Rosie the Riveter celebrated in Walnut Creek as "Rivets" opens this week!

“Rivets”, a new musical created by Kathy McCarty and Michael Covington, and directed by David Clay is back, this time a little closer to home for Walnut Creek residents as it is now playing in the Knights Stage III theatre, on the ground floor of the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek.

“Rivets”, heralds the spirit and tenacity of the hard working women in the Richmond shipyards during World War II, women who stepped up to meet America’s need to produce our Victory & Liberty ships. While this tale focuses on the true stories of the women who actually worked in the Richmond Kaiser Shipyards, here in California, it really tells the tale of the maturing of the working women workforce around the world. It champions the women who were called upon when their men enlisted in the war effort and they, the women, were needed to get the jobs done at home. These gutsy, patriotic and need driven women stepped up and fought prejudice on every level to do their best to help this nation and others win their wars and defeat the Axis forces.

During WWII, thousands of men and women worked in this area every day, in very hazardous jobs. Actively recruited by Kaiser, they came from all over the United States to swell the population of Richmond from 20,000 to over 100,000 in three short years. For many of them, this was the first time they worked and earned money. It was the first time they were faced with the problems of being working parents--finding daycare and housing. Women and minorities entered the workforce in areas previously denied to them. However, they still faced unequal pay, were shunted off into "auxiliary" unions and still had to deal with day-to-day prejudice and inequities. During the war, there were labor strikes and sit-down work stoppages that eventually led to better conditions. These severe prejudices handicapped the workforce of black and white and Hispanic workers. As one African American Rosie commented about the progress of labor and civil rights during this time, while huge gains had to wait for the post-war civil rights movement, the Home Front did, "begin to shed light on America's promise."

This is an inspired musical, an upbeat story that tells of men and women who came to Richmond, California, to help Henry Kaiser crank out a Victory Ship a week, to help us turn the tide on the Axis foes against America. It pulls at your heart strings as you hear of young, middle aged and older women who came from all over America, from small rural villages to metropolitan centers, educated and illiterate, all banding as one somewhat unified force to bring the assembly-line process together. Their final product, the Victory & Liberty Ships, would help win the war against the Nazi submarines that were sinking millions of tons of supplies, equipment and lives every day. It is a beautiful story of numerous lives in the collective whirlpool of humanity ringing in on the time clock, cranking out the work, bringing the ships finally down the “ways” into the bay and into war service reality.

Kathy McCarty told me that she began working on this story over four years ago when an elder friend she met in a convalescent care facility began relating to Kathy the personal stories of what it was like to be a female worker in the shipyards, what it was like to be a “Wendy the Welder” or “Rosie the Riveter” just like the image that became a rallying poster for women workers in the 1940’s. Grasping on to stories and memories that were fast fading from our collective consciousness, Kathy began carving out a story, in musical style, that would preserve this incredible tale of personal sacrifice and hardship that helped save America! This is a story of many different people and how this work process changed their lives.

Having written the story, Kathy was able to enlist Mitchell Covington, who wrote the musical score, very recently, in the process of carving a musical miracle out of an idea, all in just four weeks before the production was scheduled to open. With the help of a lot of friends and incredible multi-ethnic cast, this bright new musical was launched on its maiden voyage in the Contra Costa College, in the John and Jean Knox Center for the Performing Arts, last February, to tie in with the “Rosie The Riveter” memorial ceremonies in Richmond.

There are really far too many fine actors who each contribute immensely to this work to properly applaud everyone, but I have to give kudo’s to the lovely voice and strong presence of Shawn Creighton who plays Martha Mitchell, one of three Mitchell family members to work in the same plant. The superlative lead actors include Angelica Reyes, a young black lead songwriter/factory worker, who touches your heart; to Randy Nott, a love struck manager; to Matt Davis, who plays a blind musician performer so well that I have a hard time believing that he is not blind. The male chauvinist plant foreman, is played very well by Mark Ettensohn. Even small parts contributed significantly, by such fine actors as Jay Lino and Amaia Hierro, to name just a couple. Director Clay David actually had to step into one of the key roles in this show, due to another actor’s conflicting schedule.

The story makes a statement about racial and minority conflict and male chauvaunism that makes you cringe, and in the end makes you love the changes we all are experiencing today, that much more. There is a lot of tough stuff in this play, many words you may not wish to hear, but neither did the people who actually lived this terrible time in our country’s history. It was the worst of times and it was the best of times, and this show is a wonderful musical that has a lot to give. While it is not perfect, “Rivets” is a work in progress, definitely a work with a great potential

There are at the same time, numerous problems and certain advantages created by this grand musical trying to shoe-horn itself into this very small stage. They had to exclude numerous ship building props, scaffolding and sets pieces in order to get the huge cast on this postage stamp sized stage. An advantage to this theater: with such a small theatre, you are very close to the action and can hear just about every word. Director David Clay has done an excellent job with this production, especialy with the special challenges of this small theater.

Kathy McCarty is attempting to find venues for future productions. This current production plays Thursdays through Saturdays, performances on Thursdays are at 7:15 p.m., with Fridays at 8:15 p.m., and Saturday performances at both 2:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., now through June 7th, in the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts at 16o1 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek. The normal ticket prices are $25 each, but if you use the pass word or code, "Yes We Can" (a line from the show) you will get your ticket for $15, a $10 savings. Mention this to the box office for your discount. If you were an original “Rosie the Riveter”, just identify yourself as such at the box office and you will receive a complementary ticket!

In addition, there will be one very special series of productions, at the Richmond “Rosie the Riveter” memorial museum, staged at or onboard the SS Red Oak Victory (details still being worked out), a Victory ship built and Launched in the Kaiser Richmond Shipyard, performing between October 9th and 26th. This production needs a large stage because there are normally 45 members in this cast, most of who can be on stage at any one time! Once again I have to shout it out, Wow, what a show! Call (925) 943-SHOW (7469) for reservations and additional information on the production at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, or visit the web site at http://www.lesherartscenter.org/ or http://www.rivets.homestead.com/ for photos of the cast, or visit www.nps.gov/history/nR/travel/wwIIbayarea/ric.HTM for information on the Richmond Kaiser Shipbuilding yard national park.