Riverwalk makes ‘Working’ work

Director Kelly Stuible-Clark says Riverwalk Theatre’s latest production, “Working,” is a collection of funny and heartfelt stories collected from all sorts of workers.  

“I’m thrilled to share the work that this cast of almost 30 has done over the past couple of months,” she said. 

The pay-for-view musical, written by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, is based on Studs Terkel’s 1974 book, “Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do.”

Stuible-Clark was in a master class with the Broadway Teaching Group when Schwartz gave a presentation on how “Working” was produced virtually in the fall of 2020. “It piqued my interest,” she said.

Riverwalk’s version is a musical movie made up of vignettes from the perspectives of different professions.  Most scenes were self-shot and others were taped at Riverwalk, Urban Beat, ABF Freight in Mason and Woody’s Oasis. 

Stuible-Clark has been a part of Lansing theater for over 15 years. “I am also an adjunct faculty member at LCC in the music department,” she said. “My day job is with Wharton Center’s Institute for Arts and Creativity.”

Stuible-Clark prefers to direct musicals. “I am a musician first and foremost,” she said.  Stuible-Clark has a BS in voice music and a master of music in opera and musical theater performance. “I think that music speaks to the soul and brings so much more to a story,” she said.

“Working” went through several revisions since debuting in Chicago in 1978. Riverwalk uses the 2012 revision that features two songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda of “Hamilton” fame.

Brian Farnham plays a caretaker who sings one of them. “I sing one half of the duet in Miranda’s ‘A Very Good Day,’” he said. “Then I have a number of ensemble singing parts. I’m one of those theater people who loves to sing.”

The actor is also known for his directing — most recently Riverwalk’s “A Doll’s House.” Farnham said he was educated by Stuible-Clark’s directing.  

“I learned how to herd cats,” he said. “Kelly had to do an immense amount of planning, scheduling and organizing,” Farnham said. “It’s almost like directing a hundred little shows, and she did a great job.” 

Farnham related to numerous themes in the musical. “The most prominent one is the notion of feeling responsibility to do your job well,” he said. “Feeling that sense of ‘I can’t let the team down’ is something I relate to very strongly.”

Kelly Sandula-Gruner plays Sharon.  She found the character —stuck in a job she hates — heartbreaking. “I think a lot of people equate self-worth with a job title and how much money one makes, instead of doing something truly fulfilling,” Sandula-Gruner said. “I love what I do.”

She is a graphic designer who plays French horn in the Lansing Concert Band. “Working” is Sandula-Gruner’s first show for Riverwalk. “I’ve been waiting for the right show to come along,” she said.  “Being a musician, the musicals appeal to me the most.”

One such character is Ralf Werner — a 19-year-old pizza delivery slacker who has delusions of success.  Kait Wilson plays Werner and appears in the “Working” ensemble.  Wilson is also the pianist and orchestrator for the production.

“I recorded the performance tracks,” she said. “I started with piano accompaniment and added drums, guitar, bass and strings.”

Wilson never worked directly with the singers. “It’s difficult not having all of the singers in the same room as the pianist,” she said. Virtual performances have audio delays and there is no unison singing. “Zoom rehearsals for musicals can be near impossible,” Wilson said.

She also learned something special from Stuible-Clark’s directing. “Anything is possible if you have an army of people willing to do the impossible,” Wilson said.