Broadway In Chicago and the company of WORKING are pleased to announce their "Local Heroes" program, created to honor and complement the new musical WORKING, which begins previews February 15, 2011, at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut). The program is designed to pay tribute to Studs Terkel's vision of showcasing everyday people. WORKING will honor Chicago's own through post-show conversations about who they are, what they do in life and how they make a difference. These conversations will include fascinating professions from doctors to firemen, to waitresses, assistants and sanitation workers and professions from every spectrum of our lives along with cast members of WORKING.
Following select performances, notable Chicagoans will participate in these conversations including CBS' Bill Kurtis and Donna LaPietra, State Senator John Cullerton, Chicago Tribune's Sid Smith, Chicago Tribune's and WGN's Rick Kogan, NPR's Peter Sagal, host of NPR and WBEZ's "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me" and his wife Beth Albrecht Sagal, Chicago Cubs Public Address Announcer Wayne Messmer, Chef Charlie Trotter, Ramsey Lewis and more. See the full schedule at BroadwayInChicago.com. WORKING is a vital new musical based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Chicago's own Studs Terkel. Newly adapted by Stephen Schwartz (WICKED, PIPPIN and GODSPELL) from the original adaptation by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, WORKING is the working man's A CHORUS LINE. A musical exploration of 26 people from all walks of life, with songs by all-star composers Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Tony AwardTM winning Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers, Susan Birkenhead, Stephen Schwartz and Grammy AwardTM winning James Taylor. WORKING celebrates everyday people in a genuinely funny and touching way. Portrayed by some of Chicago's brightest stars including E. Faye Butler, Barbara Robertson and Gene Weygandt, Emjoy Gavino, Michael Mahler and Gabriel Ruiz, WORKING fills you with hope and inspiration and is the perfect musical for everyone who has ever worked a day in their lives.Videos