'Sweat' shows what can happen when jobs are lost

 

 Amy Meyers (left) as Tracey, Tannis Hanson as Jessie and Kimberly Ridgeway as Cynthia in the Palo Alto Players production of "Sweat". (Photo by Scott Lasky) 

When a factory closes, the lives of its blue collar workers are devastated.

That’s the premise of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Sweat,” presented by Palo Alto Players.

The play opens in 2008 in Reading, Pennsylvania, where a parole officer (ShawnJ West, who also directs the play) asks two recently released prisoners what they plan to do with their lives.

The white Jason (Will Livingston), his face and neck heavily tattooed, is belligerent and doesn’t seem to know what’s next.

The Black Chris (Adam C. Torrian) wants to go to college and better himself. Why he and Jason were imprisoned becomes clear later.

The action then goes back to 2000, mostly in a bar presided over by Stan (Scott Solomon), and frequented by several workers, including Jason and Chris, at the nearby factory.

The other regulars are Tracey (Amy Meyers), Jason’s mother; Cynthia (Kimberly Ridgeway), Chris’s mother; and their friend, Jessie (Tannis Hanson).

Stan is assisted by a mostly silent young Hispanic man, Oscar (Aaron Edejer).

They’ve heard rumors that the plant’s new owners might close it and move to Mexico, but they believe their union will protect them.

A rift between Cynthia and her two friends ensues after Cynthia is promoted into management. She insists she’s trying to help them, but they see her as a traitor.

The play’s other character is Brucie (Anthony Haynes), Cynthia’s ex-husband, who became addicted to drugs after losing his job at another factory.

The episodic action switches between 2000 and 2008. TV monitors delivering the news help to define the time period.

West’s direction and the cast’s acting are solid. However, the actors’ diction and projection and perhaps Gregorio Perez’s sound design can make the dialogue difficult to understand, at least where I was seated house left.

Other design elements enhance the play with the set by Kevin Davies, costumes by Nia Jacobs and lighting by Chris Beer.

Because of the faulty diction and strong language, this is a not a play for youngsters.

Running about two and a half hours with an intermission, it will continue through June 29 at the Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

For tickets and information, call (650) 329-0891 or visit www.paplayers.org.