Skeleton Crew
by Dominique Morisseau
directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Atlantic Theatre Company
June 19, 2016
Production website

💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

This story took me to a world I have never been. It introduced me to an occupation I had never considered – to a city I would never want to live in – to a group of people that I would never think twice about and likely judge and dismiss – to struggles that I will likely never face – – and here I was lapping up each and every moment. I was sitting in my seat through the entire production KNOWING exactly where this story was going – and being WRONG each and every time. There was so much love and passion in this show – although I don’t think they every mentioned it. They didn’t talk of love. They were too busy working THROUGH it. It has been a long time since I have seen a play with such a rich subtext!

The play focuses on three autoworkers and their supervisor clinging to their jobs at the city’s last functioning auto plant. They are pawns in a game that they do not understand, have no voice in, and will become the ultimate victim to.

This play is part of a trilogy entitled “The Detroit Project”.  The first play, Detroit ’67, depicted the city’s race riots from the perspective of residents and Paradise Blue viewed a massive 1940s urban renewal project through the eyes of the jazz community whose thriving culture was displaced by a highway. To be honest, I do not know these plays, but having watched Skeleton Crew I am walking my feet to Drama Book Shop.

In a play of a hundred wonderful things, there are two that stuck out to me. The first revolves around the central character of the union rep – Faye – played by the brilliant Lynda Gravatt. This woman has acting chops like you cannot believe!  Late in the play when it is revealed that she is now homeless, broke and living in either her car or the break room at work – abandoned by her child and widowed by the death of lesbian partner – we, the audience, are on our way to a pity party – until she reveals that most of her troubles were not caused by “the man.” They were caused by her own reckless gambling. It would be easy to blame others but she drinks the bitter drink of personal responsibility. This hurts!

The second wonderful thing in the script involved Faye’s boss and surrogate son. For all his efforts to help Faye and give to her, and warn her, he finally says, “I’m taking you home, Faye” It will solve nothing but makes more sense then sleeping in your car in a frozen Detroit or the break room of a soon to be closing auto plant. “I’m taking you home.”