Previews: THE GARBOLOGISTS at Vermont Stage

This comedy-drama opens with a romp through a day in the life of two New York City sanitation workers, an intriguing and mismatched twosome that find common ground in uncommon times. On her first day working as a garbage collector, Marlowe, a Black woman with a degree from an Ivy League university, is paired with Danny, who is white and has earned his street smarts in his nine years on the job. But even as Danny’s gruffness contrasts with Marlowe’s hauteur, the daily grind they share gives them intimate insights into each other’s lives and opens the opportunity for an unlikely friendship.

“Garbologists celebrates the overlooked and undervalued – reminding us that every person’s story has dignity, and that even the most unexpected partnerships can change the way we see the world” said Artistic Director Cristina Alicea. “It’s very funny, big-hearted, and deeply human…”

The production features John Davy as Danny, and Ebonie Marie as Marlowe, and is directed by Tekla Stark. Written by Lindsey Joelle, it is based on interviews with sanitation workers at the Department of Sanitation in New York City.

For theatre-goers looking for additional depth and perspective on themes and ideas in The Garbologists, “Phoenix Picks” offers a selection of books connecting back to the play. This collection is curated by Phoenix Books in Burlington, and can be found on the Vermont Stage website, along with books chosen to complement every Vermont Stage play this season. Working by Studs Terkel “catalogs through interviews the broad and overlooked working environment of the 70’s but seems relevant today. The stories are of our parents and elders of today” said Phoenix Bookstore co-owner Michael DeSanto. Another selection, Gifts from the Garbage Truck, by Andrew Larsen, was chosen by Kristin Richland, Children’s Book Buyer, who said “When I lived in Maine, my town had an annual heavy-item pickup curbside collection period. We’d always find amazing things, from antiques to unusual housewares. It was a great education in thinking outside the box to make repairs”. Other selections include The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong, and Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman.

Lighting design is by Jamien L. Forrest, assistant stage management and wardrobe by Catherine Grace, props by Lesley Graham, stage management by John Hughes, sound design and engineering by Sadie Kraus, scenic design and technical direction by Chuck Padula, and costume design by Lauren Terry.

Stella Adler’s observation that “Theatre … is the place where people come to see the truth about life and social situations” is spot-on vis-à-vis the surprising friendship in The Garbologists, providing audiences some hopeful insights into our current times of social and economic disparity.