James Caldwell High School Presents The Musical, 'Working'

James Caldwell High School will present the musical “Working,” its first theatrical production in more than one year on Friday, May 14, and Saturday, May 15, at the Crane Park Gazebo in West Caldwell.

Based on the 1974 book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do by Chicago-based radio journalist/oral historian Studs Terkel, the musical presents the personal perspectives of different types of workers across the United States with a dash of theatrical flare.

Set out to explore what people consider meaningful about the work they do, Terkel had interviewed dozens of Chicago residents and other Americans about their careers.

“Most people ended up talking about their sense of identity and the relationships they formed with the people around them, and this compilation ended up being a best-seller. Stephen Schwartz and other creators then took these interviews and turned them into character-driven monologues and songs that capture the essence of who these very real people were and are,” said Greg Paradis, theatre teacher at Grover Cleveland Middle School and James Caldwell High School.

The full cast features 18 student actors, including 11 vocalists. Paradis said that the vignette-based structure of “Working” makes it an ideal show for an outdoor venue during times that still call for social distancing.

“Each character sort of exists in their own world, isolated in time and space from the other characters. It naturally lends itself to socially-distant staging and choreography, and with the set required to be minimalist, the focus is instead on each actor and their meticulous character work, singing, and choreography,” Paradis said.

As the high school’s first outdoor theatrical production, preparing for opening night still presented some challenges which quickly turned into positives for the cast and crew.

“I always love opportunities to try different things and explore new methods.There were a lot of procedural things to put in place, which was probably the hardest part, but the actual experience of performing outside is actually pretty cool and exciting. We found the Covid restrictions actually gave us new impetus for divergent thinking and creative problem solving,” Paradis said.

He feels that making the best of the situation has proved to be a valuable learning experience for his drama students, many of whom plan to continue their theatrical pursuits beyond high school.

“We are one of very few industries that has remained completely shuttered for this entire pandemic, and it's been truly devastating to a great number of people's livelihoods, and perhaps more importantly, our sense of identity and purpose. It's been nothing short of miraculous for our students, to finally be back on a stage where they belong, creating art together and sharing it with the community,” Paradis said.

Seating is limited to 150 people per show. Guests must wear masks and may bring their own chairs or blankets. Social distancing guidelines will be in place. Showtimes will be Friday, May 14, and Saturday, May 15, both at 8:30 pm. Rain date will be Sunday, May 16, at 8:30 pm.

Tickets are $10 each and must be purchased in advance through showtix4u.com (search for "CWC" and then choose "Working") or https://linktr.ee/jchstapworking2021.