Lockwood herself has had some real-life experience with the jobs that Ehrenreich investigated and has found that she relates to the writer in some of her thoughts and techniques. "I did work a waitress job and I have done jobs like that. There's a lot in her background that I related to. Even though I'm not a journalist and a brilliant writer as she is--I'm an actress--I do have a working-class background. She said something about when you interview people in a situation like that, that you're steering them to what you think is important and you don't really get to hear their voice about what they think is important. So there was a lot about her reactions to things and her reasoning about how to get the people's voices--she really had to go and do the work," says Lockwood.

Additionally, from playing the role, Lockwood has gained insights that mirror many of Ehrenreich's discoveries and says that playing the role has further enlightened her about the plight of workers struggling to make ends meet. "There's the idea that these people are subsidizing us. You know, why is it that we can pay these low prices at Wal-Mart and Costco and all these places? Somebody's footing the bill, and it's the people who are making $6.75 an hour so we can eat fast and have our hotel rooms cleaned," she says. "Also, there's the humiliation factor, which is something that Barbara experiences. You become invisible [working those jobs]. I know for myself, if I go into a Marshalls or a Ross, you get impatient standing in line, you get annoyed with the person behind the register. My consciousness about any kind of annoyance or not seeing people--if you're in a hotel, you see the people who are cleaning, you look at them, they're not invisible, they're people."

An issue that comes up a great deal in discussions of both the play and the book versions of Nickel and Dimed is skepticism about the authenticity of Ehrenreich's experiences. If she chose, she had the resources to leave these minimum-wage jobs at any time, unlike her co-workers. But Lockwood says Ehrenreich tried hard--and eventually succeeded--to immerse herself completely in a life that was very different from her own. "She had safety rules, so that if something dangerous happened, she could get out of it, but the rules were very strict--she couldn't use her resources. The only instance in which she could use her credit card was if she was going to be out on the street," says Lockwood. "But she does get to a point toward the end of the play where she forgets herself and basically gets lost in the America of Wal-Mart. She really starts to lose it with the discovery of how you are what you do, and how that affects every pore of your body and your mind."

A veteran of Bay Area theater, Lockwood originated the role of Ehrenreich last year in the world premiere of the play at the Intiman Theatre Company in Seattle and also played the role for the show's run at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

Ehrenreich's book was adapted for the stage by Joan Holden, a playwright who has worked extensively with the San Francisco Mime Troupe, of which Lockwood and Dan Chumley, the director of this production, have also been longtime members. These well-established relationships contribute to great communication behind the scenes.

And despite the sobering subject matter, Lockwood points out that the play itself has a lot of fun moments. "It's really funny, because Barbara's book is funny. She has a sense of humor, she has a biting wit, and that really comes out in the play."

Of course, the play and the book are most admired for the insights and social criticism Ehrenreich delivers. The book Nickel and Dimed was published in 2000 and was researched and written in a different economic climate. Ehrenreich's experiences, unfortunately, seem to be growing more relevant and universal by the day. "I hope that audiences take away the idea about seeing people, understanding that they're the major philanthropists of this society that Barbara Ehrenreich talks about," says Lockwood. "It's not lazy, good-for-nothing people--so many of these are very skilled jobs and people are working in situations where there aren't enough people working to begin with, so they're doing the work of two or three people anyway, and then they have to work another job to make ends meet. There's no safety net out there for people."

TheatreWorks presents Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, Sept. 6­28 (previews Sept. 3­5) at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. Tickets are $20­$48. For more information, call 650.903.6000 or visit www.theatreworks.org.