PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After a stressful yet exciting opening weekend of the spring musical "Working," the Pittsfield High School Proteus Theatre actors and actresses are ready to build on their success this weekend during their closing shows.

 

The students will conclude the musical this Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. 

 

The students worked diligently on this musical, starting with learning the music and the basic elements of the performance, which transitioned into integrating themselves into the story and culminated in Tech Week, where they focused on lighting, sound, and costumes, resulting in a fun show, said Ben Glockner, a sophomore. 

 

"I think it's more targeted towards adults, but it has funny aspects and serious aspects that connect to bigger themes that can connect to all ages." 

 

The show follows average working individuals in a range of jobs, including a schoolteacher, waitress, trucker, housewife, elder care worker, cleaning woman, fast food worker, and more. 

 

Adrian Willow, a senior played three characters — an elder care worker, a fast-food worker, and an unemployed ex-newsroom assistant. 

 

Willow appreciated how playing someone near his own age allowed them to incorporate aspects of his own personality, while taking on the older character challenged him to adopt a different mindset. 

 

This experience helped him explore new motives and interests, broadening his understanding of people outside his own life experiences.

 

Many of the jobs showcased are not positions people would consider a dream job. Instead, it highlights more practical, hands-on jobs that may be more common in society, said Evelyn Rathbun, a sophomore. 

 

Isabella Brown, a senior, played three roles — a teacher, a retired man, and a cleaning woman. He said it was interesting to step into the shoes of three very different people and with very different beliefs, hopes, and standards. 

 

"I think that's kind of what the show is about. It's about differences and how everything is connected. We're all very similar, even though we're all very different," Brown said. 

 

"It's a message, I think everybody can relate to, even if you're not a retired old man. You can relate to these cases of feeling disconnected and just seeing everything come together."

 

Glockner said he thinks "it's interesting to see teenagers play adult roles in the working industry. And I think adults find it funny. I think they almost find it comical to see how teenagers portray it versus how it is in the actual, real world." 

 

Last weekend's performance was stressful yet exciting, some students said. 

 

"Opening weekend was at first scary, because I never sang in front of people like that before, but as the shows went on, they got better. And on Saturday, I kept exploring and finding new character choices. So, I think it went really great for me," Willow said.

 

"I always like when there's a new audience, because it's new energy to feed off of. So, I'm excited to see what kind of energy these audience can bring out of me. And also, I agree closing [weekend]  always is just the best, because you can feel free to do whatever you like."

 

Several of the performers highlighted how they are looking forward to this weekend's performance. 

 

"I'm actually more excited for this weekend now, because the first weekend is always the most stressful, and I think the second weekend, we usually can not tone it down a bit, but honestly, just have more fun with the show and be a bit more relaxed," Glockner said. 

 

"I'm really excited [for] closing weekend, always for me it's just super fun because you can go all out because you've been with the show for so long, and you've gotten the first weekend jitters out of the way," Brown said.

 

"So, it's time to just let loose and have fun. So I'm really looking forward to it personally and closing and getting to see everybody just shine."

 

Several of the students highlighted the importance of theater in their lives. 

 

Brown demonstrated that their time doing theater, especially at PHS, has helped them build confidence in herself. 

 

"Before freshman year, I was really ensemble-heavy, and I was not confident. I wouldn’t make it into any sort of leads or any sort of popular shows. So I think it helped me with confidence, not only in my talent, but also just in my life in general," Brown said. 

 

Glockner said theater has taught him valuable life lessons, including adaptability, leadership skills, and projection. 

 

"I think my favorite part of theater is just the community, the community that it brings and and all the lifelong friends," he said.