Review: Playmakers Presents 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL

Two things in the world that I think are just the coolest are 1) Dolly Parton and 2) being introduced to shows that I don't know anything about before the curtain comes up. Playmakers Theater in Covington combined these two really cool things that I love into one night of laughs when they presented 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL.

The Tony Award nominated production with music and lyrics both written by Dolly Parton revolves around three women and their journey to stick it to their pig of a boss and make their workplace more woman-friendly. When the show opens we see Judy (Madison Weathersby), Doralee (Emily Hynes), and Violey (Arianne Pool), getting ready for their work day. We soon realize that all three women feel as though they are being held back for different reasons, and it becomes clear that Mr. Hart (Shannon Williams) has created nothing more than a hostile working environment for them.

Judy is struggling at work due to lack of experience, Violet is passed over for another promotion, and there are rumors being spread that Doralee is having an affair with Mr. Hart. The women begin to fantasize about what it would be like if Mr. Hart were dead, and wind up accidentally poisoning him! After finding out that Mr. Hart has planned to go to the police about the little accident, the girls kidnap their boss and tie him up in his own home. With Mr. Hart on "house arrest," the girls are able to clean up the company and prove that Mr. Hart is not only guilty of womanizing, but also embezzling. In a weird twist at the end, Mr. Hart is actually given credit for the hard work that the women did with cleaning up the company, but his "reward" is being sent to manage a branch of the company in Bolivia. This leaves Violet as the new president of the company, Doralee headed to Nashville to become a singer, and Judy became a best-selling author.

It sure is a crazy whirlwind of a musical, but the Playmakers cast and crew did a great job of making the story their own. Our four leads had great chemistry and most importantly were committed to their characters. It was obvious that they had a blast creating this piece. Deborah Marcelle was also a hilarious addition to the cast in her portrayal of Roz, Mr. Hart's secretary who is oddly in love with him. Finally, bravo to Mr. Justin Lapeyrouse for putting this creatively spunky show together.

Season tickets for the 2015-2016 season at Playmakers are now available. Visit http://www.playmakersinc.com/ for tickets and more information.

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