Photo © Reid Rosenberg
Photo © Reid Rosenberg
In this world premiere musical comedy, Shirley Childs embarks on her first day of her first job in the real world only to be fired upon arrival. But instead of giving up, Shirley learns that she must fight not only for her job, but for survival.
"Stein colors his words with a building energy; he is captivating to watch and listen to as he draws in the crowd, speaking as if telling an exciting bedtime story."
- Caitlin Demerlis, DC Theatre Scene
"Tyler Budde's Shirley Dreaming is a quirky, playful story that appeals to a peripatetic imagination."
- Dee Moondi, Washington City Paper
Favorite 2010 Fringe Musical Performances – Part Two:
Joani Maher singing "Surely Shirley" in Shirley Dreaming
In the middle of piles of strewn paper, a screaming boss and her loud and mean assistant, and a shirtless wannabe boyfriend on the prowl – there is a rare quiet moment in Shirley Dreaming where disheveled Shirley just lets it out in a simple moment of reflection. Joani Maher's heartfelt singing of the song was just what the show and the audience needed – a chance to refocus quietly on this poor woman who has had one hell of a day. It was a wonderful moment in the paper-filled sweltering Apothecary – like a refreshing scoop of ice cream on a humid DC summer day.
Joani: Shirley Childs is the new employee of Smiles and Fate Children's Books and in this moment she has just been physically and emotionally crushed by her would-be new boss. After being immediately fired from her new job, she finds herself unable to leave the building due to broken elevator and flooded stairs – the epitome of a bad day. In the first 20 minutes of the show Shirley goes from hopeful and confident for her first day in the real world to worn down and unsure of herself. 'Surely Shirley" is the moment when she succumbs to this feeling of defeat in a daydream.
It tracks back to her time in middle school of feeling just like everyone else, and now, at 22, she has been lumped into another pile of resumes; just a number. As a recent college graduate and 'new employee', this song is extremely relatable. The excitement of being on your own and starting a new job is quickly crushed by the reality that not everyone is as optimistic about their lives and that you have deal with the negative as well as the positive. I think of this song as Shirley's breaking point, she lets the frustration sink in and after fighting to keep her job and allowing the workers to maim her, she just can't take it. It is easy to fall onto the conveyor belt and let the world shape you to be what it wants, and in this song Shirley feels that she needs to just give up and give in. The end line 'I got to sing me off the page' is a glimmer of hope where she knows that she has to do something and not allow it to just happen to her. Luckily for her, the audience, and myself – she picks herself up and realizes that she has the ability to truck through and pave her own path, it just might take a little time.
- Joel Markowitz, DC Theatre Scene
| Capital Fringe Festival www.capfringe.org The Apothecary 1013 7th St, NW Washington, DC (just two blocks north of the Chinatown Metro stop, or one block south of the Mt. Vernon Sq. stop)
|
Perishable Theatre www.perishable.org 95 Empire St Providence, Rhode Island
|
|
DIRECTORS:
Tyler Budde: Director CAST:
Cassandra Hannan: Boss Bass DESIGNERS & CREW:
Joshua Dick: Lighting Designer |
|