Working

By: Stephen Schwartz, Nina Faso

Narrated by: Orson Bean, Harry Groener, full cast

The first revised and updated version of this 1970s cult classic by Studs Terkel. A rousing musical with a cast of 20, Working is for anyone who has ever punched a clock, a cow or a supervisor - or wanted to.

This full-cast production stars Eileen Barnett, Orson Bean, Harry Groener, Kaitlin Hopkins, Michael Kostroff, Kenna Ramsey, Vickilyn Reynolds, Vincent Tumeo, and B.J. Ward.

©1977 Stephen Schwartz (P)1999 L.A. Theatre Works

Critic reviews

• Nominee for Golden Headset, Best Radio Archive Recording, 2000

Tricky Piece of Theatre

I see most of the critical reviews are blaming the title for the listener not paying attention to what they're buying, so let's start off by explaining that this is a live recording of the musical revue based on Studs Terkel's book. The show debuted on Broadway in the 70's and has been remounted by countless high schools and community theatres ever since. This recording is from a 1999 professional production by LA Theatre Works featuring some updated material. The songs themselves, written by an array of composers, vary in quality and theatricality.

As is often the case in live recordings, some things go wrong. Lyrics are dropped, rhythms go wild, meanings get lost. The song "Joe" is usually one of my favorites in the show but, as amazing an actor as Orson Bean is, he just can't seem to stay in beat with the music, and what is normally a bittersweet song about a man looking back on his life, trying not to think about how it went so quickly, became something you tuned out until it was over.

Better recordings include the original Broadway cast recording and a newer London cast recording, or the Broadway Theater Archive video recording from PBS' American Masters which features performances by Rita Moreno, Barry Bostwick, a non-musical section featuring Eileen Brennan, and a divinely musical section with Patti LaBelle.

SO disappointed!

I had heard about Studs Terkel and seen interviews about his books...I acquired this in the expectation it would be the book, or parts of it. I gather this was the reading of the/a play about the book. Shame on me, for not looking more carefully at the description. The tidbit was great.....now, I want at LEAST five to seven more hours!!

Like High School, but worse

An awful, amateurish production whose resemblance to the fascinating oral histories of Studs Terkel is fleeting at best.

Not the book...

I feel there should be a warning when downloading a "performance" when looking for an "audiobook". I really did not like this version of the book.

I also should have read the reviews

It’s not the book. It’s the musical and it was quite an unwelcome shock from a book app