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| WORKING 2020 Cast_Photo by Kenny Johnston |
By Joe Straw
As a young actor, I sought to do more than say the lines
with emotion. Rather pursuing further depth to a character, and accelerating
that character with a creative physical life that intrigued me. I had to know more
about the inner life, one that gives nuance and unusual mannerisms. It was important
to gather that knowledge, to build a character, and to give my monster life.
Observation, as valuable as that was, wasn’t enough
Someone recommended Studs
Terkel’s Working (1974 Pantheon Books) as a indispensable source of
information about the inner thoughts of ordinary human beings and how they
managed their working life. Every actor
should have this book in his or her library.
Whitefire Theatre in Association with the Actor’s Gym presents the
world premiere of Working 2020, a new play created by Bobby Moresco and written
by the Members of the Actor’s Gym through June 1, 2019.
Working 2020 is not really a play but an homage as well as a
series of monologues written by the members of The Actor’s Gym.
The idea here, one supposes, is to watch and consider how an
actor can convey their truth in a realistic character. And although there is a lot to be said of the
truth, there is also the question of why.
Why are the characters telling us their story? Because, they speak to a group from
experience, giving knowledge to workers, parents, or professionals. Permit me
to take a stab and imagine their audience.
There is indeed more to this, in the presentation, naytheless.
I found the night intriguing and embraced the intoxicating performances. And,
of course, I have some observations.
On a blackened stage, eleven chairs were upstage waiting for
the characters to appear, and they do – in almost a march – to their respective
seat.
Everyone tells his or her story, alone. There are some exceptions when other
performers fill in the necessary gaps to support those front and center.
The Trucker by
Beverly Leech – Directed by Robert Mangiardi
The Trucker (Maureen Teefy) fits the bill as a fifth-generation
truck driver, jean jacket and pants, boots, trucker earrings, and necklace. She’s
really small but what she lacks in size, she makes up in commitment to the job.
Maybe small is not the word, maybe fragile. But she is able to handle any given situation
on the road, the truck, and the truckers that she rides with.
This is a story for up-and-coming female truckers and survivors.
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| Tom Bower |
The Orderly written
and directed by Ryan Surratt
The Orderly (Tom Bower) has a moment to share and it’s
mostly about his work and how he is able to cope with the job of mostly
cleaning. He is an orderly first and
foremost and takes pride in his work. He can clean anything, even blood and that
includes his wife’s.
Tom Bower manages to bring the background with him, be it
that of the character or of his own life, it doesn’t really matter. The life is all there, his liquescent eyes
tell a remarkable story, his mannerisms creates a life now and all that has
come before.
And he directs his story to the ones coming in after him.
I’ve been an admirer of Ryan Surratt’s work and he does not
disappoint.
The Mother by Amanda
Moresco – Directed by Jessica Moresco
The Mother (Elizabeth Grullon) is sleek and slender and
certainly someone who is caring especially to her two-and-a-half year old
son. But her son has problems – notably
autism – and she struggles with finding a solution. Almost all days, he is a constant source of aggravation.
Being a single mother of a troubled child, she finds that just
taking the moment to be with her son makes all the difference in the world. Grullon gets to the heart of that moment and,
in doing so, creates an unforgettable character. The truth is in her simplicity
of character and the depth of her characterization. Beautiful work!
She presents her story to families that want hope in their
troubled lives.
Beautifully written by Amanda Moresco.
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| Michael Pare |
The Fireman by Robert
Mangiardi – Directed by Bobby Moresco
The Fireman (Michael Pare) lives a dream, a life of being a
fireman. It is an important job and one that people respect including family
members. But something goes awry and the father and son lives are forever
changed.
Pare gives a detail description of being a fireman almost as
though he lived it. He is stout and one can imagine him moving up stairs with
hoses, breathing apparatus, and other equipment.
In the end, the person receiving the story (the audience)
realizes the fireman is telling us the story for a reason, but we only get a
small hint of what is coming over the course of the telling.
What if he were telling his story to the families that have lost
a loved one.
The Marriage
Counselor by Howard Skora – Directed by Bob Costanza
Joe Pacheco is the marriage counselor, a cool, calm, and a
collector of sententious rhetoric to dole out to patients. He is also a giver of the truth in the ways
that he handles those couples.
Sometimes a calm discussion and pithy saying won’t work and he
hasn’t come to grips with that reality involving his wife. She angrily confronts him as he calmly discusses
their situation. She threatens to leave
him if he doesn’t throw the chair, an ultimatum for which he does not want to
engage.
Pacheco gives us the character of an educated man, one who
has worked hard to keep his composure.
And that character doesn’t give an inch, but in the end learns a
valuable lesson. Pacheco is terrific in the role.
For people who have lost their marital way.
The Hairdresser
Written, Directed and Performed by Anne DeSalvo
The Hairdresser was one of my favorites. Lucy reared by her
father, a gravedigger, teaches his daughter the importance of work. Lucy takes
the advice to be the best hairdresser in Bensonhurst. Yes, that is a goal.
Lucy gathers the courage to move up in the world and applies
for a job in a very swank salon in Manhattan.
But, her roots infiltrate the very core of her Bensonhurst character and
she is her own worst enemy pushing her to stay where she belongs.
Gathering the courage is for the group to which she speaks.
DeSalvo, complete with Brooklyn accent, lives this story in
the way she is haunted by her past. She portrays a woman who is her own worst
enemy. Her work is sublime.
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| Tonya Cornelisse |
The Writer by Krissy
Shook and Directed by Emma Barrett
This is a story of an out-of-work writer. She is an individual
who will take any job as a writer as long as she is paid. She is hired by two old porn producers to
come up with something creative. She
doesn’t and they send her on her way, well almost. She moves forward, gathering information and
creatively produces words on a page that will have her producers shivering with
delight. And, of course, she gets paid.
Tonya Cornelisse is exceptional as the writer, a woman who
is unfazed by the words of her new job. Her performance abounds with courage and a never-say-die
attitude.
She tells her story to the up and coming New York Times
journalists.
The Actor by Thomas
Polanski and Directed by Larry A. McLean
On this particular night, Thomas Polanski, as the actor, was
tense and let the words get the better of him and in an explosion of thought he
just let it all go. That helped him into
a better place.
Possibly, on another night, he will take a deep breath and
own the performance.
The Waitress by
Pauline Schantzer and Directed by Julia Hoff
Pauline Schantzer, the waitress, moved out when she was 17. Not a wise move and she knows it, because she
is working as a waitress earning $30.00 for an eight-hour shift. Self-independence
is a reckless thing when little awaits you outside your home.
One really didn’t get into the details of her job or her
life. This one needs more work. There is something more with a stronger
objective.
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| Goya Robles |
The Hustler by Goya
Robles and Directed by Javier Molina
Goya Robles is a hustler, the hustler, a Latino, casual in
his way, doing what needs to be done to help his mother so they can live
without being thrown out into the street. It’s unfortunate that that thing he
does leads him into jail.
Robles is coy in the way he tells the story, leaving out
enough of the particulars to be ambiguous, to put him in a favorable light, and
to keep his mother off the streets. A little less ambiguous and a little more
theatrical will help define and keep the truth.
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| Joseph Lyle Taylor |
The Welder by Joseph
Lyle Taylor and Directed by Bryan Rasmussen
Joseph Lyle Taylor
is exceptional as the welder, a man who understands the value of being in the
middle class and working for a union. Taylor is a scrupulous actor and manages
to bring an extraordinary life to the character, a simple man looking out for
the welfare of his co-workers.
He is speaking to his fellow union workers, wanting you to take
issue with vulture capitalists. He wants
you to get up out of your seats, proclaim solidarity, and fight together for a
better life.
Bryan Rasmussen, director, hits all the right notes on
Taylor’s performance. One would not be surprised if the audience rose to their
feet in future performances.
Bobby Moresco,
Producer, Creator, and Director, puts together an exciting night of theatre of
simple people with challenges who manage to overcome adversity and rise above
the fray.
Bryan Rasmussen,
Producer, showcases exciting talent at the intimate Whitefire Theatre and this
night was exceptional.
Others involved to make it a successful night are as
follows:
Steven Christopher Parker – Producer/Assistant Director
Tor Brown – Technical Director
Larry A. McLean – Assistant Director
Derrick McDaniel – Lighting Designer
Nora Feldman – Publicist
Run! Run! Run! And take an actor - someone who loves to talk about the craft.
Run! Run! Run! And take an actor - someone who loves to talk about the craft.
Check out www.whitefiretheatre.com
for show times and reservations.
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