GILROY
– For some Gilroy High School students, having a job means
working at a fast-food restaurant or working at the Outlets.
GILROY – For some Gilroy High School students, having a job means working at a fast-food restaurant or working at the Outlets.
But for 40 GHS students, the term “job” is taking on a whole new meaning through their participation in “Working,” a musical which opens at 8 p.m. today at the GHS theater.
The musical is based on a best-selling book from 1972 by Studs Terkel, who interviewed hundreds of people about their jobs in a documentary-style format. It was then turned into a Broadway musical built from monologues from the book and original songs. There’s no plot line to follow and no real star of the show – all of the focus is placed on the characters and how they define their jobs.
“That’s the nice thing about this show,” said Kurt Meeker, drama teacher at GHS and the director of the musical. “It’s easy to identify with these people. It’s a very accurate representation of what Studs Terkel heard in 1972.”
Among the characters are a parking lot attendant, a teacher, business executives, cleaning women, factory workers and a retired man discussing his career.
Through their representations of the characters, Meeker said the students were coming away with a different view of what life is like as an adult.
“There’s been some discussion that the adult world can be very depressing, that people’s jobs become their identity,” Meeker said. “It’s one of the ways we define ourselves. An audience will pick up on that right away.”
But the students also found that some of the characters in the play show how much someone can really enjoy their work, even if the job isn’t all that glamourous on the surface.
Michelle Zelina, a GHS junior who designed costumes for the show, said her character, waitress Delores Dante, is a perfect example of a person who is happy with what she does.
“She’s a 40-year-old Italian woman who works at a restaurant, and she sings a 10-minute song about how much she loves her job” said Zelina, who wants to be involved with theater after graduation. “In real life I am a waitress, and I think there’s a lot of truth to it. You’re basically there to please who you’re serving.”
While racing around getting customers drinks and taking orders while dealing with a sore back and sore feet makes it a tough job, Zelina said there’s also a lot of pride that goes with making people happy.
“They see it a lower job, but she sees it as who she is,” Zelina said. “Certain jobs some people look down upon is their life.”
It’s been two years since the high school has put on a musical, and Meeker said that while he has tried to open auditions each year to put on a show, this is the
“I’ve had auditions for shows the last two years, but there was, shall we say, a lack of interest,” Meeker said.
This year, more than 40 people showed up for auditions, which were open to the entire campus. What made the difference this year?
“An enthusiastic group of students and the type of show,” Meeker said. “I was able to cast everybody.”
This is Meeker’s fourth year at GHS, and he is involved in all facets of the use of the stage. Meeker has helped out with a drama that ran on the stage last year, plus there have been several artist showcases and battles of the bands, which have acted as fundraisers to upgrade the theater at GHS, bringing in a new soundsystem.
“Anything that has gone on onstage here, I’ve been a part of,” he said.
Meeker said the appeal of “Working” was that it has interesting viewpoints not only for the students to discuss but also for adults who come to see the show.
“I think it has appeal on several different levels,” he said. “Terkel came to the conclusion that most people work to leave a legacy for their children. I think, for most of the characters in the show, that’s a big motivation.”
One character who shows this motivation in the story is Mike Dillard, an iron worker who is played by GHS Junior Josh Rhinehart.
“What Mike really gets across is that he wants to make is son’s life better,” Rhinehart said.
Rhinehart’s character grew up in family where all the males have grown up to become iron workers. His father was disappointed when he did not go to college and followed the family trade. However, while his father may have had high goals for his son, Dillard realizes that his father left him little opportunity to do much more.
Rhinehart, who is in Meeker’s drama class, said the emotion from his part in the play comes from the fact that his own father left his family when he was in second grade.
“I had some emotion behind it because of that,” he said. “I want to do it just like in the song. I want to work to give my son opportunities that I won’t have.”
Rhinehart said that he may not have the ability to go to college because of his financial situation, but he said he plans to do whatever it takes to give his future family a chance to succeed.
“I’m trying to do something good,” said Rhinehart, who wants to be a policeman or fireman after he graduates.
“Working” runs at 8 p.m. today, Saturday, Nov. 20 and 21 with 3 p.m. matinees Sunday and Nov. 23 at the GHS theater. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens and can be purchased at the door.
