For its fall performance this year, the theatre department will be presenting “Working,” a compilation piece about the lives of workers within a community. The production is directed by Marilee Mahler, who brought in her son, Mike Mahler, a BSM alum, to help the cast out during rehearsal in early October.
“Working” differs from traditional productions due to the diverse set of characters throughout the show and due to the structure; it is performed in a series of vignettes instead of the traditional specific plot line. “It’s really individual, rather than having to put together these huge cast numbers,” junior Lexi Johnson said.
The play isn’t only unique in terms of the cast, but also the resources the cast has used, like bringing Mike Mahler, a Northwestern University graduate who was a cast member of the original revival of “Working” when it was performed in Chicago.
Mike Mahler’s helped the BSM drama department create their own version of the musical by visiting and working with the cast one day to improve the production. “I love it, I was initially skeptical about the show, and how it would work, but in the end, I really enjoy being in it,” junior Danny Faber said.
Mahler, an aspiring composer, used his musical talents to infuse the original songs in “Working” with some of his own pieces in order to fill the void for the inappropriate content that needed to be edited. With songs like “Starbucks” about a mediocre actress gone sassy barista, to “Peter Parker’s Lament” about Spiderman’s actual hopes for his life, Mahler’s love for music is apparent throughout the performance.
Tickets cost $10 for adults, $6 for students and senior citizens, and are free for children under five; they can be bought either online or at the box office before the show. The shows are October 26 and 27 at 7 pm and October 28 at 2 pm. “Come and see it; it’s actually a really interesting show,” Faber said.
