By Dale King
Dolly Parton is more than just a dwarfish country vocalist with conspicuous curves and an explosion of blonde hair.
Inside that yellow-coiffed cranium is the brain that concocted money-maker Dollywood. And it also crafted the words and music to the 2008 show, 9 to 5: The Musical, now playing at the Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs.
And while the tunefest based on the 1980 movie that spawned a book by Patricia Resnick isn’t likely to topple Rodgers and Hammerstein from their show business pedestal, it does give Dolly a leg up on some of her Opry stalwarts who haven’t moved much beyond their Nashville microphones.
Besides, it’s a pretty darn good show, considering the plot is kind of hackneyed and slightly dated.
This is one of the few shows that was a movie before it became a book and then a stage comedy. It appears to borrow heavily from the same-named film that was 28 years old when the musical premiered in Los Angeles in September 2008. It opened on Broadway in April 2009, but for only a short time. It has largely provided chuckles at regional theater venues since then.
The Broward version of 9 to 5: The Musical, draws heavily from the cast of its recently concluded Sophisticated Ladies production. Four of its ensemble members — Marcus Davis, Courtney Blackmun, Clint J. Hromsco and Shenise Nunez — are back for the Parton show.
Like the film, the plot involves three female employees of a big corporation whose tyrannical boss, Mr. Hart (portrayed with unabashed nastiness by Shane R. Tanner) is a skirt-chasing, wife-ignoring, employee-firing loudmouth who may have been dipping his hands into the company till. The girls — Violet (Katie Angell Thomas), Doralee (Jessica Crilley, in the Parton role) and Judy (Jennifer Hope), try to sideline Hart long enough to rectify his managerial ways that have crushed the spirit and efficiency of employees. The plan goes awry — and, in the end, everyone has to face the music — pun intended.
The play opens with an extended version of Parton’s familiar 9 to 5 tune which runs long enough to set up the action. Around Here gives the girls a chance to describe what really takes place at the office. Hart soon confides that he’s sexually attracted to Doralee. Once she realizes he has been smearing her reputation, she laments her chagrin in Backwoods Barbie, a bouncy number despite the content, and one of the show’s best.
At this point, Roz (Cindy Pearce) comes forward to confess her love for Hart with some sensuous moves and sexy song lyrics (Heart to Hart) that set her up as the boss’s ally and foe to Violet, Doralee and Judy. Roz also gets a comeuppance in the long run, too.
Oddly, Act II, which is much shorter and offers fewer songs, is more interesting than Act I, perhaps because some subplots begin to crystallize. Joe (Christopher Herr) finally finds some success in his pursuit of Violet, and attractive, widowed single mom who has avoided him in the past because he is so much younger. And, in perhaps the best song of the show, Judy finally tells her ex-husband, Dick (Bobby Underwood) to take a hike, in the strong, confidence-driven melody, Get Out and Get Lost.
The show features some splendid vocal talents — including the ensemble, which comes up proud with Back to Work and in a late-show number, Joy to the Girls, sung to the tune of the Christmas carol, Joy to the World.
Underwood comes back in the pivotal role of Tinsworthy, the company’s CEO, whose actions trigger all the right moves for all the wrong reasons. A talented actor, Underwood has three named roles and is part of the ensemble. Ricky Alan Saunders steps out of the ensemble for two named parts.
Dan Kelley also has multiple roles for this production, as director, head of musical staging and costume designer. He keeps the considerable action on stage moving smoothly. Stage Door Scenic has crafted a very practical, yet effective backdrop that is subject to frequent changes. David Nagy is music director for the program that features canned, but very enjoyable, music. Chrissi Ardito is an able choreographer.
9 to 5: The Musical, is playing through Jan. 19 at the Broward Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs. For tickets, call (954) 344-7765 or visit www.stagedoorfl.org.