(From left to right) Wilma Hatton and Alan Tyson rehearse for the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s production of “Skeleton Crew.” Credit: Courtesy of Meredith Liepelt
Taking place between December 2007 and June 2009, the Great Recession was a significantly dark period in United States history.
The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s production of “Skeleton Crew” — which will run on select dates from Thursday to March 17 at the Riffe Center Theatre Complex — will demonstrate the recession’s devastating effects on America’s auto industry, the theater’s website states. Penned by playwright and actress Dominique Morisseau, the play follows four auto-factory workers who experience immense emotional strain as the possibility of a workplace shutdown draws nearer.
Raymond O. Caldwell, the show’s director and an Ohio State alum with a Master of Fine Arts in acting/new play development, said the Great Recession struck at a pivotal moment in his life.
“I graduated with my MFA, and as soon as I entered my field, it was the great recession, and no one was creating art,” Caldwell said. “It was a wild time.”
In the long run, Caldwell said attending Ohio State helped him learn more about the U.S. economy and its key manufacturing branches, including the auto industry.
“As I was leaving Ohio State, I started hearing from all of my friends about what was happening in their small towns throughout Ohio,” Caldwell said. “The landscape of the state was really transforming because major auto industries and several factories were beginning to shut down and move where they were conducting their work.”
(From left to right) Raymond O. Caldwell, Wilma Hatton and Alan Tyson rehearse for the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s production of “Skeleton Crew.” Credit: Courtesy of Meredith Liepelt
Remembering how it felt to see his friends struggle firsthand was a major catalyst for Caldwell agreeing to direct “Skeleton Crew,” he said. Caldwell also stressed the importance of telling the recession’s unheard stories, as they still possess an overwhelming amount of social relevance.
“The theater, I think, is a fabulous place for us to be reflective on what that moment was and what are those traumas that our society is still holding on to in unspoken ways,” Caldwell said. “We all just came out of the pandemic, and no one is talking about the fact that millions of people die. We just got back to work.”
Caldwell said one of the play’s core components is the elusive and somewhat fickle idea of the American dream.
“We’re all told that if you work hard enough, and if you keep working, then eventually you’ll be a part of that American dream,” Caldwell said. “Well, what happens when you work so hard and then all of that is just pulled from out under you because of capitalism?”
Caldwell said the story arcs in “Skeleton Crew” are distinct yet relatable not only because they are based in Detroit but also because they revolve around Black protagonists. Frequently, he said period pieces about Black people are limited to just the Antebellum South era or the 1960s Civil Rights movement, even though countless compelling stories exist outside of these time frames.
“What we know as Black people is that our experiences are so much more complex than just those that center around our race, and so what this actually initiates for us as a socioeconomic conversation about the state of Black people in America,” Caldwell said. “This is really prescient and important for me because we’re just now starting to see Black people move solidly into the middle class.”
Caldwell said Morisseau’s choice to write a narrative exploring Black Americans’ lives during the Great Recession helps humanize its negative effects, many of which linger today.
“She’s writing some of the most complex Black characters and introducing America to a whole other conversations that are happening within the diaspora that oftentimes we aren’t having conversations about,” Caldwell said. “She’s developed some of the most complex characters, who at points you are rooting for, at points you’re hating, and by the end, you are ultimately building empathy for.”
Wilma Hatton — an actress who has worked in the Columbus theater scene for roughly 25 years — said she is playing Faye Davidson, a hardworking auto-factory employee and single mother, in the production. Hatton’s personal relationship with the recession certainly plays into the portrayal of her character, she said.
Hatton said working as a patient care technician in real life meant she could hold a consistent job, whereas many others were not as lucky. When it came to auditioning for Faye, Hatton said the character’s motherly devotion and steadfast determination personally appealed to her.
“Originally, I identified with being a mom and doing what you must do to raise your children,” Hatton said. “Faye is really, really good at her job and is very loyal to the auto-plant business.”
Alan Tyson rehearses for the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s production of “Skeleton Crew.” Credit: Courtesy of Meredith Liepelt
Hatton said working with her fellow actors — Alan Tyson as “Reggie,” Rico Parker as “Dez” and Clarissa Rai as “Shanita” — has been rewarding but challenging, especially because the rehearsal process has been relatively short.
“I’ve worked with Alan Tyson before on a few shows,” Hatton said. “Rico Parker and Clarissa Rai are both fantastic, and I am in awe of them all and their work ethic.”
Theatergoers who take the time to see “Skeleton Crew” may walk away with increased empathy and curiosity, Hatton said.
“I would love for audiences to reflect more deeply about what happens when industries absolutely disappear,” Caldwell said. “Why is it that we don’t ask questions about what happens to those peoples, those whole towns, those whole communities because our communities are all interconnected in really dynamic ways?”
More information about “Skeleton Crew,” including its creative team and how to purchase tickets, can be found on the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s website.
