Nine secretaries -- as different as they come -- let the audience take part in their daily routine, in the musical Sekretaerinnen (Secretaries), which premieres at Vienna's Ronacher Theatre on May 3.

All the girls tell their stories in songs, mostly well-known German hits from today and yesteryear. What in reality can be a humdrum job, here becomes more of an enjoyable office party for the audience.

Franz Wittenbrink has penned Secretaries (subtitled "the typist musical") which has played to a sold-out Schauspielhaus in Hamburg for more than 75 performances. German producer Wolfgang Bocksch (42nd Street, Crazy for You, Evita, David Copperfield-shows) has now sent this show on tour with a brandnew cast.

As for the performers, the only well-known name in Vienna's theatre circles is Vasiliki Roussi, a Greece-born actress who was Sally Bowles in Cabaret two years ago. Masha Karell, Gila Seidel, Susanne Tremper, Katharina Blaschke, Elke Czischek, Irm Hermann, Isabel Tuengerthal and Zazie de Paris make up the rest of the typist pool. Harald Pilar von Pilachau is the object of their daydreams under Guenther Gerstner's direction.

After previews on April 29 (8 PM) and May 2 (9 PM), Secretaries premieres on May 3 (8 PM) and runs till May 17 (except Mondays). Show times are Tue. to Fri. 8 PM, Sat. 5 PM and 9 PM, Sun. 3 PM and 6.30 PM. Tickets can be ordered at +43-1-588 85.

--By Bernd Freimueller
Austria Correspondent