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1979 was a time of feathered bangs and 5-inch afros. It was also the year Hollywood experimented with a movie starring three unlikely female leads. Comedian Lily Tomlin, veteran dramatic actress and, at the time, fitness guru, Jane Fonda and country music star Dolly Parton joined forces in 9 to 5 making it one of the summers hottest tickets proving women of a certain age could still pull in audiences at the box office and on the Billboard charts.

Starlight Theatre presents the Broadway musical version of this popular film this week with music and lyrics by none other than Dolly herself. Walking into the theatre, on that beautiful 60 degree Tuesday night, I was feeling nostalgic about Dolly’s role and even remarked that I was going to miss her as Doralee, the voluptuous secretary. I spoke too soon. She appeared, virtually, on the circular megatron screen that doubles as a clock face. Recorded Dolly welcomed us to the show, provided us with a prologue, set the stage, introduced the characters and made us all feel like cozy old friends. Genius.

The story revolves around the unlikely friendship of three women who struggle at work. The ultra-capable widow Violet (Dee Hoty) constantly being bypassed for promotion because she’s a woman, the freshly divorced Judy (Mamie Parris), who, never having worked a formal job in her life, enters the work force fearful but willing to “fake it until she makes it,” and Doralee (Diana DeGarmo), the blond bombshell with a heart of pure gold. During a pot-fogged dream sequence, they bond and share their desires to get rid of their sexist boss. One hilarious accident after the next leads the ladies to kidnap the evil Mr. Hart and hold him hostage at his home as they take over the company and right all of Mr. Hart’s wrongs. 

It was Diana DeGarmo as Doralee who had the biggest, tallest, highest heels to fill in Dolly Parton’s former role. But I had nothing to worry about, DeGarmo was amazing. The third season runner-up of American Idol at age 16 and Grand Ole Opry performer at age 12, DeGarmo channeled every bit of Dolly’s adorable Doralee right down to the vocal inflections and comedic timing. If this role is any indication, DeGarmo is one to watch. 

Dee Hoty sounded exactly like Lily Tomlin in her role as Violet. She gave the office class, something it sorely lacking, which made her dream scene, complete with puppet blue birds, Thumper and a stuffed Bambi, even more hysterical. “One of the Boys” was a show-stopping Las Vegas-esque number that featured the extraordinary flexibility of the chorus. 

Judy, played by Mamie Parris, pulled out all of the stops in her number “Get Out and Stay Out.” Her meek and mild exterior completely crumbled in this passionate liberation song. More than one jaw in the audience dropped as she let it rip. 

Mr. Hart, the sexist, egotistical jerk of a boss was played by soap regular Joseph Mahowald. With his thick caterpillar mustache, long side burns and wet-look hair, he gives the two-dimensional character an extra-smarmy “ick-factor”. His song “Here for You” in Act 1 had me squirming as he fondled his football and sang about Doralee’s D-cups with his strong, Robert Goulet-like croon. It was so loathsome it was delicious. 

Other standouts of the night included his girl Friday, the buttoned-up, gray-bobbed, sensible-shoe wearing Roz (Kristine Zbornik), who had two fantastic numbers that had me doubled over with tears in my eyes. Office lush, Margaret (Jane Blass) played her oppressed alcoholic character with so much heart that she was easy to love. Wayne Schroder played not only Judy’s jerky husband but the Chairman of the Board who gets to wrap everything up so nicely at the end. Could the fact that he resembled Colonel Sanders be subliminal product placement? 

Overall this was one of the best shows I have ever seen at Starlight. The cast gave outstanding performances on all levels, the timing never dragged, the songs were solid and the dance numbers clever. Getting to see and hear the über-talented Dolly Parton, even if it was just on screen, was just icing on the cake. 

REVIEW:
Starlight Theatre
9 to 5 : The Musical
June 21–26, 2011 (Reviewed Tuesday June 21^st)
Starlight Theatre
4600 Starlight Drive, Kansas City, MO
For more information visit www.kcstarlight.com

Top Photo: Cast of the national touring production of 9 to 5: The Musical (Photo by Joan Marcus)

By Megan Browne Helm

Classical, Vocal and Theatre Contributor

Megan Browne Helm grew up singing, dancing and acting.  Inspired by Emma Kirkby as a high school student in St. Louis she went on to study voice and sing with the Collegium Musicum at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio where she also had a radio show of contemporary classical music on WOBC.  At the University of Kansas she had the pleasure of working with former Kings’ Singer, Simon Carrington in his Collegium Musicum and Oread consort. Years later, she was a choral fellow at the Yale School of Music’s  Norfolk Chamber Music Festival.  She is currently singing with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus under the direction of Charles Bruffy. 

 As a freelance music and culture writer her work can be found on KCMetropolis.org, presentmagazine.com, the Lawrence Journal World, Shawnee Magazine, Leawood Lifestyle Magazine and KC Parent.  She was one of 26 journalists in the country chosen as a NEA Institute Fellow for Classical Music and Opera at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. 

Her current interest is how classical music remains relevant through active collaborations with artists in different fields, including science.  She also sees a connection between classical music, travel and food as a way to engage all of the senses in a 360 degree cultural experience.  She blogs at raworganum.wordpress.com.