Skeleton Crew
The workplace is a Stamping plant in Detroit in 2008. As you can imagine, these are tough times for American auto manufacturing. Suppliers like this factory are dwindling fast. In order to survive the industry implosions, many companies adjust their workforce down to a Skeleton Crew. This excellent play dives into the world of four individuals whose livelihoods depend on these jobs.
Faye (Phylicia Rashad) is a twenty nine year veteran of the plant. She has earned her status and is the Union representative to management. Curmudgeonly and gruff, Faye follows the rules which suit her. No smoking in the breakroom is not one of them. Management has attempted to post the requisite “No Smoking” signs – even personalizing them with her name – to no avail.
Reggie (Brandon J. Dirden) is her nephew. He has elevated himself to a suit and tie management role. He hilariously tries to reason with Faye but the efforts are futile. Anyone who has experienced long-time co-worker banter will recognize the dynamic at play.
Two other characters populate this play. Shanita (Chanté Adams) is a star employee, currently pregnant but seemingly uninvolved with the baby’s father. Dez (Joshua Boone) struggles with timeliness and wears a visible chip on his shoulder. These four interact in this company’s breakroom on matters both trivial and life changing.
Other car suppliers are closing up shop all around and naturally there is concern about their particular plant. Without divulging too many plot points, there are tensions. Someone is stealing from the plant. Shutdown rumors are flying. This play focuses our attention on the impacts of corporate decisions on the everyday people who sweat and make the goods which produce the profits.
The heart of this play is the moral debates between doing what is right and wrong. That those choices are complicated makes for thought provoking theater. This may be a story about four people but the themes bring forth large scale observations. When I hear politicians (of both parties, frankly) promise they are bringing back manufacturing jobs to America, the situation dramatized here certainly make those words feel hollow. Government policies and the need for cheap labor drove the changes. (Remember all the children making clothing in China anyone?) Skeleton Crew exists to show the damage on a more personal scale.
The performances are exceptional across the board. Adesola Osakalumi plays “the Performer”. He represents the nameless, faceless factory workers going about their robotic tasks day after day. Seen through the windows during scene changes, he reminds us of the daily repetition through dance and movement. The videos of robots on the factory line are silent reminders of the evolution of manufacturing in this industry (and others).
Skeleton Crew has a number of plots and subplots along with secrets and revelations. Much coffee is made and consumed. Dominique Morisseau’s play beautifully captures the soul of the working class as well as the conflicts for those beginning to rise economically higher in their pursuit of the American “dream”. Under Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s assured direction, the portraits of these characters are realistic and evoke mixed emotions. As in life. A great evening of theater.
Skeleton Crew is running on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre through February 20, 2022.