Theatre
Announce
Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ opens in Australia this week!
When I say 'Yee', you say 'Haw'
The queen of all queens, Dolly Parton, will bring the live-musical version of her hit 1980 comedy 9 to 5 to Australian stages this year – that’s right, we are just days away from opening night.
Image credit: David Hooley
The highly anticipated West End smash-hit musical is back in business and ready to make its debut Down Under when it lands at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from February 2022.
[su_box title=”9 TO 5: The Musical Australian Season Dates” box_color=”#026cdf” radius=”7″]• WHEN: Opens on Wednesday 16 February 2022
• WHERE: Capitol Theatre, Sydney
• TICKETS: On sale via Ticketmaster.com.au now
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Okay, now that we’ve got the singalong over and done with, let’s dive into the show.
Who is in the 9 to 5 The Musical cast?
The countdown is on to the much anticipated Australian premiere of 9 to 5 The Musical which is set to open in February at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre – and the star-studded cast is truly splendid!
Marina Prior will play Violet Newstead (the role made famous by Lily Tomlin) a smart, sassy and efficient woman who has worked all her life at Consolidated Industries. Prior gained prominence as Cosette in the Australian premiere of Les Misérables and Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera, and has grown to become one of Australia’s most accomplished leading ladies, playing lead roles in The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, and The Secret Garden.
Casey Donovan will be Judy Bernly (played by Jane Fonda in the film), a newly separated, never worked before young woman who finds more than just a job at Consolidated Industries. Donovan has become an audience favourite in concert and in musical theatre. Most recently she played Matron Mama Morton in the smash hit musical Chicago, and has performed in The Flower Children, The Sapphires, Rent and We Will Rock You.
Erin Clare will play Doralee Rhodes – the role made famous by Dolly Parton herself – a ‘don’t mess with me’ well-brought-up, bright and beautiful country gal. She may look like a push over but is anything but! Following her first starring role as Scaramouche in The Gordon Frost Organisation’s national tour of We Will Rock You, Clare has featured in Heathers the Musical, American Psycho, High Fidelity, American Idiot and Merrily We Roll Along.
Caroline O’Connor plays busy-body Roz Keith, the administration assistant who is fiercely – and unrequitedly – in love with her boss Franklin Hart Jnr. O’Connor has played lead roles on Broadway, in the West End, France and across Australia. While Eddie Perfect will play the controlling boss Franklin Hart Jnr. One of Australia’s most respected and prolific writers and performers, Eddie is perhaps best known as all-round nice guy Mick Holland on Channel 10’s hit series Offspring.
I am so excited that Marina, Casey and Erin will be playing Violet, Judy and Doralee alongside Caroline and Eddie in the Australian cast of 9 TO 5. The response to 9 TO 5 from around the world has been incredible so far. I can’t wait for everyone down under to have a fun (and funny!) night out at 9 TO 5.
DOLLY PARTON
Originally starting out as a film starring power trio Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, 9 to 5 went on to become a five-season television sitcom, led by Parton’s younger sister. But as they say, good things never die, and in 2009, 9 to 5 was adapted for the stage – you really can’t stop a fab story about female empowerment in the workplace from living on.
A sensation on the West End – the musical adaptation follows the same plot as the film. For anyone unfamiliar, we meet three workmates, Doralee, Violet and Judy, who are pushed too far by their mean-spirited boss, Franklin Hart Jnr. Resorting to wit, camaraderie and cunning, what follows is a whirlwind adventure, with our three stars plotting to kidnap their boss and get their revenge. The only question is, will the feisty trio manage to change the office culture to reach their full potential – or will events unravel when the CEO pays an unexpected visit?
Ahead of its time when it first opened in cinemas back in December 1980, still today – nearly 40 years later – the message that underpins 9 to 5 is still just as relevant and important.
Full of mischief, laughter and affection, and with a score written by Parton herself – what more could you want in the New Year?
When and where can I see 9 to 5 The Musical in Australia?
Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 The Musical will land at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from Wednesday 16 February 2022.
Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.au right now!
I am beyond excited that we can finally bring this show to Australia. The response to 9 TO 5 from around the world has been incredible. The overwhelmingly positive fan reaction to this universal story tickles every rhinestone on my body! I can’t wait for more people throughout Australia to have a good ole singalong, and the time of their life.
Dolly Parton
The show was originally meant to debut in April 2021, but the show’s team had to change plans because of the pandemic.
When Covid hit last year, we were two weeks from starting rehearsals. But now 9 TO 5 is back in business, and we are so excited to have confirmed our theatre, set the dates, and we’re now assembling our cast. After the last 18 months, Australia is ready to laugh, and will love this upbeat, fun and inspirational production that is full of Dolly Parton’s fantastic music including the iconic title song.
John Frost for Crossroads Live, Suzanne Jones and Ambassador Theatre Group Productions
When the smash musical was first reimagined for Broadway in 2009, Parton received a Grammy nod and Tony nomination for the original music she composed, so expect plenty of feel-good tunes to sing along to.
It made its West End debut in London back in February, originally only scheduled for a 16-week run, but due to its insane popularity, it has since been extended multiple times and is now on an open-ended run.
Check out the trailer from its West End season for a little sneak peek into what we can expect:
9 TO 5: The Musical will land at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from Wednesday 16 February 2022. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.au.
