Skeleton Crew
Baltimore Center Stage
Center Stage
January 25–March 04
  • Skeleton Crew
  • By Dominique Morisseau
  • Directed by Nicole A. Watson

LIFE ON THE LINE CAN TURN ON YOU

From the playwright of Detroit ’67, Skeleton Crew (the third play in Dominique Morisseau’s acclaimed Detroit trilogy) tells the story of four workers at the last exporting auto plant in Detroit struggling to survive as their way of life disappears. Set around 2008, this play vividly portrays the modern struggle in a changing America, and reveals the real people on the factory line. This skeleton crew—the bare minimum number of staff needed to function—is made up of people who keep the vital operations of the plant running in the face of obstacles, rumors, and, eventually, the confirmation of their worst fears. Loyalties are tested and boundaries are crossed as this vibrant team of loyal and proud workers navigate an uncertain future.

Part of the Women’s Voices Theater Festival.

“Warm-blooded, astute…a very fine new play.” –New York Times

Women's Voices Theater Festival

Content Advisory: A drama about the state of employment in our nation, this play includes explicit language and adult situations and is recommended for high school-aged audiences and up.

Approximate runtime is 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one intermission.

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Cast

Brittany Bellizeare*
Shanita

Stephanie Berry*
Faye

Sekou Laidlow*
Reggie

Gabriel Lawrence*
Dez

Creative Team

Dominique Morriseau
Playwright

Nicole A. Watson
Director

Mariana Sanchez
Scenic Designer

Karen Perry
Costume Designer

Burke Brown
Lighting Designer

Darron L. West
Sound Designer

Mari Andrea Travis
Assistant Director

Abbey Kojima Assistant
Lighting Designer

Faedra Chatard Carpenter
Production Dramaturg

Pat McCorkle
Casting

Katja Zarolinski
Casting

Lori M. Doyle*
Stage Manager

Lindsay Eberly*
Assistant Lighting Designer

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

In the Press

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Reviews
“A remarkable production... potent theater.”— Baltimore Sun
“One does not want the story to end, so as to spend more time with these people.”— Broadway World
“Monumental drama.”— Baltimore Beat
“With a poetic edge, Skeleton Crew strikes a lot of ever-pertinent notes about this country and what it values. The Center Stage production ensures that those notes sing and sting.”— Baltimore Sun
“Relatable, authentic characters and heartfelt stories of survival in uncertain times.”— Backstage Baltimore
“THERE IS SOMETHING TENDER AND BEAUTIFUL BENEATH THE HARD SURFACES THAT EACH OF THOSE CHARACTERS HAS DEVELOPED, AND THAT’S WHAT EMERGES THROUGH MORISSEAU’S ASTUTE WRITING, HER FINE SENSE OF TIMING AND STRUCTURE”— BALTIMORE SUN
“INCISIVE, TIMELY, AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING.”— DC METRO THEATER ARTS
“AN INTRIGUING, ENGROSSING EVENING OF THEATER… A FULL AND IMMERSIVE PRODUCTION”— BACKSTAGE BALTIMORE
“THERE IS HARDSCRABBLE POETRY AND MUSIC IN MORISSEAU’S DIALOGUE… RIFFS THAT SWOOP AND DIVE LIKE THE JAZZ AND BLUES YOU HEAR IN AUGUST WILSON’S WORKS”— DC THEATRE SCENE
“LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER ASPECT OF THIS PRODUCTION, [COSTUME DESIGNER KAREN] PERRY’S WORKING-CLASS, URBAN DESIGN IS TRUE AND WELL THOUGHT-OUT, TRANSCENDING THE AUDIENCE TO THIS TIME AND PLACE MAKING THIS PIECE MORE RELATABLE.”— BACKSTAGE BALTIMORE
“A BEAUTIFUL BLEND OF DRAMA AND COMEDY”— BACKSTAGE BALTIMORE
“IT’S WARM—FULL OF THE GALLOWS HUMOR AND PRACTICED CAMARADERIE YOU FIND IN LONG-TIME COWORKERS.”— DC THEATRE SCENE
“UNDER THE INCISIVE DIRECTION OF NICOLE A. WATSON, THE CAST DELIVERS THE RHYTHM IN THE SCRIPT’S LYRICISM WHILE CUTTING DEEP INTO THE TENSION THAT BREAKS IT UP.”— BALTIMORE BEAT
“A RIVETING, REMARKABLE PRODUCTION, BRIMMING WITH HEART AND HOPE THAT STIRS AND SPARKS FROM START TO FINISH.”— DC METRO THEATER ARTS
“THE HIGHLY-DETAILED SET AND THE SOUND DESIGN (MARIANA SANCHEZ AND DARRON L. WEST, RESPECTIVELY) FEEL RIGHT. THIS IS A CONVINCING PRESENTATION OF WHAT AN AUTO PLANT FEELS LIKE.”— BROADWAY WORLD
“AN INTIMATE RECKONING OF THE MODERN ERA’S GREATEST FINANCIAL CRISIS.”— BALTIMORE BEAT