Working review

Working review

Working Review - Broadway musical

The musical is based on the bestselling work by Studs Terkel, written on the basis of many his interviews with people from the USA. The show covered the fate of more than 35 people and their attitude to what they do. Stories of people turned into individual songs. According to the author, the play was a cross between a conventional and a revue show. Broadway’s production in commercial terms was unsuccessful – a musical went off the scene in New York less than in a month, being removed from the display. Despite the failure, the show continued to live on the stage of regional theaters, as well as in student and school productions. The play has received various criticisms. Many reviewers did not like the pattern, manifested in the lyrics of compositions. Despite the fact that at the core of each song was the real story of a person, it did not help the creators of the show to avoid the stereotypes of the image of this or that profession. In 1978, the Broadway production was 6 times nominated for Tony. The musical won in 2 of 6 categories in Drama Desk.

Director Gordon Greenberg, who participated along with Stephen Schwartz in the development of a new version of the play, got acquainted with the production in the age of 13. Being in the famous theater’s camp Stagedoor Manor, aspiring young actor played the role of an adolescent-newspaperman. The performance made a strong impression on him, under the influence of which in the future director began to create his own version of the show. Eight-year work on the musical was completed in 2008. Composer and poet Lin-Manuel Miranda was also attracted to the renewal of production, writing two songs. According to Stephen Schwartz, vigorous energy of the young author added more to the spectacle’s sensitivity. The show's creators took into account current factors affecting the increase in unemployment and the emergence of new professions. Critics noted that the updated version had smooth and natural changes between the numbers, in contrast to the one of previous years. The meaning of this musical will never become obsolete, since the work will always bring people suffering and joy.
Last Update:August, 02nd 2016

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