“Waiting for Lefty” is like “Waiting for Godot.” The namesake never shows, but the show is well worth the wait, thanks to a talented cast, crew and director.
Written by Clifford Odet, “Waiting for Lefty” is based on a 1934 cab driver strike in New York. Ruff Yeager directed the period drama which captivated the audience with superb acting and provocative political messages.
WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE– Angel Perez makes a stand.
“Lefty” opens in the middle of a contentious union meeting where Henry Fatt (Mason Bump) expresses his strong opposition to going on strike. He tells the others not to be puppets to the higher-ups and warned that striking is unproductive and unnecessary. Their union president, he argued, is “looking out for their interests.”
Fellow cabbies were displeased and called for Lefty, the elected chairman of the committee, who has not yet arrived. Fatt bellows that Lefty has abandoned them. Workers rights, pay equity and changes of Communist sympathy are themes that drive the story.
Yeager’s production is effectively spartan. It features a desk, podium, record player, car honks, video captions and call-to-action cards to create a grimy and crummy atmosphere that transports the audience to the era of the Great Depression.
WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE– Laborers call for a strike in Waiting for Lefty, a drama about labor strife and justice for workers.
Michael Buckley’s understated lighting gave the stage its appropriate muddy hue.
A clever period costume design by Sasha Aguirre captured the stark atmosphere of the Depression.
Yeager’s talented cast created the tension and agony of the hellish Great Depression when America was whipsawed by economic collapse, 45 percent unemployment, environmental catastrophe and political upheaval.
A melancholy love song drifted from a record player for lovers Sid (Jaden Guerrero) and Florie (Victoria Hartwell) as they were saying goodbye to each other. The music almost moved the audience to tears with its haunting melody.
Joe Mitchell (Bryan Larson) is a tired, overworked man ready to snap. His wife, Edna (Zaina Price), warned him to go on strike or she would leave him for her old boyfriend. During an argument his anger and hopelessness bubbled up like he was ready to burst and kept the audience on edge.
Agate (Azul Arellano) was another standout performance. She truly sounded like a union worker who was tired of waiting for change and demanded immediate action. Her hopes are dashed when she learned that Lefty was dead. Hope seems to have died with him. When she called for a strike, the audience was on board, clapping and cheering her resolve.
With its engaging acting, dank atmosphere and symbolic props, Yeager and his cast made the waiting worthwhile.
