In this episode of 'Exposition', choreographer Kelsi Seltenreich and assistant director Ruthie Elliot preview Working: The Musical. The production can be seen on October 30 at 7:30 p.m. CDT, in the Rust Flexible Theater at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus.
Kelsi Seltenreich is a double-major in Musical Theater and Dance and the choreographer for Working: The Musical. Ruthie Elliot is a senior Bachelor of Arts Theater major and the assistant director for the production.
Stephen Schwartz' hit Broadway musical, Working, paints a vivid portrait of the workers that the world so often takes for granted: the schoolteacher, the phone operator, the waitress, the millworker, the mason, and the housewife, just to name a few. Nominated for six Tony Awards, this classic has been updated for a modern age, featuring new songs by Tony Award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as favorites by Stephen Schwartz, Craig Carnelia, James Taylor, Micki Grant, and more.
Kelsi and Ruthie share details about their experience working with so many moving parts. Kelsi notes that it's her first time choreographing a full show by herself, and talks about the complete support she's received from both staff and cast members as the show has come together.
As a seasoned student director, Ruthie details her admiration for the faculty support she's had, notably from Bart Williams. She notes her excitement working with him again, after their previous experience in producing Godspell last year.
The version that will be performed is a combination of the original, a book detailing worker experiences, from jobs without a voice for their stories. This new version takes the original and incorporates more localized stories from the 2000s.
Ruthie notes that the mix of stories presents a unique set of experiences in setting the stories in a non-typical stage set. The show will be set in a round, which breaks from the typical proscenium stage, allowing for new creative outlets in terms of staging and presentation.
Kelsie says that new music has also been integrated into the piece, blending the styles of the 70s with more contemporary artists like Lin-Manuel Miranda, noting that her favorite part of the show is the score.
