 1978, a musical based on Terkel’s book appeared on Broadway. With a cast of 17 and fully realized scenic and costume elements, it was a knock-out presentation. The show struck a chord in theatregoers, who were not yet accustomed to what we now recognize as documentary theatre. WORKINGbecame a staple of academic theatre departments across the country, based on its diverse array of characters, excellent score and, ultimately, its humanity.
It is that core humanity that inspires this new production of WORKING. In paring down the cast size to six, we are able to focus more clearly on the distinct characters and the craft of acting. As the actors transform right in front of us on stage, we are reminded that they too are people at work. In further exposing the “bones” of the production – from the stage manager to members of the crew – we seek to include the audience in the very process of theatre.
WORKING is a celebration of the human spirit and the search for meaning in what we do for a living. This production honors all the people who make the show possible – from the people you see on stage, to the hundreds of people who got them there, to the people who put this program together. As the last song in the show says, “Everyone should have something to point to.” Indeed!
About Asolo Rep: Asolo Repertory Theatre, the premier professional theatre of the state of Florida, has become one of the most important cultural forces in the Southeastern United States. Entering its 50th season, Asolo Rep continues its mission to entertain, engage, and inspire audiences through the highest quality productions of classical, contemporary, and newly commissioned work all performed in rotating repertory.
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Click here to download the press kit for WORKING
Asolo Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Department of State, the Florida Arts Council, the City and County of Sarasota and the Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax through the Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council and the Sarasota County Arts Council. Funding is also received through efforts of support groups including the Asolo Angel Association, the Asolo Theatre Guild, the Directors Emeritus and the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations.