Iconic 80s Comedy Gets Into Drag With 9 TO 5: LIVE At Oasis In San Francisco, January 11-21

Director Elsa Touche and writer Joe “Jubilee” Wadlington are bringing 9 TO 5: LIVE to OASIS in San Francisco, January 11-21, 2024.

The adaptation of the iconic workplace comedy “9 to 5” will feature an all-drag, trans-led cast stacked with award and title-winning, celebrated drag artists from the San Francisco Bay Area. The cultural classic has been redrawn with modern commentary, updated humor, and the raucous vaudeville-style drag theatre that can only be found in San Francisco. Tickets ($30-50) are on sale now and available at sfoasis.com. 

The prevalence of remote work, layoffs, The Great Resignation, a national surge in union support, and strikes across multiple industries have led to a modern-day workplace revolution. These topics converge, creating a national conversation about labor that is buzzing through every executive office, restaurant break room, and secret Slack channel. People want fair wages and support for quality work but find the deck stacked against us all. Such was the landscape in 1980 when "9 to 5" hit theaters. A lot has changed. Or has it? 

“I'm thrilled to be bringing '9 to 5: Live' to the legendary Oasis stage!” said Elsa Touche. “Our cast of beloved Bay Area drag performers delivers a fresh, fun, and funny take on this classic comedy — it's both timeless and timely: the workplace is arguably worse than ever, and I think a lot of us can still relate to dealing with a sexist, egotistical, lying hypocritical bigot in charge!” 

“I grew up just down the mountain from Dollywood, directly benefiting from Dolly Parton's philanthropy, and in awe of her beauty and generosity,” said Joe “Jubilee” Wadlington. “She's my queen, and I'm thrilled that we're in a bit of a Dolly Renaissance right now. Getting to write this script, co-produce this play, AND play my idol is truly a dream come true. Workers' rights are on everyone's minds, so it is the perfect time to take another look at this beloved, ahead-of-its-time comedy. We know the Bay Area audience will LOVE what we've done with it.” 

With Wadlington in the role of Doralee Rhodes, 9 TO 5: LIVE will also feature Jota Mercury (Franklin J. Hart), who has been voted Best Drag King in the Bay Area for three years running; Coco Buttah (Violet Newstead), the current reigning Diva of Design, with previous credits in Shamilton, Star Trek Live, and Harry Poofter and the Chamber of Secretions; Vanilla Meringue (Judy Bernly) is the winner of Heklina's Star Search pageant and star of Harry Poofter and the Sorcerer's Rhinestone and Harry Poofter and the Chamber of Secretions. The creative team, director Elsa Touche, and Joe "Jubilee" Wadlington are known throughout the San Francisco Bay Area for creating cultural gems. Ms. Touche has previously directed sold-out runs of Harry Poofter and the Chamber of Secretions (2022) and Harry Poofter and the Sorcerer's Rhinestone (2019), as well as multiple successful runs of the drag Hamilton parody, Shamilton and Drag Murder She Wrote. She is also a co-host of one of the longest-running drag shows in the San Francisco Bay Area, The Monster Show, and San Francisco's newest drag show, Hooked. Wadlington's work has appeared in The New Yorker, Vox, Architectural Digest, Food and Wine Magazine, The San Francisco Chronicle, and more. He is also a co-producer of the acclaimed literary series Happy Endings. 

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