Working, the musical June 5, 2009

June 5, 6, 12, 13 at 8pm; June 7 at 2pm; June 11 at 7:30pm

The award-winning Metro Stage Company, one of the Boston-area's most exciting new theater companies, will present "Working," a 1970's Broadway musical with songs by Stephen Schwartz, Mary Rodgers and James Taylor, among others, based on the book by the same name by Studs Terkel, opening June 5 at their established location in the Cambridge Family YMCA Theater in Central Square.

Metro Stage's artistic team chose this highly original and rarely performed musical specifically with the current economic climate in mind. The true stories of different lives in the workforce, "'Working' offers a gorgeous array of music with stories that offer humor and pathos that resonate as strongly today as they did 35 years ago when Studs Terkel wrote his book," according to Artistic Director Robert Case.

"Working" paints a vivid portrait of the men and women the world so often takes for granted: the schoolteacher, the parking lot attendant, the waitress, the mill worker, the mason, the trucker, the fireman, the housewife, just to name a few. The musical ends with a collective acknowledgment of the accomplishments of each character, and in doing so offers validation of work in its many forms - an uplifting message in the midst of our current economic malaise. To this end, due to the rising unemployment in their midst, and inspired by the historic measures taken by theatres during the Great Depression, "Metro Stage Company will offer a free ticket to those out of work," according to Christopher Teague, Co-Founder of the Company. A limited number of free RUSH tickets for those currently unemployed will be dedicated for each performance and may be obtained by visiting the box office in person at least 30 minutes prior to each performance. RUSH tickets are available 1 per person on a first come first served basis. For more information place contact the box office at (617) 524-5013 or e-mail [email protected].

$24 adults; $20 for students/senior citizens.

Official Website: http://www.metrostagecompany.com