Stephen Schwartz's WORKING for the Covid Era

[macbeth]

Posted: 12/22/20 at 7:15am

https://www.playbill.com/article/how-one-university-is-transforming-stephen-schwartzs-working-for-the-covid-age

What a brilliant idea!!

[missthemountains]

Posted: 12/23/20 at 10:28pm

I applaud them for their creativity, but at that point, isn't it just a completely different show? Why not just make their own work about being essential workers during a pandemic? I dunno. I enjoyed it at Encores, but I think the original version is far superior. I think that show just also very much sounds like the 70's, and I think each version that tries to move away from that sound is sort of doing it wrong.

[temms]

Posted: 12/26/20 at 12:15pm

Normally I'm of the opinion that '70s shows should sound like '70s shows but I do think "Working" is an exception. It really feels like something that should be of the moment - I love '70s nostalgia as much as anyone but I can watch the PBS version if I really want to experience working life from 40+ years ago. It seems more in the spirit of Studs Terkel and the intention of the work to be something that people in the audience can relate to.

And in general, I think it's interesting to have a theatre piece that exists like this, in a perpetual state of change but with the root elements intact. The songs are pretty timeless for the most part so using them as an anchor to tell completely different stories each time seems really interesting to me and something you can't really do with other pieces. Giving this kind of latitude to companies producing it makes it a more interesting property and gives a different kind of opportunity to the artists than most projects. I love it.

[aliceripleyofficial]

Posted: 12/28/20 at 1:53pm

no<3

[John Adams]

Posted: 12/29/20 at 7:06am

missthemountains said: "I applaud them for their creativity, but at that point, isn't it just a completely different show? [...] but I think the original version is far superior. [...] and I think each version that tries to move away from that sound is sort of doing it wrong."

I agree, although I'm a little 'iffy' on whether/not the score is tied to a specific decade.  

I'm confused by a quote (from Schwartz, I think?) in the article, "There were more white-collar workers in the show originally [...]". Not sure what is meant by "originally"; in workshop? prior to recently revised version? I've never known of a version of the show that included white-collar workers.

The version of "Working" that I'm familiar with, and was cast in decades ago, doesn't require revision because the monologues and lyrics aren't about any singular occupation. They're about the human spirit. The occupations portrayed in the script are merely catalysts that convey/highlight that spirit. "Updating" to include COVID frontline workers (IMO) is redundant. 

Maybe some audience members would benefit by having the script 'spelled out for them' with an updated, specific example, but for me, I find that the character (the 'human spirit' - not the specific personages) of the fireman, the waitress, the cleaning women, et. al. represent the same human spirit of today's COVID frontline workers.