Like Studs Terkel himself, the musical “Working,” based on his book of interviews, celebrates men and women from all walks of life.
Some characters love their work, others hate it—but either way, the 1-hour-40-minute, no-intermission show explores the many ways that work can give meaning to our lives.
In this revised version of the ‘70s musical, a virtuosic 6-person cast morphs from character to character, often with startling juxtapositions: One actor plays the steel worker toiling on the office building, then the money manager inside of it; another plays a housewife, then a hooker—with all the costume changes made on stage with the help of stage hands (the other starring workers).
The monologues are hilarious, touching and eye-opening. The array of jobs includes office workers in cubicles, a waitress, a flight attendant, a fireman, a receptionist, an aspiring hedge fund manager, an aspiring journalist, a teacher, a truck driver, a socialite, a factory worker and a stone-layer. The audience learns their motivations and aspirations, joys and disappointments.
Unfortunately, the songs often weren’t as vivid, snappy or funny as the speaking parts—despite the songwriting talents of numerous stars, including Stephen Schwartz (who wrote the music for “Wicked”) and James Taylor. You won’t come out of the production humming a tune—there’s no “Defying Gravity” in this show.
Taking Terkel’s legacy even farther, you can stay after select productions for Terkel-esque discussions with “Local Heroes,” moderated by Chicago journalists, and you can opt for a portion of your ticket price to benefit the locals’ favorite charities. Like the best journalism and theater, “Working” takes theatergoers out of themselves and into other people’s lives.
“Working” runs through June 5. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or by calling 312-977-1700.
