Review: Out Front’s ‘9 to 5’ is a madcap day at the office with a vibrant cast

If you are looking for an insightful, compelling or even cohesive plot, then 9 to 5: The Musical is not the place to look. However, if you are looking for an irreverently good time with a stellar cast and toe-tapping beats, then consider clocking in at Out Front Theatre. Its season opener runs through November 8, and, whatever it lacks in gravitas, it makes up for in enthusiasm and sheer absurdity.

Based on the 1980 movie starring Dolly Parton and featuring a score by the Tennessee legend herself, the musical follows the exploits of three stressed and overworked office employees working under the sexist and bigoted Franklin Hart Jr. (Ben Thorpe). As their dissatisfaction with their professional lives reaches a boiling point, an accidental slip with some rat poison leads to a kidnapping, blackmail and more than a couple of people held at gunpoint.

Our roster of characters consists of Judy Bernley (Allie Hill), a recent divorcee forced to join the workforce for the first time in her life; Violet Newstead (Kayce Denise), a widowed mother who has worked for Mr. Hart for years and is constantly overlooked for promotion; and Doralee Rhodes (Sarah Joyce Hack), Mr. Hart’s spirited secretary who is forced to endure his persistent advances.

While the inanity of this premise makes for a fun time, the plot is featherlight at best and nonsensical at worst. The pacing is poor, many of the songs lack justification and the side plots are largely uninteresting. Still, the script is mostly funny enough to keep audiences laughing despite inconsistencies, and those not distracted by the jokes will likely be too busy admiring its core trio of actors to pay attention to the pacing.

The entire show hinges on our ability to both enjoy and sympathize with its main characters, and Hill, Denise and Hack are the shining pearls that justify the entire production. Each of them turns in a layered and vibrant performance, and their chemistry with one another is the engine that keeps the musical humming.

Denise has a naturally commanding presence and a powerhouse voice. She is perhaps the funniest of the trio but marries that humor with a grounded wisdom and sense of experience that makes Violet the emotional core of the story.

Hack brings an effervescent charm and a versatile voice to Doralee, with a self-awareness that holds the character together and makes her as compelling as she is entertaining. Whether she is plastering on a resilient smile to cope with people talking down to her or hogtying her boss with a phone cord, she makes Doralee a delight to watch.

Hill initially comes off as over the top but manages to make the audience genuinely root for Judy, even if her soprano voice is the most ill-suited to the material. Her rendition of “Get Out and Stay Out” may not be the most vocally stunning, but the emotion she brings to the song will have you cheering her on.

The rest of the cast ranges from solid to excellent. Thorpe is appropriately despisable as Mr. Hart, and Caty Bergmark is a ruthless scene stealer as Roz, Mr. Hart’s sycophantic and lovestruck administrative assistant — her performance of “Heart to Hart” is the best showstopper this production has to offer. The ensemble is great in the more intimate office scenes, though director Paul Conroy and choreographer Jonathan Bryant struggle to utilize them effectively in some of the bigger group numbers.

Bryant’s choreography is generally quite hit or miss here. He has fun with “Dance O’ Death,” “Cowgirl’s Revenge” and “Potion Notion,” the back-to-back dream sequences in which the ladies fantasize about getting back at their employer. However, the opening number is a snooze fest bogged down by uneven sound mixing and sleepy choreography. Courtney Locke, who choreographed two numbers, does a great job with “Around Here,” but phones it in a bit for “Change It.”

Visually, 9 to 5 is bright and colorful while maintaining an ’80s corporate vibe. Scenic designer Cody Russell creates a couple of key spaces like Mr. Hart’s office, while most other scenes utilize a mostly bare stage. He and Conroy utilize moving flats to give most of these scenes an appropriate sense of space, though there is a scene involving a hospital and a dead body that is rendered indecipherable by its lack of discernible setting.

Costume designer Jay Reynolds does a good job providing period appropriate pieces for most of the actors but has the most fun with Doralee, while David Reingold does characteristically strong work with the lighting design.

Of course, the thing people are most likely to leave the theater talking about is Brian Jordan’s wig design, which ranges from modest and period appropriate to comically implausible. Doralee’s hair defies physics, which is perfect for a character based on the queen of country glam.

There are certainly things that don’t quite work about this production, the script itself being chief among them, and anyone hoping for a tightly constructed musical comedy with effective buildup and payoff will likely be disappointed. However, if one is satisfied with watching three talented actors give genuinely stellar performances while belting their way through a plot that feels like an improv comedy sketch, then 9 to 5 is a highly enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours.

Where & When

9 to 5 The Musical is at Out Front Theatre through November 8. Tickets start at $30.
999 Brady Ave. NW.

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Luke Evans is an Atlanta-based writer, critic and dramaturg. He covers theater for ArtsATL and Broadway World Atlanta and has worked with theaters such as the Alliance, Actor’s Express, Out Front Theatre and Woodstock Arts. He’s a graduate of Oglethorpe University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and the University of Houston, where he earned his master’s.