9 To 5 (The SOB Review) - Marquis Theatre, New York, New York***1/2 (out of ****)After reading
one particularly negative review for the musical version of
9 To 5, I was girding myself for the worst when stepping inside Broadway's
Marquis Theatre.
Instead, not since taking in another underappreciated tuner --
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels -- that was
equally drubbed by the very same critic, have I laughed so heavily from my gut.
Ironically,
Dolly Parton's original film lyrics sum up my thoughts on that particular critical response:
It's all takin'And no givin'They just use your mindAnd they never give you creditIt's enough to drive youCrazy if you let it.Frankly, I'm stunned by how much I enjoyed this show after reading that initial review. It's not rocket science or deeply penetrating. But what director
Joe Mantello has clearly labored long and hard to create is highly and consistently entertaining.
9 To 5 is exceedingly fun
and funny, as well as very loyal to the 1980 film, thanks largely to librettist
Patricia Resnick revising her original screenplay. More significantly, Dolly Parton has delivered one of this season's most melodic scores, with plenty of tunes to keep you humming long after departing the theatre.
9 To 5 also rates as a fabulous star vehicle for its tremendous trio of leading ladies:
Allison Janney as the wisecracking Violet Newstead,
Stephanie J. Block as conservative Judy Bernly and
Megan Hilty as the curvaceous Doralee Rhodes. Each has her moment to shine, and each does so splendidly. With solid support from
Marc Kudisch as bossman Franklin Hart, Jr. and
Kathy Fitzgerald as Roz, there's no shortcoming in
9 To 5's talent department.
If escape is what you're looking for, you'd be hard pressed not to revel in
9 To 5's frivolity.
Oh, and by the way, that critic I was talking about above? He returned to
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels one year later and his re-review would have had you believing he saw a completely different show (i.e. he
liked it the second time around). After viewing
9 To 5, you would think that this musical would deserve a better promotion. I know I do.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: 9 To 5, Allison Janney, Broadway, Dolly Parton, Joe Mantello, Megan Hilty, Musical, Stephanie J. Block, The SOB Review
Broadway Preview: 9 To 5As regular readers will recall,
I've sounded some squeals of delight at the prospect of
Dolly Parton writing a musical for the Great White Way. What a way for her to make a living!
As previously noted, her musical stage adaptation of
9 To 5 is a go for September 2008 mounting Los Angeles'
Ahmanson Theatre. But now it's been announced that the tuner will play Broadway's
Marquis Theatre beginning March 24, 2009, with an opening slated for April 23.
The cast, of course, will include
Stephanie J. Block as Judy Bernly,
Allison Janney as Violet Newstead and
Megan Hilty as deluxe Dolly doppelgänger Doralee Rhodes.
Marc Kudisch will play that evil boss man.
Helmed by
Joe Mantello, the musical's book will be provided by the
film version's screenwriter,
Patricia Resnick. Choreography comes from recent Tony Award winner
Andy Blankenbuehler (
In The Heights).
Almost in spite of the fact that it's based on a movie, this, my dear friends, is the new musical of the 2008-09 Theatrical Season I'm most anxiously awaiting. I'm placing this squarely in the top three shows I want to see over the next year.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for 9 To 5 Los Angeles tickets.Related Stories:Broadway Preview: Mary Stuart (July 15, 2008)
Broadway Preview: The American Plan (July 14, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Shrek The Musical (July 13, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Waiting For Godot (July 12, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Pal Joey (July 11, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Dividing The Estate (July 10, 2008)
Broadway Preview: 13 (July 9, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Speed-The-Plow (July 8, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Billy Elliot - The Musical (July 7, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Godspell (July 6, 2008)
Broadway Preview: All My Sons (July 5, 2008)
Broadway Preview: A Man For All Seasons (July 3, 2008)
Broadway Preview: To Be Or Not To Be (July 2, 2008)
Broadway Preview: The Seagull (July 1, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Equus (June 30, 2008)
Broadway Preview: A Tale Of Two Cities (June 28, 2008)
Broadway Preview: for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf (June 25, 2008)
Broadway Preview: [title of show] (June 24, 2008)
Broadway: What's Next (June 20, 2008)
Workin' 9 2--8 (November 16, 2007)
2009 To 5? (August 29, 2007)
Labels: 9 To 5, Broadway, Dolly Parton, Film, Joe Mantello, Los Angeles, Marc Kudisch, Megan Hilty, Musical, Nine To Five, Stephanie J. Block, Tryout
Workin' 9 2--8The musical stage adaptation of
9 To 5 is a go for September 2008.
The Broadway-bound tuner will enjoy its world premiere tryout in LA at the city's
Ahmanson Theatre, which helped birth the current Broadway hits
Curtains and
The Drowsy Chaperone.
According to Variety, the show will open September 21, 2008.
There's definitely a lot of interest here. In a recent SOB Poll, I asked, "Which previously announced stage adaptation of a movie would you most like to see on Broadway?" By a wide margin, a plurality of you (40.9%) said your choice was
9 To 5 -- the next closest vote was 18.2% who said "Enough with turning films into musicals!"
Stephanie J. Block, who let's face it was the only reason to plunk down money to see the disaster known as
The Pirate Queen, may finally have a role that makes her a bona fide Broadway star. Don't get me wrong, I loved her as
Liza Minnelli in the mildly entertaining
The Boy From Oz and think she does a mean (and that's
good) Elphaba in
Wicked, but this exceptional actress deserves a high profile role that can really grab Broadway's attention. This could be it as Block is set to take on the role Judy Bernly, originally created by
Jane Fonda in the
film version.
Block will be teaming up with four-time Emmy Award winning actress
Allison Janney (who also received a 1998 Tony nod for
A View From A Bridge) and a former Glinda,
Megan Hilty. Janney will portray Violet Newstead (delightfully played by
Lily Tomlin in the film), while Hilty fills the big, er, shoes of
Dolly Parton as Doralee Rhodes.
Speaking of Parton, the beloved songstress has written the score to
9 To 5, while
Patricia Resnick (who wrote the original story) is handling the show's book.
Joe Mantello will be the boss man responsible for helming the play, while
Andy Blankenbuehler (
The Apple Tree and the upcoming
In The Heights) will choreograph.
Visions of visiting LA next fall are already dancing in my head.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:2009 To 5? (August 29, 2007)
Labels: 9 To 5, Broadway, Dolly Parton, Film, Joe Mantello, Los Angeles, Marc Kudisch, Megan Hilty, Musical, Nine To Five, Stephanie J. Block, Tryout
2009 To 5?Among all the films currently being developed for stage musical treatment,
9 To 5 is the one that you want most to see, according to your votes in my recent SOB Poll. Now it's looking likely to bust out on Broadway in 2009.
Earlier this summer, I posed the following via my SOB Poll: "A musical version of
9 To 5 is the latest stage treatment for a popular film. Which previously announced stage adaptation of a movie would you most like to see on Broadway?"
A very strong 40.9% of you indicated that it would indeed be your top choice. That was way ahead of the second top response: "Enough already with turning films into musicals!" at 18.2%.
Already the subject of plenty of press attention,
9 To 5 has all the makings of a double-barreled hit with
Dolly Parton handling the score,
Joe Mantello at the helm and a cast that could conceivably include
Allison Janney,
Stephanie J. Block (who's about to return to
Wicked),
Megan Hilty,
Bebe Neuwirth,
Marc Kudisch and
Andy Karl -- that is, if the recent reading was any indication.
Now, according to
Playbill, the musically-endowed
2006 Kennedy Center Honoree has told listeners to
Go Country 105.1 in Los Angeles that the tuner will hit the Great White Way in 2009:
People ask if I'm gonna be in the play. I say, "No, I think I'm a bit over the age of wantin' to be a secretary. But they asked me to write all the music for it, so I have written all the music. And it's supposed to open on Broadway in the spring of 2009. I believe they're gonna be doin' a workshop out here at the Shubert in the fall of next year.
No matter that Parton most likely meant "tryout" rather than "workshop," I'm actually looking forward to see this one play out.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: 9 To 5, Andy Karl, Bebe Neuwirth, Broadway, Dolly Parton, Film, First Word On New Show, Joe Mantello, Los Angeles, Marc Kudisch, Megan Hilty, Musical, Stephanie J. Block, Tryout
For Good: Wicked Wins LA Critical PraiseLast week,
Wicked officially conquered Los Angeles as the fourth sit-down mounting of the mega-hit musical opened at the
Pantages Theatre. Perhaps there's something in Hollywood's water, but the critics largely liked the show.
Noting how this production will be "one tough ticket," the
Los Angeles Times'
Charles McNulty brilliantly demonstrates a keen understanding for the innate popularity of
Wicked in his review -- those insights have proven elusive to countless other critics. McNulty praises the show stating: "The witchcraft is as fresh as it has ever been, thanks to the two splendiferous leads,
Eden Espinosa and
Megan Hilty....But an even more impressive feat is the way their harmonious incantations redeem the fun of this familiar blockbuster. Who knew the spell could still work so well?...The experience is like stepping back into childhood and being reintroduced to one's earliest friends by a puckish yet psychologically forgiving guide."
Orange County Register's
Paul Hodgins also gets why audiences are making it a must-see show: "After barely three years in the public consciousness,
Wicked seems poised to replace
The Phantom of the Opera as America's must-see musical....Why does everybody like
Wicked so much? Because it delivers everything we expect of a big-ticket musical theater experience -- spectacle, anthemic songs, a cathartic story -- and makes the most of an irresistible theme: the indelible bond of friendship....There's an added incentive to see this
Wicked. It stars Orange County's Eden Espinosa as Elphaba, the green teen who transforms into the queen of mean. And she's worth the trip."
Laurence Vittes of
The Hollywood Reporter declares that
Wicked "...scores on virtually all entertainment levels and is everything you would expect it to be.... It's no wonder its run at the Pantages is open-ended....Best of all, every one of the main roles is a tour de force, and each is performed with mostly unforgettable charisma, charm and virtuosity, and lit into with unbridled glee. Hilty's Glinda steals the show."
In his two-and-a-half-star review,
Evan Henerson of Los Angeles'
Daily News says somewhat derisively: "But you can't loathe something so slick and technically vibrant as this is. All those great voices, all that impassioned singing ... it's like trying to fault Disneyland....Heck, it's no small achievement to get a hungry audience applauding pretty much the second the lights go down.
Wicked is nice that way. And it's a hit. Likability sells. Go figure."
With ticket sales going through the roof, it looks like this sit-down production is in for the long haul.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for LA tickets.
Related Stories:
Hollywood Becomes Wicked Were London Critics Mourning West End Wicked? (September 28, 2006)
West End Wicked Opens Tonight (September 27, 2006)
Wicked Witch of the West End Takes Flight Tonight (September 7, 2006)
Jaaku or Neikan? Wicked Set for Japanese Translation (July 24, 2006)
Five Times More Wicked (July 17, 2006)
Wicked's West End Witches Update (May 17, 2006)
Worldwide Wicked Casting News (May 5, 2006)
Encore: Spotlight Week Ending April 30, 2006 (April 30, 2006)
Labels: California, Critics' Capsule, Eden Espinosa, Los Angeles, Megan Hilty, Musical, The Phantom Of The Opera, Wicked
