Director
Randolph College for the Performing Arts
November – December 2018
Pushed to the boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss and learn there is nothing they can’t do, even in a “man’s world.”
9 to 5 is one of my favourite musicals and people often laugh at me when I say that. Because it’s based on a movie, or because Dolly Parton wrote the music and lyrics, people assume it’s campy and silly. And I suppose all of those things are true. However, you couldn’t say that this musical is outdated. I think it speaks strongly to a contemporary audience—one dealing with issues of gender equity in a time that is as provocative as it was in 1979. And who doesn’t think that camp and Dolly Parton fit very well within the world of musical theatre? To me, this musical is about women standing up for themselves. It’s about a shift in power, and welcoming new approaches to our old tired (and bigoted) ways. It asks us to open our minds and think critically about the status quo, and it does so in a way that honours the truth of these characters. Moreover, it deals with this topic in a way that is incredibly fun.
I had a blast working with the talented students at Randolph!
Book by Patricia Resnick
Music Direction by Chris Tsujiuchi
Choreography by Miles Gosse
Set Design by Anna Treusch
Lighting Design by Gabriel Cropley
Costume Design by Alex Amini
Sound Design by Jason Cabanaw
Stage Management by Cole Vincent