Cerritos College Theatre Department is putting its final touches on the new musical play “Working,” which will open its doors at Burnight Center Theatre Friday on its opening night.

“Working” is a play based on Studs Terkel’s bestselling book of interviews that features the success and tribulations of everyday average American workers.

Some of the workers will range from a hooker to a millworker to a housewife.

Director Jim Hornel, chair of the Theatre Department at Cypress College, alongside with Musical Director Hector Salazar and Vocal Director Christine Lopez has been working on this production for the last seven weeks.

“We still have a lot of elements we’re adding, theatre generally speaking, and especially in this production, we’re working right up to the last minute,” Hornel said, “I’m excited but yet still anxious because we still have a lot of work to do before Friday.”

“Working” is a different kind of production from what Hornel has put on in the past.

“This is the first time I’ve ever done this show, I’ve never even seen this show,” Hornel said, “it’s a very different kind of musical. There is no story, it’s individual interviews with different careers people choose.”

Athough auditions were held in February for the cast, minor delays were present.

“Everyone has worked really hard, it’s been difficult because we’ve lost a big number of cast members which did set us back a little bit,” expressed Hornel.

The set cast has a mixture of not only experienced and new theatre students from Cerritos, but also community members who joined the production.

Some of these community members who are professionals, like experienced actress Shirley Hatton.

Hatton has acted and sang for 30 years and is in her second production of “Working.”

“This is actually a favorite show of mine; it’s almost the first professional show I did when I got out of college.”

I have a real soft spot for this show. I like the music and I think it has a lot to say about what people think about their job,” Hatton said.

Hatton previously came out in “Urine Town,” another Cerritos College production.

The play will feature an orchestra that will play eight pieces of live music.

Opening night for “Working” is on Friday at 8 p.m. with additional performances May 1, May 6-8 at 8 p.m., and May 9 at 2 p.m.

Tickets will be available at the box office the night of the show.