9 to 5 The Musical-Clio Cast and Crew, Inc.

By: Marshall Summers

Judy (Kristen Rossiter), Violet (Melanie Kratz) and Doralee (AshLeigh Kreiner) are three female coworkers who are fed up with their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical boss, Frank Hart, Jr (Eric Lewis Johnson).  Together, they conspire to get back at their boss and take over their company. This musical is based on the book by Patricia Resnick, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and is based on the 1980 hit movie. 

The set was very interesting (Set Design and Construction, Travis Palmer). At first, it appears to be a boring beige hallway of an office building - which is what it is supposed to be. Throughout the show, the side panels were moved out and turned around to reveal another set piece. One side completes Hart's office and the other is a bathroom. There is also an elevator that "works". At one point a whole bed is pulled down from a panel on the stage. You would have never guessed there was a bed hiding behind a sign. 

Sometimes when the pieces were being spun around, it gave the audience a look into the backstage area for the most part, it appeared as though there were something blocking the view of the audience to the inner workings of the backstage, however there were a few times when a cast member or two waiting for their next turn on stage could be seen briefly.

Set changes can be difficult, especially when moving large pieces of the set around and could lead to long set changes. The set changes were surprisingly quick. When the desks were moved, it seemed a little clunky at times, but the quickness of set changes was impressive. 

The sheer number of costume changes this show required must have kept the costumers (Dennis Swedorski, Sage Wilson, and Sarah Campbell) on their toes. Multiple times throughout the show, backup dancers/singers appear behind the actor who is singing. Each of the lead actors had multiple changes. The costumes were well done and fit the character's personality as well as the time period. As Judy grows to become a strong, independent woman, her clothing choices change.

The character of Margaret (Sarah Schellhas), the office drunk, had what appeared to be a slip showing at the bottom of her skirt when she was in her "drunk" era. When she came back from rehab, she appeared neat and polished. That was a clever little detail, whether it was a mistake or on purpose.

The cast sounded great for the most part when it came to singing (Music Director, Emily Buccaneer). Kristen Rossiter (Judy) had a beautiful voice with a wide range. Rocelle McCoy-Jacobs (Roz) did a wonderful job with her song. She has a beautiful voice and did a wonderful job in her role as the lovesick assistant to Frank Hart.  Eric Lewis Johnson (Frank Hart) also has a wonderful voice, as does Alex Vokoun (Joe). Their acting and musical talents were really showcased in this performance. 

Other stand out performances were Sarah Schellhas (Margaret) for her amazing characterization and going from drunk Margaret to sober Margaret. She was hilarious. Alicia Hopper (Kathy) was also very funny. She had an accent during her time as Kathy and did a phenomenal job. 

Several ensemble actors had multiple roles. They were able to seamlessly transition between roles and then back. 

There were multiple times where the actor singing appeared to fumble the lyrics to a song. There were a few times that the actors singing were supposed to harmonize, but it didn’t quite work out. For the most part, everyone knew words and sounded wonderful. 

At times, the ensemble and some of the actors with microphones sounded too quiet to be heard correctly. Sometimes this was with dialogue and sometimes it was with lyrics. During one scene, the sound effects covered the actors’ singing as well and made it hard to hear what they were saying. 

The choreography was great (Choreography, Megan Carigan). It moved beyond the typical local theater choreography and looked to be fairly advanced. There is a tap dance routine and people up on chairs and even several background dancers. There were a few members of the cast that appeared to be more than just a little off on their choreography throughout the show, and a few who didn’t look like they felt totally comfortable with their routines. Overall, everyone did a fabulous job. 

Perhaps the one disappointing thing about the show was that the Doralee character somewhat lacked the spark that Dolly brought to the role. While different actors bring different things to the same role, it was a little bit of a letdown to see such an iconic character lack the “Dolly-isms” that made that character what it was. 

Should you go see this show? Yes. Dolly Parton fans will enjoy it. Fans of the movie will enjoy it. Anyone who has had a jerk for a boss and wished they could do what Violet, Doralee, and Judy did will also enjoy it. Run time is about 2 ½ hours, including a 15 minute intermission. April 12-19th are still available. For tickets, visit cliocastandcrew.com or call 810-687-2588.