9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL

Picture this. It’s the 80’s in a typical business office with a male sexist boss, Franklin Hart, Jr. (Marc Kudisch). Violet Newstead (Allison Janney), having worked there for years, should be next in line for the top position. Doralee Rhodes (Megan Hilty), a wannabe country singer, is always getting harassed by her boss. Judy Bernly (Stephanie J. Block), with her husband having left her for a younger woman, just lied her way into a starting position. Roz Keith (Kathy Fitzgerald), Hart’s not as pretty assistant, would love to have her boss make more than just a pass. Sound familiar? How about the movie, “9 to 5”?

Dolly Parton composed the signature song for the movie and has taken on composing the entire score for this sure to be a hit Broadway musical. For those who need to connect to the movie version Dolly Parton portrayed Doralee, Jane Fonda was Judy, and Lily Tomlin took on the role of Violet. Here is the plot just in case you missed it onscreen.

When Hart passes Violet over for a promotion, she makes her way to a local bar with Judy and Doralee, talking about Hart's epic advances. The women later go off to Doralee's house, smoke pot, and concoct some really funny revenge fantasies. Back at the office, a mix-up leads the women to think they have accidentally poisoned Hart's coffee, due to the box of sugar resembling a box of rodent poison. It eventually leads to kidnapping him to prevent him from blackmailing them or calling the police, while the women use their boss' absence to effect some changes around the office. Enough said.

9 to 5 the Musical, as it is called, is what I would deem as an all around fun and entertaining musical comedy. Hilty may not look like Parton, but she sure got the voice down pat…or, rather, dolly. Each of the women was able to solo a number and all with much applause. Hilty sang “Backwoods Barbie” about how people wrongly perceive her; Block belted out “Get Out and Stay Out”, re her ex husband; Violet felt her revenge with “One of the Boys”; and Roz let herself go lamenting with “5 to 9” the time she was away from her boss. As for Kudisch, I felt he just was a bit short on the role, although his singing was fine and he well endured the “flying”.

The Marquis Theatre, located at the Marriott Marquis Hotel gave it a great venue and use of the stage’s trap doors for changing the sets. Although they were not the most elaborate, the scenery did the trick