From November 19 – 21, the Harriton Theater Company will present their production of “Working”, a musical by Stephen Schwartz based on the book “Working” by Studs Terkel.

Terkel interviewed Americans such as an ironworker, a cleaning woman, a housewife, a businessman and a waitress about their jobs, producing a book that was extremely popular in the late 1970s and early ’80s. The musical version is a mix of songs and monologues that tell the audience about the life of each character.

As evidenced by the rush for tickets and the many hours that actors, musicians, and stage crew put in after school, the members of HTC have been working extremely hard on their show (no pun intended!) and we wanted to get the inside scoop. We were lucky enough to get an interview with senior Coby Levit, the show’s student director.

Harriton Banner: What is the message of “Working”?

Coby Levit: “Working” has a different message for everybody. Some may simply enjoy a show about what people do, while others may take from the show the importance of each person. For me, “Working” is about finding one’s purpose – not necessarily a vocation, but a reason to live and to be happy.

HB: Why did you want to student direct this show?

CL: I’ve been acting in the shows for so long and each time I’m in one, I think about how cool it would be to be on the other side of the process, to give suggestions [and] see my ideas brought to life. When the opportunity presented itself, I grabbed it.

HB: Who is your favorite character?

CL: That’s a really tough question. Because there are so many unique and amazing characters, it’s incredibly difficult to pick just one. If, however, I was forced to pick, I would have to say Mike, the ironworker. He’s so pragmatic and has a sense of contentment that, truly, I covet.

HB: What is your favorite song?

CL: Hands down, my favorite song is “Millwork.” It bears no special message nor does it leave a particular inspirational feeling in the room at its conclusion. It’s just really beautiful. Almost the entire cast joins in as they go through robotic motions, creating a really powerful moment. Every time I hear it, I get goosebumps.

HB: How do you manage this immense job with all of the other things you do at Harriton?

CL: My chief responsibilities are HTC, Student Council (I’m Vice President), my schoolwork (I’m in IB), and getting my college applications out (ed: Coby is also the humor editor at The Banner). It’s not easy, but I handle it all through strict time management. To take on a really busy schedule, you first have to be willing to lose some sleep here and there and sacrifice some things. All that said, I wouldn’t change a thing.

HB: Although the show is sold out, why is it a show that people should come to see?

CL: It’s a great show! I haven’t seen a Harriton show this good since my freshman year. It covers a broad emotional spectrum, with happy moments, poignant moments, and absolutely sidesplitting moments. It’s just a real treat in this director’s opinion.

“Working” runs from November 19-21 with shows at 7 PM every day and 2 PM on the 21st. All shows are already sold out. However, there will be overflow seats available each day for those who arrive early enough. Follow @HTCTickets on Twitter for information about ticket sales.