Music & Lyrics by Dolly Parton
Book by Patricia Resnick
Based on the 1980 Film
Three female employees bond one evening after work over a joint and dreams of revenge over the gross mistreatment they receive from their boss. Violet panics when she believes she has poisoned Mr. Hart. With the help of her new found friends Doralee and Judy, Violet kidnaps the villain and takes revenge in a more positive way.
I was excited for this production for several reasons. Athens Theatre is continuously challenging itself and 9 to 5 seems to be the next step in this process. With a live pit, a lively set design and two principle characters played by actresses who continue to impress me with their growth, I was ready for this.
I am aware the show’s musical director had changed the night I visited Athens Theatre so I understand some of the issues I might have noticed could have stemmed from that. Great job to everyone for picking up the slack when things fell either physically or musically.
Laurie Sullivan as Violet. Laurie was an easy fit for this character. She is an intelligent listener and reactor. Because of this, Violet’s interaction with the other characters felt real. There was an emotional connection which existed in every scene. I would have liked a little more energy from Laurie, but I think that’s just a personal preference.
Bernadette Siudock as Doralee. Bernadette is my favorite kind of actor. She didn’t create a character to put on but found Doralee within herself. This made Bernadette’s version more subdued which created an intriguing juxtaposition for when Doralee loses her composure on Mr. Hart. Backwoods Barbie did feel a little clunky and I am not sure if it had to do with musical direction or not. The song lost a fraction of its impact because of this. As a word of caution to Bernadette and all other actors putting on an accent, do your homework and practice. A lot. Doralee’s accent dropped a few times toward the end of act two. It is hard work keeping a voice through a show, I understand, I am the worst at this. Just keep practicing. But Doralee was lovely.
Grace Boynton as Judy. Grace is someone in the Central Florida theater community that I am keeping an eye on. I was fortunate enough to catch her as Julia in the Wedding Singer in 2018. Since then she has continued to put her mark on each character she has the opportunity to perform. I feel Grace might have been a bit too young for this character, but I think I understand why Athens Theatre chose her to play the role. Grace is a powerhouse singer and tactfully conjures Judy’s naivety at the top of the show then creates a strong arc for the finish. I spoke to the actress after the show and she had definitely done her homework. I would love to see Grace perform this role in a few years again and see how much further she can take this character. Also, THANK YOU FOR THE BELT!!!!
Gavin Waid is charming as Joe. I wish this role were bigger just so I can see him more. This actor was great at creating moments with other players during ensemble performances.
David Coalter was also great at connecting with his fellow cast mates. Kudos to this actor for creating a real character in this world.
I appreciate the hard work the cast put into this production. Be cautious with “putting on” a character. We as actors strive to tell stories with emotional highs and lows. While I am a fan of the zany and ridiculous moments, Mr. Hart and Roz’s fantasies felt forced. The audience laughs because they recognize themselves in what they see. Reaching for “low hanging fruit” will get a laugh but finding the character within yourself will connect emotionally to the audience and the laughs will be much more rewarding. Also, listen. There were many times when actors were simply speaking their lines and not listening. On a positive note, the vocal work in this show was beautiful. I need to feel something when I hear harmonies and with this show the moment which matters most to me is “I Just Might”. When this song hits, it needs to hit hard, and this cast nailed it.
Thank you to the staff of Athens Theatre for your friendliness and making yourselves available for lost patrons like me. Bravo to everyone involved in this production. I look forward to seeing this theater continue to flourish in our community.
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