By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
Mike Lefevre is 37 year old and works in a steel mill. His wife Carol, is a waitress in a neighborhood restaurant. The couple live in a two-flat dwelling somewhere in Cicero, on the outskirts of Chicago. They have two small children.
“I’m a dying breed,” said Mike. “A laborer. Strictly muscle work…pick it up, put it down, pick it up, put it down. We handle between 40 and 50,000 pounds of steel a day. (Laughs) I know this is hard to believe—from 400 pounds to three—and four-pound pieces. It’s dying. You can’t take pride any more. You remember when a guy could point to a house he built, how many logs he stacked. He built it and he was proud of it.”
Mike Lefevre is just one characters portrayed as the Goodrich High School Theatre students present the musical “Working.” The musical focuses on people of all different backgrounds talking about their jobs, based on the book by Studs Terkel, which featured interviews with real people.
“It’s all just about working class people,” said director Steve Mitchell.
The characters range from a receptionist, a waitress, a housewife, a salesman, a fast food worker and more.
“I like ensemble shows,” said Mitchell. “I just like to try and highlight as many kids as I can. It seems to grow better and have more momentum for success.”
While none of the characters connect their stories, Mitchell says the stories share a commonality.
“The common bond, it’s not a linear story, rather they connect just behind the bond of the working world,” he said. “Everybody can relate to the commonality of just trying to pay the bills.”
At 7 p.m., March 19-21, and 2:30 p.m., March 22, “Working “ at the Raymond Green Center for the Performing Arts, 8029 S. Gale Road, Goodrich. Call 810-591-2220 for tickets and reservations.