The Transcendence Artist Project: WEEk 9-10-11

Over the past few weeks, The Transcendence Theatre Company has immersed itself in the artistic endeavors of our inaugural production. Our discoveries and growth as individuals and as a collective truly fueled our collaborative work on one of the greatest musicals of our time... WORKING. The ensemble creation of this musical was a truly transcendent experience for all of us. May 16, 2009 was a momentous day in our lives as WORKING debuted at The Gertrude Pearlman Theatre. The opening night gala performance and celebration was a joyous event for our company and the community of Punta Banda. Throughout the next few blogs, we will be sharing some of our adventures and discoveries from our artistic development of this collaborative work of art that touched the hearts of this community and beyond. In the meantime, enjoy these notes from our incredible directors: Brad Surosky & Stephan Stubbins.

Notes from the Directors:

We are honored to have the opportunity to be directing such a brilliant group of people in what is, in our opinion, one of the most powerful shows in the history of theatre.

The musical "Working" originated as a 1972 book by Studs Terkel, a compilation of the many interviews he conducted as he traveled around, tape recorder in hand, talking with men and women employed in a multitude of professions and bringing "the extraordinary dreams of ordinary people to life." During this journey, he uncovered how the work we do shapes our identities, our families, our hearts, and our lives. The intro belonged to Terkel—the words that followed were the raw and heartfelt stories of America’s working people.

What sets "Working" apart from other musicals is its sense of rawness, its firm grounding in reality. Nothing is more real than the everyday worker’s quest to create some kind of lasting legacy.

We dedicate this show to all hard-working people, without each and every one of whom our society would falter. We dedicate this show to the people who carry with them buried grievances and unexpressed dreams—to every parent who goes to work to put dinner on the table for his or her children. These are our heroes, and they cannot go unrecognized.

Lastly, we dedicate this performance to you. Every voice deserves to be heard. All of us should have a community that embraces us, the chance to engage in work that satisfies us, and a sense of accomplishment, something to point to and say “This is what I have achieved” at the end of even the longest and most challenging day.