(Best of the Capital Fringe)
Dacyl Acevedo commands and transforms the stage at the intimate Gearbox in her one-woman, one-act heartbreaking look at the struggles of a part-time actress cum part-time executive assistant during the economic downtown of the late 2000s.
Over the course of nearly twenty scenes, Acevedo plays not just herself, but 20 other characters, including trainers and interviewers and inept office workers in New York’s Human Resources Administration and Housing Administration. The transformation of her facial expressions and her accents and her emotional roller-coaster takes you on a painful yet funny ride through the challenges of an economic downturn.
Interspersing video of the condescending Newt Gingrich and the inspirational yet seemingly ineffective President Obama, Acevedo careens from job to layoff to next job to next layoff over the course of ninety spell-binding minutes.
Raised by an alcoholic father and a workoholic mother, Dacyl is the first in her family to graduate college, but where does it get her? Â To the unemployment line, to a training/job placement agency to a job interview to the welfare office to the housing office to fight off eviction…and back again.
Her scenes in the welfare office seeking benefits and her return to the same office seeking an extension of benefits, only to be told that her food assistance benefits were being cut off are absolute show-stoppers. Be prepared to be mesmerized by an actor with extraordinary range. Acevedo’s performance is as good as it gets. Will Work For will work for you!
Running Time: 90 minutes.
Will Work plays through July 18, 2014 at Gearbox-1021 7th Street NW, 3rd Floor, in Washington, DC. For tickets, visit their Capital Fringe page
This show was stunnningly powerful. Each of the many characters portrayed by Acevedo was believable and compelling. This is an actress to keep an eye on.
If you see one show at this year’s Fringe, make it this one!