9 to 5: The Musical

"9 to 5" – it's a catchy tune, a crowd-pleaser written for a popular film. Unfortunately, 9 to 5: The Musical, the stage version of the 1980 film, even with moments of fun and frolic, will not run around the brain as insistently as the title song.

In this revenge of the women at the Marquis Theater, director Joe Mantello substitutes frenzy for relevance and insight. Co-screenwriter Patricia Resnick's book sprints to the finish line, cramming in all the looks and sounds of 9 to 5, and now there's music. Every opportunity is grabbed to bring in the dancing boys and the next tune. Why music? Boosting the odds for a box-office bonanza, perhaps?

The sketchy plot involves three secretaries laboring in an office ruled by the "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot," Franklin Hart, Jr. (Marc Kudisch). Fast forward—push comes to shove—the women cannot take any more so they hog-tie the boss, string him up and run the office themselves, giving all workers a fair shake and fair pay. Yeah!

Notable is the strong core cast tackling a weak, tired plot. Kudisch and the women earn gold stars for defining their stereotyped characters with understanding, humor and heart. Violet (Allison Janney), a widow with a teenage son, is Ms. Super-Efficient-Secretary bumping against the glass ceiling. Janney is a proven stage and television actress (The West Wing), but singer and dancer? Not really. She holds her own, however, with tart delivery, decent vocal pitch, and natural stage presence. She razzle-dazzles in a white suit in "One of the Boys," out-Bacalling Bacall singing a similar song, same title, different chorus boys, in Woman of the Year.

As Doralee, Megan Hilty plays the Dolly Parton "Backwoods Barbie" role with dead-on accuracy and the country charm of Dolly herself. She's a spunky, perky gal with "too much boobs and too much hair." She speaks like Dolly, captures Dolly's body language, and flaunts the Dolly Look. Surprise! She overexcites the boss.

Judy (Stephanie J. Block) from Wicked and The Pirate Queen, plays against type here. A weepy, insecure divorcee, she was dumped by her husband for his secretary. She has no office skills, but Violet takes over and teaches Judy the ropes so well that she is eager to help string up the boss. Block is awarded a potent anthem, "Get Out and Stay Out," and she does not disappoint, belting it with full-amp power. She is the show's strongest singer but weakest actor.

Marc Kudisch, a robust singer with comic and acting skills, nails the over-the-top role of gleefully evil chauvinist. He is everything you love to hate, arrogant, a bully and a lech. In the office, only one secretary, Roz (Kathy Fitzgerald), seems to see some of his redeemable qualities. There is not much interest in the other secondary characters except, perhaps, Karen Murphy as Margaret, drowning her disappointing life in a bottle.

Dolly Parton's country-pop score is pleasing but not significant. Her catchy, twangy tunes and straight talking lyrics tell the story, popping into the plot when needed. Only the title song is memorable.

Reflecting the era, Scott Pask's movable office set features a humming Xerox machine, and Jules Fisher and Kenneth Posner provide the fluorescent flatness of office lighting. William Ivey Long pays homage to '70s fashion – men's wide lapels and broad ties, no slacks for women, and everyone in polyester. The choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler brings in some fun disco moves but is repetitive and often rushed.

Oh, yes, and that sexism in the workplace situation? While 9 to 5: The Musical ends with a tidy solution, the problems remain. What was meant as relevant comedy in the late '70s is a corny cartoon 30 years later.

(Pictured: Stephanie J. Block, Allison Janney, Megan Hilty. Photo by Joan Marcus)

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
May 6, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org