Work Hazards (ShPIel Performing Identity)
Incredible Finds, Inc.
Written by Casey J. Adler
Directed by Holly Kissel
Review by Kate Barry
Entire contents are copyright © 2026 Kate Barry. All rights reserved.
The employees of Incredible Finds, Incorporated go to work every day. They swipe their badges, wear bright orange safety vests and stand in the same spot, picking and packing for hours on end. ShPIeL Performing Identity in partnership with Redline Performing Arts produced a workshop production of Incredible Finds, Inc. by Casey J Adler. The play is an inside-the-distribution-center look at the lives of workers who depend on fulfilment centers and those who choose to fight against their brutality.
As a workshop production, the play takes big swings, both in message and concept. The harsh working conditions and strict employment codes of the likes of Amazon and UPS are taken to task. A conglomerate provides opportunity and employment for a small Kentucky town yet the health risks are huge. The schedules are strict, tasks are repetitive and the fear of getting a point against you is feared. Holly Kissel’s staging is smart yet natural. In large, bright words “Customer Obsession” is painted on the upstage wall in bright oranges and greens while the overhead lighting is harsh and unforgiving. Large cardboard boxes surround the stage, nearly overflowing into the seating area.
The play constantly straddles the line between a David versus Big Box Goliath allegory and
moments of satirical farce. As employees mindlessly take from bins, tag and complete their task, team leads urge employers to repeat mantras praising “consistency in my work” and “pressure situations bring out the best in me.” Quota is met and productivity is gained. The workers know they need the job and the corporate entity knows how to exploit the need. As news of automation spreads, the lives of two employees are drastically changed.
As Maria, Kym Vaughn brings an emotionally heightened performance. What starts as seeking justice for a coworker who is denied a basic bathroom break, Vaughn brings a heartbreaking vulnerability. Stressed from ailing family and inhumane working conditions, Vaugh’s Maria nearly cracks under the pressure as seen in her “won’t leave me alone” speech. She and her cohort of line workers band together to strike until raises are given and better conditions are met.
Nolan Brown gives a bittersweet performance as Harp, a teen who relies on the job yet is let go. Megan Burnett and Ron Blair share a lighthearted romance as Lily and Roland. Katie Gravis Bechtler’s Anya is a strict floor supervisor. Micromanaging and by the book, Bechtler provides a foil for the other workers as she looks to get ahead and climb to the top by any means she can.
While Maria nearly breaks down from the stress of unionizing, she faces an adversary in Mitchell played with gusto by Tony Newton. Starting as friends sharing a drink over cards, Newton and Vaughn have a comfortable and friendly chemistry. Their relationship is altered as Mitchell chooses to pursue a supervisor position. Lively and opinionated, Newton’s performance as Mitchell sees a surreal transformation. As an employee who accepts the controlling nature of the company with genuine appreciation for what his employer provides, Newton gives a relatable performance. Without giving too much away, Mitchell meets tragedy in a work accident with a resolution that creates higher productivity for the business at the cost of a human life. Here, Newton provides expertly, clever physical movements and vocal work.
Incredible Finds, Inc. is a frank look at the modern day workforce. The play addresses issues about workplace ethics, mental health and how these huge companies affect the communities they take over. With difficult and inhumane work conditions at fulfillment centers like these, the play proves that only the strongest will survive.
Incredible Finds, Inc.
ShPIeL Performing Identity in partnership with Redline Performing Arts
October 8-15, 2026
The Historic Broadway Theater and Event Venue
816 E. Broadway
Louisville, KY. 40204
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