Review: Underdone Gem WORKING Shows Off the Working Class at Showtunes

It's something most of us have to do at least 5 days a week, go to work. So you'd think a musical about folks and their working lives would resonate more. But the musical "Working", despite being loved by musical theater nerds, never really caught on. In fact it only ran for 24 performances on Broadway back in 1978. But thankfully the folks at Showtunes have done what they do and dusted this one off for a weekend so more people can discover how wonderful it is.

Based on interviews from various working people in the Studs Terkel book "Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do", the show is little more than a review as there's no plot or story just monologues and songs from people telling about life at their jobs. There are stories of caregivers, firemen, migrant farm workers, businessmen, cleaning women, waitresses and yes, a housewife. And despite having contributions from so many different sources, with a book by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, music by Schwartz, Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Mary Rodgers, and James Taylor, and lyrics by Schwartz, Carnelia, Grant, Taylor, and Susan Birkenhead, the show keeps a remarkably consistent tone throughout. Even more remarkable since it's been updated over the years including a few more recent songs from Lin Manuel Miranda back in 2009.

And Showtunes along with director Timothy McCuen Piggee have dutifully brought us all of the songs from the show from over the years including some which haven't been done since 1978. And of course they've brought together some amazing talent from around Seattle who rehearse for only about 24 hours to put this concert up for you over a weekend.

The incredible cast featuring Corinna Lapid Munter, Cheryl Massey-Peters, Frances Leah King, Alexandria Henderson, Iris Elton, Anne Allgood, John X. Deveney, Nick Clawson, Allan Barlow, Matt Giles, Dominic Micheal Lewis, J Reese, and Nicholas Ponting brought tons of heart and honor to the various workers they portrayed. I especially want to call out a few who really wowed. Frances Leah King was fantastic as she showed there's a lot more to her job than "Just a Housewife". Iris Elton was hilarious as she explained "It's an Art" to be a waitress. Alexandria Henderson brought the place down as a supermarket checker in "I'm Just Movin'". And I may not have known what Dominic Michael Lewis was singing in the Spanish "Un Mejor Dia Vendora" as a farm worker but it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. And those are just my favorites in a show that I'm sure shines in different places for different people.

It was truly a lovely way to spend a Mother's Day listening to these incredible talents. And so with my three letter rating system I give Showtunes' "Working" a hard working YAY. But then working hard to produce the goods is what Showtunes does.

"Working" from Showtunes performed at Benaroya Hall on May 7th and 8th. For more information on future Showtunes concerts visit them online at www.showtunestheatre.org.

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