JOBBED holds world-premiere at Act II Sunday Only

JOBBED has been performed three times total in history. Leslie Mayer and Howard Rice’s poignant production that deals with the emotions of recently laid-off employees was performed before in Center City Philadelphia and in Florida, but a stripped-down version, with actors on stools.

The newly re-worked JOBBED, with a free matinee at  in Ambler today, will only play once as a workshop production.

The production has had only 11 rehearsals and the producer and director have only seen the whole piece together five times before inviting in the public.

Performers get to the heart of emotions and, looks at all angles of layoffs: the wonderboy gone off the path; the executive out of a job; and the dreamer, who’s not going to let a layoff get him down.

“In order to do what [the actors] did … it must have spoken to them perfectly,” said Mayer.

Actor Marty Sherman said, “It really just came together, it was magical.”

Mayer said she wrote the songs based on true characters and true people she met while working as a transition counselor. Rice was then tasked to write monologues and dialogues around the existing songs.

“The songs will always be the pillars of the work,” said Rice.

The final performance takes place today at 2 p.m. at Act II Playhouse. The showing is open to the public and free of charge, however, seating is limited and is available by reservation only. For more information, visit Facebook.com/WereYouJobbed.