May 1, 2009
THEATER REVIEW | '9 TO 5'
Sisterhood vs. Boss, on a New Battlefield
By BEN BRANTLEY

Give some credit to “9 to 5” — the overinflated whoopee cushion lodged at the Marquis Theater — for bucking this spring’s fashion trends. Can this gaudy, empty musical really be part of the same Broadway season that gave us the minimally decorated, maximally effective “Exit the King,” “God of Carnage,” “Next to Normal,” “Hair,” “Mary Stuart” and “Norman Conquests”?

Those shows strip down to modest sets (three of them use brick walls as backdrops) and, in many cases, small casts, the better to show off their considerable natural assets. But if ingenious austerity has replaced mindless opulence on main-stem stages, no one bothered to alert “9 to 5.”

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Hilty, Kritzer, Block, Bahorek, Hanlon, Alvin Will Sing Tunes of Up-n-Coming Composers in D.C.

By Andrew Gans
January 13, 2009

Following the previously announced Millennium Stage 12th Anniversary Celebration: Broadway Today Jan. 31 at the Kennedy Center, the famed Washington, DC, venue will host a week of musical theatre cabarets.

Curated by Michael Kerker and ASCAP, the Feb. 1-7 performances will be presented in the Millennium Stage's Grand Foyer, which will be transformed into a cabaret.

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Arden, Egan, Espinosa, Graae, Gravitte, Hilty, Morrow and More Will Sing Schwartz Nov. 24

By Andrew Gans
November 7, 2008

The Actors Fund of America's Musical Mondays concert series will continue Nov. 24 with an evening devoted to the music of Stephen Schwartz.

The concert series, which is held in the lobby of the Pantages Theatre, will feature Wicked composer Schwartz as well as special guests Jason Alexander, Michael Arden, Susan Egan, Eden Espinosa, Tyrone Giordano, Jason Graae, Debbie Gravitte, Megan Hilty, Karen Morrow, Philos, Hila Plitmann and Eric Whitacre as well as the Cal State Fullerton Chamber Chorus.

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Espinosa and Hilty to Return to Los Angeles Cast of Wicked

By Andrew Gans
October 17, 2008

Eden Espinosa and Megan Hilty, who originated the roles of, respectively, Elphaba and Glinda in the Los Angeles production of Wicked, will return to that production Oct. 31.

The two actresses will stay with the musical until it ends its run at the Pantages Theatre Jan. 11, 2009. As previously announced, the production will then travel to San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre, where performances will resume Jan. 27, 2009. Casting for the San Francisco run will be announced at a later date.

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9 to 5 Will Now Begin Broadway Previews April 7, 2009; Tix on Sale Oct. 29

By Andrew Gans
October 14, 2008

Preview and opening dates have been slightly altered for the eagerly awaited 9 to 5: The Musical, which boasts a score by the Grammy Award-winning star of the concert stage and screen, Dolly Parton.

Originally scheduled to begin previews at the Marquis Theatre March 24, 2009, with an official opening April 23, 2009, the new musical — which is currently playing an out-of-town tryout at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles through Oct. 19 — will now arrive at the Marquis April 7, 2009, and officially open April 30, 2009.

Tickets for the Broadway production will go on sale exclusively to American Express Gold Card members Oct. 29. The on-sale date for the general public will be Dec. 1. Tickets, priced $66.50-$126.50, will be available by calling (212) 307-4100 or by visiting Ticketmaster.com.

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Hello, Dolly! 9 to 5 Books Broadway's Marquis; Full Casting Announced

By Kenneth Jones
July 15, 2008

The Marquis Theatre will be the Broadway home of the feisty office workers who are "just a step on the bossman's ladder" in the Dolly Parton-Patricia Resnick musical comedy 9 to 5, producer Robert Greenblatt announced July 15.

Following a fall run at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles (Sept. 3-Oct. 19, opening Sept. 20), the Joe Mantello-directed production will begin Broadway previews March 24, 2009, and open April 23, 2009.

9 to 5: The Musical, based on the 20th Century Fox motion picture, has book by original screenwriter Resnick (who also came up with the film's original story) and music and lyrics by country music legend and seven-time Grammy Award winner Dolly Parton, who also starred in the smash 1980 movie.

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Los Angeles Wicked Will Close in January 2009

By Andrew Gans
April 1, 2008

The Los Angeles production of Wicked will play its final performance at the Pantages Theatre Jan. 11, 2009. When it closes, the production of the hit Stephen Schwartz-Winnie Holzman musical will have played 791 performances and 12 previews.

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L.A.'s Ahmanson Will Premiere Musicals Minsky's and 9 to 5

By Kenneth Jones
March 24, 2008

Minsky's is the new title of the Charles Strouse-Susan Birkenhead musical comedy once known as The Night They Raided Minsky's — and it's aiming for Los Angeles in 2009.

The show, which Playbill.com previously reported has new librettist Bob Martin and new director-choreographer Casey Nicholaw (both of The Drowsy Chaperone) attached, is officially on the 2008-09 season of the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in L.A. The season was announced by CTG's artistic director Michael Ritchie on March 24.

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I was rather late in framing the balance of the signed playbills... especially since I've had these ones assembled since the Spring. O+O; Ooops. I don't have Cliffton and Deedee Magno Hall's auto's, but I'll have to live without ;)

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Should I be saying that I'd go see this possible musical if Ms Janney and Ms Neuwirth made it through to the final casting?

That's the two names that'd pull me to the theatre... and Ms Block and Ms Hilty would be the proverbial bonus fruit cocktail surrounding the dessert concoction :)

Janney, Block, Hilty, Neuwirth Will Punch 9 to 5 Musical Workshop Clock )
Ms Hilty and Ms Bean use Sharpies, but Mr Benjamin uses a silver thin pen. Hence, I haven't taken a picture of his auto...

saving the f-list )