BWW Reviews: Carlisle Theatre Company Presents A Colorful 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL As Part of SummerFest

When the film 9 TO 5 became a hit in 1980, it was a joyful, though non-musical, comic revenge fantasy primarily for sick, tired, and outraged female employees of the prevailing corporate culture, but also a catharsis of sorts for all "mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more" workers. When Dolly Parton, star of the film, put her hand to the music for the show - thirty years later - that same plot had lost a bit of its luster, especially taken out of the classic movie comedy itself. Parton's and Patricia Resnick's musical adaptation, 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL features some fine Dolly Parton tunes and great opportunities for strong women actor/singers to do their stuff.

It's just been on stage at the Carlisle Theatre, by Carlisle Theatre Company, directed by artistic director Dustin LeBlanc, as part of Carlisle's SummerFest. It's a good choice in many ways for a summer musical - it's the antithesis of LES MIS or MISS SAIGON. It's not deep, it's relentlessly funny, it's energetic, it's noisy and splashy and bright. And it features 1970's women's clothing that may cause flashbacks in those who lived through those wardrobes.

On Broadway, the show featured the powerhouse trio of Allison Janney as savvy office manager Violet, Stephanie J. Block as the new girl, the newly-divorced, low-self-esteem Judy, and Megan Hilty in Dolly Parton's movie part as Doralee, the redneck-but-all-heart country-girl secretary. Carlisle's given us Lindsay Bretz-Morgan as Violet, who unlike Janney can sing out in a major way; Sarah Pugh as Judy; and Abbie Ricker as Doralee. It's Bretz-Morgan who's the star of this show, with a commanding voice and a presence that holds audience attention. Ricker, in the Parton part, isn't quite as country-sexy as she might be for channeling Dolly Parton's stage presence, she's more comic than come-hither, but with the set of pipes she's got and her ability to deliver a fine country-music voice on stage, who's going to notice? Pugh, most recently a lead in Theatre Harrisburg's URINETOWN, is almost obscured by these strong presences, though she's a very fine singer. Although that's great, in fact, for showing Judy's timidity and lack of self-esteem at the start, the strength of the other two almost blocks the view of Judy's personal growth from the start of the production to her confrontation with her irksome ex near the end.

But oh, Ryan Boyles as the calumnious Franklin Hart, Jr., the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot. Boyles is in touch with his inner slime for this show, in what's plainly the most fun part, that of the comic evildoer. His Boyles is a combination of used-car salesman and small-town politician, all 1970's airline pilot hair and porn-star moustache, with enough smarm to bottle and sell it.

Christin Kapp is Roz Keith, office boss-kisser and all-around snitch. She's clearly having the time of her life as the least favorite person in the administrative pool, and she literally sings her heart out on "Heart to Hart."

The ensemble as a whole is great, though when the entire cast is on stage, there are a few sound issues and lyrics become slightly muddy. On smaller ensemble numbers such as "One of the Boys," the sound's fine. In fact, that entire number is fine, a splendid musical fantasy of Violet taking over the company. LeBlanc's staging has just a slight trace of Fosse in it, and it's preferable to the original Broadway staging, which was just a bit much. (Ditto for his minimalistic staging of "Heart to Hart," which was diminished in the original production by being overproduced, with its writhing background dancers. Big budgets aren't always helpful.)

The heart and soul of this production, in musical humor, however, is the women's "coffee break" revenge fantasy at the end of Act One, when Judy envisions herself in a film-noir scenario offing Hart, when Doralee turns the same idea into a Western, and no-nonsense Violet surprises all with her Disney-princess-poisoner inner self's attack on the Boss from Hell.

And Judy (Pugh) does come into her own vocally as well as personally near the end, at "Get Out and Stay Out" (a number that's surprisingly close in many ways to SPRING AWAKENING's "My Junk").

That's not to say that 9 TO 5 doesn't have its problems, but this cast is not one of them, nor is its director. The biggest problem with the show is that it relies heavily on the specter of Dolly Parton - literally, with video narration by the actor/singer herself, looking not at her most fabulous. If Parton herself must be part of the show, an actor playing Parton would be preferable to the huge videos of her narration that take over the stage at various moments. The best musicals don't rely on the invoked presence of their creators to make them work, and this should not be a star vehicle for an actor that isn't present - a little less Dolly Parton, a little more live action please. The book also derives humor from misplaced sources - one character's drinking problem, another's unattractiveness, the sort of personal-characteristic humor that one would hope we'd be beyond. While 9 TO 5 made it to Broadway and to a national tour, these are things that have always plagued it.

The work a young, small theatrical organization like CTC is capable of generating is remarkable, but they're also remarkably motivated. Community support is part of that, however - CTC was able to present the show for free as part of Carlisle's SummerFest thanks to that. It would be a joy to see more area communities help make more theatre free and easily accessible to their residents. Kudos to LeBlanc and to the CTC board for working to make it happen.

Although 9 TO 5 is over, CTC is preparing for a major production of SPAMALOT in October, which is generating some excitement in the area. For further information, visit their webpage at www.carlisletheatre.org.

Photo courtesy of Carlisle Theatre Company

To post a comment, you must register and login.