Guthrie brings humor and heartache in "Skeleton Crew"

 

Photo by Dan Norman

In a depressed Detroit, four auto workers try to keep a hold of whatever they can, even as the staff shrinks, pressure never stops, and there are persistent rumors that the plant is going to close.

Dominique Morisseau's Skeleton Crew is exactly what you want from a contemporary drama, with complex, breathing characters inhabiting a very real space. At the Guthrie, the show gets a muscular, vital production that highlights the skills of the talented cast.

As often happens, our workers are a tight-knit group. Faye (Jennifer Fouche, making her Guthrie debut) is closing in on 30 years on the line. Not only does she know the ins and outs of the whole plant, but she is the local union rep, there to keep management honest and the remaining employees working as long as possible.

For Faye, the conflict comes when middle manager Reggie (Darius Dotch, who was in the 2020 production at Yellow Tree, which was cut short by the pandemic) tells her in confidence that the plant is going to close. As the union rep, she has an obligation to her co-workers, but Reggie is also family who has bootstrapped his way from the assembly line to a job with a collar and tie.

We get two representatives of the rank and file. Shanita (Stephanie Everett, another Guthrie debut) is pregnant and working every hour she can, loving the work and hoping to build something for her child. Dez (Mikell Sapp, also in the Yellow Tree production) sees the work as a stepping stone, and dreams of opening his own repair shop.

With the plant closing, a string of burglaries giving management fits, and general distrust, the situation is rife with tension. Yet, beneath the drama there are deep connections among these characters. No one is the "bad" guy; they are just flawed people trying to do what is best for themselves and their families. Morisseau's script is also very funny, which helps to not only release the tension, but add additional, real, dimensions to the characters.

The actors are up to the demands of the script, presenting fully fleshed out characters at every turn. Fouche is especially strong as Faye, who sits at the center of the whole piece. We not only get the character's deep warmth, but also her hurts, desires, and a sense of a secret shame that haunts her.

Opening night's performance was interrupted by a medical emergency, where the audience was asked to clear the theater. After a lengthy delay, the company was able to return to the stage and complete the final few minutes of the show to a well-earned ovation.

Skeleton Crew runs through June 9 at the Guthrie Theater. 

Rasputin