National tour of 9 to 5: The Musical to launch at the Tennessee Performing Arts CenterThe national tour of the Broadway production 9 to 5: The Musical will open at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center next year.
The first launch of its kind at TPAC, the musical comedy, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, will be rehearsed in Andrew Jackson Hall for several weeks, prior to opening the 2010-2011 season of HCA/TriStar Broadway at TPAC, September 21-26, 2010, and moving on to major cities nationwide.“We’re thrilled. We loved the show in New York and Nashville is the perfect place to rehearse and open 9 to 5 before it tours to major cities nationwide,” said Kathleen O’Brien, TPAC’s president and chief executive officer. “We’re especially proud to be selected for this honor because Tennessee’s own Dolly Parton wrote the score for the musical comedy and TPAC invested in the Broadway production through our membership in the Independent Presenters Network.
So, for numerous reasons, we are highly invested in the success of this show. The launch of the tour will be a fun and historic event for Nashville, Tennessee and TPAC audiences as we celebrate our 30th anniversary in September 2010,” said O’Brien, noting that TPAC opened its doors in 1980, the same year that the film version of 9 to 5 was released.
Winner of seven Grammy Awards and named “Entertainer of the Year” by the Country Music Association in 1977, among hosts of honors, Dolly Parton won widespread acclaim for her first screen role in 9 to 5, co-starring with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as spirited office workers who considered themselves “just a step on the boss-man’s ladder.” In addition to the success of the film, her Grammy-winning title song struck a chord with millions of Americans. The catchy tune reached #1 on the country, pop and adult charts. The multi-talented Parton wrote 16 new songs for the stage musical and was actively involved in its development, marking her debut as a Broadway composer and lyricist.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better experience on my first Broadway show,” said Parton. “I’ve had the privilege of working with an amazing group of people who have become like family to me. I can’t wait for this show to hit the road so people across the country can see why I’m so proud of everyone involved. And I'm so pleased that we'll be opening the tour in Nashville. Great things happen in Nashville.”
Just about one year from now, O’Brien said, the creative team, cast and crew from the first national tour of 9 to 5: The Musical will come to Nashville for several weeks of rehearsal and “tech” in Andrew Jackson Hall. The 2010-2011 season of “HCA/TriStar Broadway at TPAC” will open on September 21, 2010 with 8 performances here before the show moves on to cities across the nation.
The Broadway production features scenic design by two-time Tony Award winner Scott Pask, costume design by five-time Tony Award winner William Ivey Long, lighting design by Tony Award winners Jules Fisher and Kenneth Posner, sound design by John Shivers, imaging by Peter Nigrini and Peggy Eisenhauer, with music direction by Stephen Oremus, who served as the musical director for “Broadway Meets Country,” a concert presented by TPAC and the Country Music Association in 2006.
Closely following the plot of the film, the musical comedy features three co-workers pushed to their boiling point by their boss. The trio hatches a plan to get even with their sexist, egotistical supervisor that quickly spins wildly and hilariously out of control. On Broadway, Violet Newstead the efficient office manager is played by Allison Janney, with Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty, respectively, as the frazzled divorcee Judy Bernly and the sexy executive secretary Doralee Rhodes (played by Parton in the film).
See the web site www.9to5themusical.com for more information on the production, which is closing on Broadway in September.
“What a way to observe our 30th anniversary in 2010,” said O’Brien. “We’re excited to be ‘coming full circle’ with so many connections to 9 to 5. We look forward to sharing this special, historic milestone with our audiences as we celebrate 30 years of art, entertainment, and education together at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.”