Ixion’s ‘Skeleton Crew’ runs on soul

Detroit native Dominque Morisseau’s “Skeleton Crew” will hit very close to home with Lansing audiences. Set in a stamping plant in Detroit in 2008, the story focuses on a small crew of line workers and their immediate supervisor as they face rumors of an impending plant closure. 

Faye (Rose Jangmi Cooper) is approaching 30 years on the job and has set that target for retiring. Her best friend’s son, Reggie (Markitwia Jackson), has risen through the ranks to become a supervisor at the plant. Dez (Daniel Bonner) is the flippant dreamer who thinks he can work this job until he makes enough money to open his own business. Shanita (Regina Hurd) is a skilled worker with a promising career and a baby on the way. 

Reggie and Faye, who is a union steward, conspire to keep quiet the truth about the plant closing until Reggie has ensured that his employees will be taken care of. Against this backdrop, trust erodes and tensions mount. In the tradition of this type of intimate storytelling, truths are told and souls are bared in due time.

The only weakness among the performances is Hurd’s portrayal of Shanita. Her flat affect makes it difficult to connect with Shanita when contrasted with the intensity of emotion shared by other characters. We feel their pain much more as each exposes their frustrations and fears. 

Cooper’s performance is award-worthy. Faye is the mother of the group, doling out advice and support, providing reassurance to her flock that everything will be fine. As her story unfolds, it is clear that the job and the relationships with her colleagues are the only things keeping Faye centered. 

Although Morisseau develops all of the characters and gives them a chance to share their essences, it is clear that Faye’s arc is the soul of the story. So much so that when Faye cries out, “I’m running on soul now, Reggie. Only thing that still got fuel in it,” it’s hard to maintain a dry eye. After almost two years of loss and uncertainty caused by the pandemic, many people will relate to Faye’s exhaustion.

In this key scene with Reggie, Faye also describes her downward spiral in a heart wrenching “There but before the grace of God go I” moment. Morisseau is such a skilled writer that Faye’s explanation will hit home with those who have ever relied on the temporary relief of a vice to distract one from dealing with their problems. 

Although it is a shame that most theater productions were canceled or delayed because of the pandemic, it may be a blessing in disguise for Ixion Theatre Ensemble. Director Jeff Croff’s selection of “Skeleton Crew” is more relevant now than ever, reminding us of the power of love and sacrifice in surviving any crisis. 

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