Gibbons students 'working' in latest musical
By Kate Daly Contributing Writer

(l to r) Elizabeth Anderson, Serena Mirchandani, Emma Piscia and Alie Fisher are cleaners in the musical "Working." PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Westborough - The students at Gibbons Middle School will present the musical "Working," based on the book by Studs Terkel, Friday April 11, Saturday April 12 and Sunday April 13.

The musical was written by Stephen Schwartz with music by James Taylor, Craig Carnelia and others. Westborough teacher Anthony Healy is the choral director for the show.

"The premise of the show is based off of Stud Terkel's 1974 book where he interviews people from all ends of the spectrum of the working class," Healy said. "He gets in their own words their struggles, their successes, their failures and what it's like to go about the same work day in and day out for years."

The students who play the working class heroes were very involved in character development, Healy said.

"Drama director Brian Higgins has been instrumental in educating and encouraging the kids to do some character study, to go online and read about the occupation they're portraying and get pictures to assemble their own costumes as what they think it should be," Healy said.

The play is a series of vignettes in which workers describe their jobs, hopes and dreams through dialog and song.

Working with Higgins, a Westborough alumni, and choreographer Kristin Jeannotte as they developed the musical has been a good experience, Healy said.

Even parents are involved, as a group of volunteers have developed a slide show to be presented before the show and during intermission.

The play will be presented Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $10. For more information, call (508)836-7740.