Abby (Marisa Tomei) has co-produced records with Gus (Arliss Howard) for thirty-two years. She had been his right hand, but her name never appears on the album as co-producer. She finds talent. Gus takes the credit. Recognition is not the only problem. Gus is a misogynist and a prime example of toxic masculinity in the workplace and elsewhere. Abby colludes with Gus’s behavior and nothing changes at the record company until Katherine (Gracie McGraw) arrives looking to be the new A&R hire. She not only wants to out Max to the high-ups at the company: she also has plans to challenge Abby’s authority.

This is the power “triangle” that drives the narrative of Jessica Goldberg’s “Babe” which is currently running at The Pershing Square Signature Center’s Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theater and is the first offering in the New Group’s thirtieth season.

Despite efforts by director Scott Elliott and noteworthy performances by the cast, Jessica Goldberg’s weak and fissured script often buckles under its own weight. Its important theme of empowerment competes with sub-themes and narratives that fail to move the action forward. The audience is left to “fill in the blanks” regarding Katherine’s due diligence before asking to be an A&R and why Abigale’s chemotherapy has prevented her from exposing Gus’s shortcomings and failures as the “boss.”

The playwright focuses too much on the interactions between Abby and Gus and fails to flesh out the significant relationship between Abby and Katherine. The audience needs to know more about the motivation of each character and how their conflicts drive the plot.

Derek McLane’s set design serves the play’s changing scenes, and the various playing areas are well lighted by Cha See. Jessica Paz’s sound design along with the original music by BETTY clearly define the parameters of the music industry.

All three actors deliver authentic and believable performances. Gracie McGraw handles both of her characters (Katherine and Kat) well and allows her to showcase her formidable vocal skills. Marisa Tomei’s Abby is as feisty as she is fragile, and she shines in the final scenes exhibiting her character’s somewhat late but significant growth. Arliss Howard could not be more unlikable in his character Gus’s fall from grace and career-ending outing by Katherine.

Al though “Babe” is worth the look before it closes on Sunday, December 22, one wishes the play was more well-structured and truly exposed the dysfunction in the workplace that fails to recognize the accomplishments of women and the need for restructuring the work environment.