Some people live to work; others work to live, but everybody contributes in one way or another. We all dream of what we'll be when we grow up, but sometimes we end up in unexpected places. What seems temporary turns permanent, time flies (whether we're having fun or not), and sometimes we find ourselves investing in the next generation instead of believing in the power of our own. We wait tables, drive trucks, bag groceries, clean offices and pack lunches. We leave the singing to those in the spotlight, even if we have songs to sing, too.

But what would those songs sound like? What if the sacrifices we made were applauded? The stories and songs you will hear tonight are the actual words of everyday people in everyday jobs immortalized in interviews conducted by journalist Studs Terkel. When he heard these stories, he marveled at the beauty in them. Our job is to bring the characters to life and convey the truth in their stories.

Working celebrates the jobs we all do. Whether we work in offices, fields, classrooms or cubicles, we work. It's often grueling, sometimes terrifying, and occasionally unnoticed. We ask people, "What do you do?" even though we know we are much more than how we earn a living. Amanda McKinney says, "Jobs aren't big enough for people." She's right. Ask a person who has been laid off or fired -our lives' work is not merely the time we spend earning a paycheck.

Our lives are defined instead by the people for whom we work: our families, friends and community. This show is our way of saying thank you. We hear you, we recognize you and we applaud you.

-Elizabeth Wheeler