« "9 to 5" disappointment from Dolly »

Rating:  2 out of Fordyce

I was disappointed. I wanted 9 to 5 and didn’t get it. I have loved the movie for years and wanted so to like the musical version at Wharton Center, but it just didn’t make the grade.

The story is the same as the film, but in order to put lots of songs in, the plot has to be sliced to make room.  It is easy to see why this show only lasted five months on Broadway.

The story was supposed to take place in 1979, but they seemed to forget that in the opening number in which the men were dancing around the office. There will silly jokes aimed at the 2010 audience about the clapper, 24/7 and inventing things. They didn’t fly, and there are also some things that just didn’t make sense here.

The cast is good and does its best with a lackluster story, but there are mistakes. In one scene, Doralee is called Dorothy, and there were a few missed audio cues. I still have no idea what Violet’s son said when he entered because his mic was not on.

There are good things, too, though. The set is great and makes for some amazingly smooth scene changes, and Dolly Parton is in the show via video tape. She sings “9 to 5” at the end, which raised this show to a 2 out of Fordyce.