Working the Musical

 When we were debating the package deals for becoming subscribers with Broadway in Chicago, one thing that was making us hold off was this show.  What was it?  It sounds old.  Out of date I bet.  But Stephen Schwartz did the music.  Crud.  Fine.  We'll deal if we don't like it.

Also, I had no idea about the Broadway Playhouse Theater.  I read up about it and it sounded like a nice little theater right off the Magnificent Mile.  I got the CD from the library since it looked like all copies of it in any form of media had been discontinued.  And then I proceeded to NEVER listen to it.  And I'm so glad I didn't because this was a pleasant surprise from a show!

The tagline of Working is "The perfect musical for everyone who has ever worked a day in their lives".  And this is so true.  There are countless characters that are portrayed by the six actors on stage, beginning with someone everyone recognizes, the McDonald's clerk.

The premise of Working comes from the Pulitzer Prize winning author and Chicago radio broadcaster, Studs Terkel.  Back in the 1970's he asked many people one simple question:  "What kind of work do you do?"  The variety of answers make you feel happy for some, sad and shameful for others, but most importantly it makes you think about your own life, and your own job.  Does "work" mean just your job to you?  Or is there more to it than that?  I love how this show really touched me in numerous different ways.

Before the actual show though you have to take in the Broadway Playhouse Theater.  It's amazing.  I love smaller venues - sometimes the larger ones aren't so good for shows with spoken parts in them.  And sometimes the acoustics are even bad for music.  But here it was crystal clear.  The seats were comfy and the spacing was just right that there was no bobbing of heads this way and that to be able to see the scene taking place.  The set was fascinating to watch.  Yes, I said *watch*.  It was divided up into 6 cubes that showed the behind the scenes of the actors and actresses getting ready for the show.  Also, the person that does the audio for the beginning of the show was in plain sight and we got to hear her announcements to lights, sound and cast which was neat to me because I love seeing and hearing the stuff you don't normally get to.

The show was approximately 90 minutes long and no intermission.  Which was perfect.  It moved very quickly between the characters.  We saw a trucker.  We heard a hooker sing about how her life is.  A fireman in distress about what he sees day in and day out.  A housewife (which I cringed every time I heard this term, but it was done in the 80's) sang about how she has no friends and her life is dull and never for herself.  An older teacher that couldn't connect with her kids anymore - so she use to love teaching and now loathes it and it scared of her children.  A 19 year old graduate that has a fresh new business degree and thinks he's going to conquer the world - but we all know how that turns out for most of them!  One I really loved was the older waitress.  Picture that older lady that's in the diner you love - her attitude is always chipper, she's always prompt, she's seen it all in there, and nothing will get her down!  This was someone I think about when I enter a place like IHOP such as the Bagel or Melrose Diner here in Chicago.  How does she maintain that attitude?  I would HATE doing this and she looks content.  Oh, and this "older" lady, does the splits at the end.  She's that good of a waitress!

The cast was phenomenal to say the least.  Barbara Robertson, would played the parts such as the teacher and waitress, was a hoot and can play any age young or old!  E. Faye Butler can move and be sexy and belt out those numbers.  One of the most moving numbers was by Gene Weygandt, who Chicago remembers are the Wizard in Chicago's run of Wicked.  He played a retiree who most definitely was regretting the decision of quitting work, something we all supposedly long for one day.  Basically he lost his wife, his friends, and frankly his reason for living.  And then we all wanted to go visit our grandparents after that!  Amazing job.

To sum up, this is the show I could have cared less about and it's the one I've enjoyed from this season's run the most.  From the theater itself, the premise of it, the cast, and the way it still makes me think about it at least 3-4 times a week while I'm in my own job or observing the workings of others.  I hope this goes somewhere because with our economy and job losses lately, it is as relevant today as it was 24 years ago when it first hit Broadway.

Wicked for Christmas Eve 2010

Back in 2006 when we first moved to Chicago, Wicked was in the middle of it's three year run at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts or as I call it shortly, the Oriental Theatre.  It was amazing having that downtown on State and Randolph.  The green lights all under the marquee were a sight that could not be missed while walking down State.  

And we splurged once in our 'days of poor' after first moving from small town Texas to a large city.  We got the cheapest tickets waaay in the back of the theater.  And it was worth eating cruddier food for the week!  The show was amazing and magical just as I had hoped.  After promising ourselves we had to go back again, with better seats, it kept falling behind other shows that appeared and then *poof* Wicked had left Chicago.  


But one magical Christmas season, it decided to come back for a limited holiday engagement!  And here's where we really dorked out....we already need Rock of Ages tickets as it was, and now these, so Val went the morning the tickets went on sale!  They gave away promo t-shirts to the first 50 purchasers and we scored one - which is a neat shirt since it's specifically says "Chicago" on it and it's not just the generic Wicked shirt.  Plus it's bright green and awesome.


So Christmas Eve we were finally off to see the show - and like it usually does for Christmas in Chicago, the snow started falling and it was gorgeous.  

Outside the Cadillac Palace Theater

This time Wicked was in the Cadillac Palace Theater, which we had only been in once to see Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley. It's yet another great venue in the Chicago Theater District.

As we do every show, we partook in our usually pre-show cocktails.  Although it is odd that you can bring food and drink inside theaters now. The set was about the same as it was in the Oriental Theatre, but a tad smaller.

Inside the Cadillac Palace 

With it being Christmas Eve there were loads of children and tourists in the theater.  But for this show I didn't mind.  Throughout the show there were two dressed up little girls who kept sitting up out of their chairs, but you know...we've seen this show before.  And it's Christmas.  Let them bob up and down out of excitement!


Wicked is a show I can listen to over and over again on my iPod and never get tired of it.  I have emotional attachment to a lot of the songs and it gets me either choked up or giddy listening to them.  Either way they're quite powerful.

Me outside Wicked with my free shirt!

'Defying Gravity' of course is the first act's ending song.  And it's amazing.  The first time we saw it Val said she wanted to play Elphaba just for that song (and still does).  'As Long As Your Mine' is one that makes me think of the love for my wife.  'I'm Not That Girl' takes me back to my lonely days in high school and college where I couldn't ever seem to get a date (not that I'm complaining now!  Looking back that saved me a lot of heart ache I'm sure!).  And then there's 'For Good' which was the first song I heard from Wicked and it was unfortunately sung at a friend's funeral.  She's the one I give credit too for introducing me to Broadway musicals and it was a perfect song for her at her funeral.  Now though, I don't see it quite as somber but in fact uplifting and a mature song as two friends discover they must part their separate ways.

Val with the witch hat drawing box

One thing that definitely made me smile was listening to a mother tell her son and daughter what the play was showing.  She proceeded during the intermission to talk to them about how Elphaba really isn't Wicked but that's just how people perceive her.  And then went into how we shouldn't treat someone differently just based on the way that they look.  And that most people have a huge heart and are kind.  Awwww......this was a great thing to hear at a show and during the holiday season!


All-in-all, the show wasn't *as* amazing as I recall from 2007(ish) but it was still pretty darn awesome.  I cried.  I admit it.  The songs that Stephen Schwartz did are just fantastic.  And I was a fan of the book before this came out so we've been connected for a long time!  


And now there's going to be a TV show about the book.  A series of Wicked!?  Yes please and thank you (if done well that is!)


The only way I think Wicked could possibly be better for me is if Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth reprised their roles in it.  I would buy those tickets in a heartbeat.  


But this probably won't happen....or it could.  I thought the same thing about Rent once and then this happened:

See kids?  Dreams do come true if you wait long enough!