Kingston, Rhode Island is set to welcome a unique event this weekend. It's not the grand spectacle of Hamilton but rather a production by the University of Rhode Island's Lyric Stage Workshop. This weekend, the University's music department takes a significant step by staging its first full-length musical.

URI's Lyric Stage Workshop Presents Working: A Musical

About the Production

Working: A Musical is set to grace the Concert Hall of URI's Fine Arts Center from November 22nd to 24th. There will be two shows in total - Friday, November 22nd at 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 24th at 3 p.m. Adjunct faculty member Rachel Hanauer, who joined URI this year, is at the helm of this production. She teaches voice and music at URI and the Community College of Rhode Island and is the artistic director of Rhode Island's Through the Glass Theatre Ensemble.Hanauer brings with her an extensive list of performing credits. She has performed across Europe and New England. She is the soprano section leader at Central Congregational Church of Providence and a member of Collegium Ancora, the chamber choir at Grace Church. Hanauer is actively involved in music education in New England, teaching voice, music theory, and music history. She also serves as the treasurer of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. As a director and producer, she has directed numerous local productions at the Arctic Playhouse, Contemporary Theater Company, and Newport Children's Theatre.The musical edition of Working is based on the book by composer Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell) and Nina Faso, with music and lyrics by Schwartz, Lin Manuel Miranda, Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Mary Rodgers, James Taylor, and Susan Birkenhead. The 2012 revised edition is based on the book by Studs Terkel and is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International.A strong ensemble cast from URI's Lyric Stage Workshop comes together with a rock rhythm section to tell the stories of real Americans. These stories are taken from the famous interviews that Terkel conducted in the 1970s. In fact, President Barack Obama's campaign slogan "Yes, we can!" directly originated from this Terkel compilation.In 1974, Schwartz read an interview with a phone operator named Heather in Terkel's Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do. Quotes like "It's something to run into somebody who says, 'It's a nice day out, Operator. How's your day, busy? Has it been a rough day?'" struck him. He reached out to various composers to contribute and began working on the new musical. With the changing job roles for operators and other workers, the production was updated in 2012.

The Collaborative Effort

This production marks the first large collaboration between the music department's amplified voice program and classical voice concentrations. Stage directing for the show is handled by Hanauer, who also teaches URI's Opera Workshop class. Additional choreography is provided by Ayla Lapointe of CCRI and Victoria Cannon of Providence College. The production is music directed by Nathaniel Baker and Jayden Weichtman, with rhythm provided by URI students Carleton Fisher (bass), Colin Klampert (guitar), and Tristan Klampert (percussion).

Ticket Information

Working: A Musical runs on Friday, November 22nd at 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 24th at 3 p.m. at the Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Center, located at 105 Upper College Road on the Kingston Campus. Tickets are priced at $15 for the general public and $10 for senior citizens, URI students, faculty, and staff. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door.