WORKING- The book, the play, the Inspiration for a Writing Life
Saturday night I had the privilege to see the musical Working, first performed on Broadway in 1978. A bestselling book written by Studds Terkel, first published in 1974, the stories bring to life the experiences, hopes and dreams of working people in America. In 2012 the script was further updated and in this 2025 production, local stories with the use of video are also incorporated into the mix.
For me, with the controversies over immigrants and refugees working in newly adopted nations as well as the rapid downsizing of government and corporate workplaces, the script was particularly poignant. So many people work hard at their jobs, that when that work is taken away the consequences can be devastating.
Maybe you love your work or maybe you hate it, but most people work. It’s an important subject. The work they do often defines their lives. If you live in or near Maryland, come to Colonial Players in Annapolis, and see it playing weekends through March 28 th.
If you live somewhere else, the show pops up now and again at local theaters. Or you can watch the first season on Netflix of “Working: What We Do All Day” a documentary hosted by Barack Obama and inspired by Terkel’s book.
If graphic novels are more your style, check out Studs Terkel’s Working A Graphic Adaption
Working, A Graphic Adaptation by Harvey Pekar and edited by Paul Buhle, the book, came out in 2009. It demonstrates the content’s versatility to many forms.
What was particularly intriguing in the Annapolis production, was the addition of video interviews with local residents. The video interviews with “locals” further enhanced the relevance of what work means to different people . The localized format was conceived Daniel C. Levine for ACT of CT and thoughtfully edited. The show in total, featuring many rousing song and dance numbers was directed by Tom Wyatt. Ten actors: Cheryl J. Campo, Ben Carr, Kristen Cooley, Peter N. Crews, Kyle Eshom, Christian Gonzalez, Sarah Kent, Samantha Mcewen Deininger, Tia Silver and Lance Teller all performed multiple roles with verve and grace.
Colonial Players is a small theater in the round and it is a community theater where everyone volunteers. The quality of the performance was excellent. But beyond the entertainment was the theme — Working: what it means to different people.
We work to provide food and shelter for ourselves and our families. We work to make ourselves feel important. We work out of habit. We work to feel part of a team. We work for all kinds of different reasons.
WORK is Both a Noun and a Verb
A noun and a verb, some of the “work” we do may be a joyful act for one person and drudgery for another. A mother may consider childcare work and hire someone else to do it, or feel this is her favorite way to spend her time, but resent not being credited with being part of the workforce. An adult child may not want to do the work of taking care of an aging parent, but resent spending money to hire someone else to do the job.
Of all the songs, and there were many, that capture the various types of work from waitressing and construction, to driving a truck, to working in an office, my favorite was the song at the very end of the show, “Something to Point To.” It captures the collaborative nature of much of the work that is done but not necessarily recognized.
We live in a society where people like to point at things and say “I did that.” They want to get the “credit.” An important building gets built and we put someone’s name on it. We credit the architect and maybe the person or company who paid for the construction, but no one puts much thought into all the other people who worked on the project.
As a writer, I am privileged to get to put my byline on an article I write or a book I publish. But I remember, as an editor sometimes assigning an idea to a writer and discussing their project, then editing their project and selecting photos and feeling as if I’d had a part in that story, even though I didn’t directly write it. I was proud of the project, although not directly credited, I felt a part of it. Sometimes we work behind the scenes to get something done. Work, whether seen or unseen, matters.
So, I leave you with this thought, don’t forget to acknowledge those supporting workers-the folks up in the lighting booth of the theater, the costume designer and stage manager and the people out in the world you encounter; the barista, the bus driver, the check-out clerk, the person at the front desk ie. whoever makes your day easier because we’re all in this together.
(Here’s a listing of the creative team at Colonial Players for Working: Adam Daniels, Andy McLendon, Edd Miller, Kady Robshaw, Beth Terranova, and Dianne Trick Rokenbrod)
Thank you for reading and feel free to share your comments and any questions. Don’t forget your can follow me for FREE. Just sign up, and you’ll receive an email each time I publish. Speaking about work- here’s a link to an essay I wrote about my WORK as an antiques appraiser, published in Across the Margin, “ Is it Authentic?”
, If you enjoyed this post and want to support my writing, consider purchasing my little chapbook filled with short essays and poems.
Thanks again.
Originally published at http://nadjamaril.com on March 13, 2025.
