“Skeleton Crew” is a play opening in the smaller upstairs theater at The Rep in Albany on Thursday and running weekends through 0ctober 29.
It takes place in an automobile factory in Detroit in 2008. It concerns four individuals whose lives and identity are deeply connected to the plant.
In the play, a newscaster describes the automobile industry in Detroit in 2006 as a “dumpster fire.” This factory represents that image. Lay-off after lay-off has reduced the factory to being run by a minimum of staff - a skeleton crew. Tension is everywhere as the end is foreseeable.
The playwright focuses on four characters to show how such an economic loss can affect the entire community.
One character is Faye. She’s been working there 29 years. After 30 years of service her pension increases significantly. She is considered the person who can bring clarity to a morally ambiguous situation. Her philosophy is, “I don’t abide by no rules except necessity.”
Reggie is the foreman of the factory and has deep personal ties to the community. He is the only one who knows the factory will be closed within the year. He faces a choice of being loyal to his working family or continue his career in management.
The two other characters are in their 30s. One Is Shanita, a pregnant woman, who does not have a husband. The other is Dez, a young man who feels he has no work skills outside the factory. He has a crush on Shanita.
One other thing. The characters are played by actors of color, just as playwright Dominique Morisseau created them in 2006. Morisseau is a much awarded writer who is compared to August Wilson, who wrote “Fences.” They each create plays about the Black experience that are really plays about all of humanity.
Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York is the organization producing “Skeleton Crew”. It was originally founded under the name Soul Rebel in 2009, by Jean-Remy Monnay. Throughout its existence it has focused on social problems that are immediately identified with the Black community. Even more important, it has been a fertile training ground for aspiring Black actors.
In a recent telephone interview, Remy, as he is known throughout the theater community, said of his mission, “I don’t want audiences to see color. I want them to see characters.”
Even though his dream is far from complete, he has made significant progress. About the time this play was written, I was acting as producer for a friend who was directing Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” at a major non-professional area theater. Back then it was extremely difficult to find an actor to play the one character of color in the work.
That shameful period no longer exists. Over the past few weeks we have experienced Troy Foundry Theatre producing “Hard Candy and Misdemeanors”. It had a cast of six; all were actors of color. Also, it was a world premiere of a play written by an African-American playwright.
At the same time, Harbinger Theatre Company offered “Custom Cuts.” The play was an autobiographical play about abusive parenting. It was written by local playwright, Brian Sheldon, who is white. With one very minor exception, Harbinger cast it with an all-Black cast. It helped fulfill Remy’s dream of seeing characters rather than their color.
The New York Times described “Skeleton Crew” as being “about characters who expect a respectable reward for labor and loyalty.” It sounds like they are channeling playwright Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” as well.
With the United Automobile Workers on strike “Skeleton Crew” seems especially current. Sadly, the social issues addressed in the play are still with us, as well.
Thankfully we have theater companies in this area that are trying to unite all races by producing plays that show how those problems are not limited to one segment of the community. Their efforts should be supported by all factions of our society.
“Skeleton Crew” opens Thursday at The Rep in Albany. It plays through October 19. For tickets and schedule go to BTTUNY’s website.
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
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