The basic black set consists only of chairs, and characters’ names graffiti-ed onto the back wall of Studio 60 in the basement of the MSU Auditorium building. It’s a short play with a simple set — but this production includes enhancements that enlarge the experience.
First is the “warm up act,” a short script, Just Cause, written and directed by Rob Roznowski, crafted from original interviews and public speeches representing current perspectives regarding recent strikes, organizing efforts and anti-union sentiments. Ava Ballagh, Ebony Battle, Zoe Dorst Chisom Anwunah, and Samantha Stanton debate and defy and support each other — setting us up to watch Lefty with the awareness that it’s more than “history.” Similar situations are happening now.
In Waiting for Lefty each actor is cast in two different roles. Upon receiving their “timecard” at the start of the show, they discover which roles they will portray at this performance — representing collective unity and the equitable distribution of responsibilities a union embodies.
This makes it difficult to describe/credit individual actors… and without photos, I can’t be sure to identify each accurately. What counts is that they are excellent actors, a few outstanding, giving heartfelt life to their vignettes of 30’s poverty, injustice and more. (Michale Coffey, Tyler Finch, Ben Corsi, David Meagher, Jewell Redman, QueenMakeeda Taylor, Logan Verlinde, Hugh Watters, Bobby Conlan, Jameson R. Patrona, Xander Adamski, Kyle Jedrusik, Thomas Evansky, Karam Mawazini.)
Another enhancement is a different speaker after each show (1 hour 20 minutes performance, and about a half hour of speaker and questions.) Some speakers have been from unions. Our speaker was Tristan Fernaglish (I hope I got that name correct.) a professor of Jewish Studies who spoke on anti-semitism in unionization and employment issues.
And wait, there’s more! Plan to come early and/or stay late to explore the extensive collection of union-related paraphernalia and photos in “Room 10” right around the corner from Studio 60 (which is easy to miss if the lights are off: note to stage manager: be sure to assign someone to turn on those lights at the end of the play/discussion.)
Studio 60 is a small, up-close-and-personal venue, with maybe 90-ish seats, and it was FULL on this Wednesday, and so buying advance tickets is recommended. https://www.whartoncenter.com/events/category/dept-of-theatre
Pick up tickets (or purchase, while they last) at the box office on the Farm Lane end of the MSU Auditorium. Studio 60 is on the lower level, south side of the building.