Working! A Musical

Working! A Musical

Dates:
April – 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 – 2022
May – 1 – 2022

Directed by:
Dr. Alma Martinez

Short Synopsis:
In 1974, Studs Terkel brought interviews of common U.S. working-class people to the national forefront for the first time in history. His best-selling book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do (1974) inspired the making of Working! A Musical that premiered at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in 1977 and opened on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre in 1978. Louis “Studs” Terkel (1912 – 2008) was a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, historian, broadcaster, and social activist best remembered for his passion for improving the lives of working-class people. In 1953, he was investigated by the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee and blacklisted, as were many influential liberals of that time, after refusing to testify against friends and colleagues. Working! A Musical, updated in 2012, paints a timeless portrait of our U.S. labor force, many of whom are “frontline workers” that are often taken for granted: the cleaning woman, school-teacher, food delivery worker, elder care worker, waitress, factory worker, farmworker, housewife, among others. Their candid interviews first recorded by Terkel and, the accompanying music and lyrics written by Stephen Schwartz, Nina Faso, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, among others, tells their stories that in the end reveal the universality of our shared humanity. Today, our workers are struggling to survive in the wake of; historic rising inflation rates; shelter and healthcare insecurity; racial profiling, violence, and lack of judicial parity for Americans of color; and the COVID pandemic, that has touched every corner of all our lives. Yet, amid these crises, workers are emerging more empowered than at any other time in history demanding equitable living wages, humane working conditions, the right to unionize and the right to be treated with dignity and respect. This play honors and celebrates these workers and stands in solidarity with the workers and people of Ukraine who are fighting for their right to exist as a nation and to live free and in peace.

Thank you for joining us on our latest journey. Enjoy the show!

Cast:
“All The LiveLong Day” – Ensemble
Mike Dillard, Ironworker – Robby Meredith
Rex Winship, Hedge Fund Manager – Aleena Maestas
Amanda McKenny, Project Manager – Reese Oliver
Cubicle Workers – Claire Ng, Vincent Briseño, Katelyn Graham
“Delivery” *, Freddy Rodriguez – Mitchell Calderilla
“Nobody Tells Me How”*/ Rose Hoffman – Julieta Del Toro
“Just a Housewife”*, Kate Rushton – Amber Napoli
Roberta Victor, Sex Worker – Aleena Maestas
Spirit Weaver – Claire Ng
Candy Cottingham, Socialite – Reese Oliver
Ali Epstein, Union Organizer – Aleena Maestas
“Mill Work” *, Grace Clemente – Hannah Steinmann
“Stone Mason”, Anthony Coelho – Robby Meredith
Terry Mason, Flight Attendant – Claire Ng
“Brother Trucker” *, Caroline Deck – Natalie
Jennifer Diaz, Tech Support – Aleena Maestas
Sharon Atkins, Receptionist – Hannah Steinmann
“It’s an Art” *, Dolores Dante – Amber Napoli
Esperanza Hernandez, Farmworker – Julieta Del Toro
Dina Stone, Firefighter – Hannah Steinmann
Brian Reed, Fire Lead Man – Robby Meredith
Unemployed Students – Vincent Briseño, Claire Ng, Natalie Torres-Cruz
“A Very Good Day” Amelia Ruiz Trujillo, Theresa – Amber Napoli, Julieta Del Toro w/ Katelyn Graham
Student Workers – Mitchell Calderilla, Aleena Maestas
“Cleaning Women” *, Sofía De La Cruz – Vincent Briseño
Epilogue – Katelyn. Graham, Mitchell Calderilla, Amber Napoli, Natalie Torres-Cruz, Vincent Briseño, Robby Meredith
“All the LiveLong Day” * Reprise – Ensemble

Production Team:
Dr. Alma Martinez – Director
Erica Lopez-Elwell – Assistant Musical Director/ Conductor
Ariel Pisturino – Musical Director
Roger Castellano * – Choreographer
Justin Huen – Set Design
Joey Guthman – Light Design
Abel Alverado – Costume Design
Frida Trujillo – Audio Engineer/Sound Design
Zach DeChance – Piano Accompanist
Caitlyn Hayne – Stage Manager
Timmia Patterson – 1st ASM, Union Flier Art Design
Alexis Rivera – 2nd ASM
Johnpaul Ortiz – Projection Design/Videography
Olivia Juarez – Prop Lead
Vincent Briseno – Costume Assistant/Hair & Make-Up
Aleena Maestas – Hair & Make-Up
Samantha Miller – Public Relations
Nick McLean – House Manager/Box Office
Katelyn Valdovino – Program/Eventbrite & QR Code Design
Alan Tollefson – Technical Director/Master Carpenter

Department of Theatre Arts
Tom Ontiveros – Chair, Assistant Professor
Dr. Alma Martinez – Associate Professor
Sean Dillon – Professor
Matt Hill – Adjunct Professor
Dr. David Flaten – Professor Emeritus
Alan Tollefson – Technical Director
William Clague – Senior Adjunct Professor
Steven Kent (1992-2016) – Director of Theatre
Music Department – Dr. Reed Gratz, Professor

With Gratitude
Lydia Fonseca – General Manager Sodexo/ULV
Beck Farraj – General Manager/ULV – Bon Appetit Mana Company
Raffi Zinzalian – General Manager – Graphic Services/ULV

Department of Theatre Arts
Work-Study & Students
Enrolled in:
Intro to Stagecraft & Production Experience
ULV Campus Center – Events Office

The Lozano Family
The Juarez Family