‘Skeleton Crew’: Working-class heroes

‘SKELETON CREW’: Joshua Boone & Chanté Adams. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

SKELETON CREW
Written by Dominique Morisseau
Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Through February 20, 2022
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47th Street
(212-239-6200),www.manhattantheatreclub.com


By David NouNou

There is a universality that hits hard in Dominique Morisseau’s new drama Skeleton Crew. It deals with hard times, power struggles in jobs, loss of jobs, homelessness, resilience and dignity. It could be any depressed city in the United States, but in this instance, it is set in Detroit in 2008 at a car-stamping plant.

Faye (Phylicia Rashad) has been working at the plant for 29 years, waiting for her 30^th in order to collect her retirement pension. She is a chain-smoking labor representative and a den mother to her fellow workers. She has been abandoned by her son because she is a lesbian. The company manager Reggie (Brandon J. Dirden) is conflicted by the fact that the plant will be shutting down and has to remain silent about it but has concerns for the employees.  Two of the hard-working and loyal employees are Dez (Joshua Boone), a young rebel who has heard rumors of the shutdown, and Shanita (Chante Adams), a young, single expectant mother who truly enjoys her job and takes pride in what she does.

Ms. Morisseau fleshes out her characters well. We get to know them and feel for them. But there is a hitch here. There is a feeling of déjà vu. It is a variation of Lynn Nottage’s  2017 play Sweat. Both plays are written by women who understand the everyday fears people face from losing their jobs to the daily perils that exist outside their confines. However, in this case, Skeleton Crew is less convoluted.

It’s great to see Phylicia Rashad back on stage. Her Faye is sass personified and resilient. She has fallen many times but remains a survivor because she has no other choice. She infuses Faye with the dignity she so richly deserves. Ms. Rashad is a constant joy to watch.

Having seen Brandon J. Dirden in Enron, Clybourne Park, All the Way as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jitney, it is gratifying to see an actor grow with each successive role. He is perfect as the company man who has to be tough and still have the capacity to care about the employees’ future. I can’t wait to see what he does this spring in Richard Greenberg’s Take Me Out.

Joshua Boone and Chanté Adams are the younger members of the cast, and they make their presence known. As Dez, Mr. Boone is a likeable rebel that doesn’t just go down with the ship, he has plans and ideas to eventually succeed. Ms. Adams is a delight as a young expectant mother who doesn’t let things get her down.

Although familiar in nature, Skeleton Crew offers memorable performances.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published January 31, 2022
Reviewed at January 29, 2022 press performance.

‘SKELETON CREW’: Phylicia Rashad. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘SKELETON CREW’: Brandon J. Dirden & Phylicia Rashad. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘SKELETON CREW’: Joshua Boone, Brandon J. Dirden, Phylicia Rashad & Chanté Adams. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘SKELETON CREW’: Adesola Osakalumi. Photo: Matthew Murphy.