‘9 to 5’: Sweet Revenge for the Working Woman

(L-R) Jacob Krech, Karen Volpe, Kevin Holmquist and Taylor Wesselman. – Photo Courtesy of Glendale Centre Theatre

By Nathaniel Cayanan

Equal pay. The glass ceiling. Female objectification. Everywhere we look, we are reminded of the many feminist issues that have come to occupy our social conscience, as if such issues have been only recently realized. But, when we look back at creative works set in the worlds of yesterday, we see that the fight for a more leveled playing field for women has been on our minds for quite a while. Such is the case with Glendale Centre Theatre’s 1980s-set musical, 9 to 5.

Based on the popular ‘80s movie of the same name and featuring music and lyrics written by the legendary country singer Dolly Parton, the musical tells the story about women getting sweet revenge against the oppressive, misogynistic powers that be.

The Martin Lang-directed production specifically focuses on three women: the fragile, recently divorced Judy (Andrea Arvanigian), senior office supervisor and widow Violet (Karen Volpe), and voluptuous secretary Doralee (Amy Gilette). The trio are wronged by their sexist, egotistical boss, Mr. Hart (Paul Preston) who verbally abuses Judy, exploits Violet, and sexually harasses Doralee. As they fantasize of life without the despotically cruel CEO, they find themselves in a hilarious conspiracy that turns the tables on Hart and creates a more woman-friendly workplace.

While the story may serve as a representation the 1980s’ (and even today’s) oppressive culture toward the professional woman, the musical fortunately avoids heavy-handedly pushing any specific agenda, instead touching on this theme by focusing on the evolution of each of these characters. With charming performances and decent singing, the three main leads, along with their main antagonist, exhibit an incredible compatibility that enhances the humor and relatability of the material with which they are working.

But, one glaring issue does arise with the mechanics of this production: the sound design. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s going on, but the uneven volume levels of the soundtrack, along with the at-times difficult to understand singing, take away from the effectiveness of the musical numbers. This is additionally problematic when the stage population reaches the double digits, occasionally resulting in a jumble of performers, awkwardly singing and dancing over one another.

Such issues are alleviated when the number of performers is limited to … oh, let’s say five. An example of this is when the trio sings “I Just Might.” With these ladies’ distinct, euphonic voices complementing each other, void of the overwhelming mob of performers crowding the already tight stage-space, these more modest musical numbers more effectively add to the story.

In the end, despite of any perceived slight technical flaws the production may suffer, with a well-selected cast, vibrant set pieces, and relatable story as culturally relevant now as its film version was then, 9 to 5 truly delivers a night full of laughs and entertainment.

9 to 5 will play until August 22nd at the Glendale Centre Theatre, 324 North Orange Street, Glendale, CA 91203. Show days are Thursday-Saturday Evenings at 8pm with Saturday Matinees at 3pm. General admission $28. Senior (62 & over) $23. Children (16 & under) $18. Discount rates are available for groups of 15 or more. Tickets can be purchased by calling (818) 244-8481 or online at www.glendalecentretheatre.com.

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