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First Preview of 9 to 5: The Musical Delayed
By Andrew Gans
and Kenneth Jones
27 Aug 2008
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Stephanie J. Block, Allison Janney and Megan Hilty
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| photo by Justin Stephens | The first preview of the eagerly awaited new musical 9 to 5 — boasting a score by Grammy Award winner Dolly Parton — has been delayed three days.
Originally scheduled to debut Sept. 3 at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in California, the musical will now premiere Sept. 6 at 8 PM. Opening night remains Sept. 20, and performances will continue through Oct. 19.
The delay, according to a press statement, is to "meet the technical demands of this world premiere musical."
In a statement CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie said, "This is not only one of the biggest, but also one of the best and most spectacular productions we have ever presented at the Ahmanson, but the technical demands are enormous and we must afford the creative team and cast the time to develop the show to the level of quality that it, and our audiences, deserve."
Seven-time Grammy winner Parton added, "Oh, what's two to three more days on a project that we've worked two to three years on? The sets and the technical end of things are more involved on this musical than they were on the movie! And it's going to look fantastic."
Audiences for the Sept. 3-5 previews will be moved to other performances. For further information or to purchase tickets for the Los Angeles run, call (213) 628-2772.
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Following a fall run at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, the Joe Mantello-directed production will begin Broadway previews March 24, 2009, and open April 23, 2009.
9 to 5: The Musical, based on the 20th Century Fox motion picture, has book by original screenwriter Resnick (who also came up with the film's original story) and music and lyrics by country music legend and seven-time Grammy Award winner Dolly Parton, who also starred in the smash 1980 movie.
This marks the Broadway debut of the writers. Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights) will choreograph.
9 to 5: The Musical will star four-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Allison Janney as Violet, Stephanie J. Block as Judy, Megan Hilty as Dorelee, and two-time Tony Award nominee Marc Kudisch as Mr. Hart. (Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Parton and Dabney Coleman played the respective roles in the movie.)
Here's the plot: "When pushed to their boiling point by their boss, Franklin Hart Jr. (Marc Kudisch), Violet Newstead (Allison Janney), the super efficient office manager, Judy Bernly (Stephanie J. Block), a frazzled divorcee, and the sexy
executive secretary Doralee Rhodes (Megan Hilty) turn the tables on him. The trio hatches a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot, and that plan quickly spins wildly and hilariously out of control."
Parton's original score for 9 to 5: The Musical will include over 20 new songs as well as the Grammy Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated No. 1 Billboard title song. "Backwoods Barbie," heard on Parton's new album of the same name, is also part of the show's score, Parton previously said.
The 30-member cast of 9 to 5: The Musical features Andy Karl, Kathy Fitzgerald, Ioana Alfonso, Timothy Anderson, Jennifer Balagna, Justin Bohon, Paul Castree, Daniel Cooney, Jeremy Davis, Gaelen Gilliland, Autumn Guzzardi, Ann Harada, Lisa Howard, Van Hughes, Kevin Kern, Brendan King, Michael X. Martin, Michael Mindlin, Karen Murphy, Mark Myars, Jessica Lea Patty, Charlie Pollock, Tory Ross, Wayne Schroder, Maia Nkenge Wilson and Brandi Wooten.
The production will feature scenic design by two-time Tony Award winner Scott Pask, costume design by five-time Tony Award winner William Ivey Long, lighting design by eight-time Tony Award winners Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, sound design by John Shivers, with musical supervision by Stephen Oremus (Wicked, All Shook Up).
For more information visit www.9to5themusical.com.
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