(photo by Brandon Parigo)
This review was written by a TeenTix KC teen who is learning about arts journalism through the Press Corps, which provides teens with training and tools to respond to their arts experiences. TeenTix KC seeks to engage teens in the arts and amplify their voices. This may be the first time this teen has publicly expressed their opinion about an arts experience. Thank you for reading and supporting this teen’s development as an arts journalist.
Working is a musical about people who work and it is really that simple. Through monologues and songs, we learn about what various people do for work.
Adapted from the book People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, Working was made using the testimonies of real people. The people who share their lives through this musical come from all walks of life. From an ironworker played by Noah Thomas Bilby to a hedge fund manager played by Anson Pollice, to a mill worker played by Laci Olberding and many more, Working makes a point to present the jobs of people from all walks of life.
What makes Working so remarkable is the ability to have the glamour and realism coexist and thrive with each other. After the opening number, it hit me how fast the glamor faded. The lighting designed by B Maruco lowered and the steelworker played by Pollice describes his job. He describes it honestly and down to earth. It’s incredible how we can see the flashing lights by B Maruco, luminous projections by Sofia Bilbao Bardier, and giant dance numbers choreographed by Shristina Burton, and in the next scene we are presented with something so real. The lives of these people are presented in a glamorous musical, but you are still forced to remember that this is their everyday life.
Everyone has a job and nobody but them knows what it takes. Working allows people to share their stories and get the recognition they deserve. Every part of your life is built on the work of many other people and the work you do can impact so many people. Working is a musical that doesn’t lie to you. Some people like their jobs. Some people don’t. Some people find their job fulfilling. Some people don’t. Some people are in a job that is perfect for them. Some people are not.
Regardless, Working aims to give people the recognition they deserve and it does a good job at that by both putting their lives into the theatre magic with songs, lights, and dance while also not lying about the realities of the various jobs people hold. How can you do anything but love a musical that speaks to something so universal? We all want recognition.
Reviewed by TeenTix KC Press Corps member Oliver Clements
TeenTix KC is a KC Studio initiative building a brighter future for our region by empowering young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, critics, influencers, advocates, patrons and leaders. Any 13-19 year-old can become a TeenTix KC member by downloading a free pass which enables them to buy $5 tickets to participating arts venues across metro KC. Teens are encouraged to become critics and influencers by writing reviews and creating reels about the arts they experience using their TeenTix KC passes.
