Overview: Pupil actors clock in for CSUF’s ‘9 to five’ | Way of life

Audience members who crammed the Little Theatre had been greeted by colourful outfits and large hair of the ‘80s last Thursday for the opening night of Cal State Fullerton’s manufacturing of  “9 to 5: The Musical.”

The comedy musical, primarily based on the 1980 movie of the identical identify, follows three fed-up secretaries: Violet, Doralee and Judy, as they get even with their sexist, bigoted and mendacity boss. The three girls assume full management of the workplace and their careers by way of hilarious dance numbers and lovely ballads. 

The musical is as humorous as it’s real. Each track and lyric, composed by Dolly Parton, showcase her trademark capability to write down extremely catchy, witty songs that keep in folks’s heads lengthy after they’ve left the theatre.

Lead actress Olivia Amigo, a fourth-year musical theatre main, performs Doralee Rhodes, a personality primarily based on Parton. She delivers her strains with the long-lasting southern flare Parton is understood for and an unimaginable vocal efficiency rivaling that of the lady herself, firmly aligning with the musical’s overarching theme.

“I asked my grandma, mom and aunt about experiences they’ve had in the workforce, and they were very close to what goes on here and even stuff I’ve experienced,” Amigo mentioned. “Unfortunately, women are inferior in the government and in pay, in so many other aspects of the world.” 

The musical, written by Patricia Resnick, had the solid singing and pirouetting by way of the period’s sexist workplace tradition.

“I still think that the themes are still relevant today,” mentioned director Naomi Buckley, a theatre research professor. “We seem to think of that as being like ancient history, and we forget that most of us have mothers or at the very least grandmothers who lived in a world in which they could not have their own bank account.”

The immersion into the world of “9 to 5” was immensely helped by the time-accurate scenic design by high-quality arts graduate pupil John Corde, which featured transferring partitions that actually bought each location as distinctive.

The solid’s chemistry was the spotlight of the night as second-year musical theater main Tianna Wilson and fourth-year musical theater main Michael Navarro shared a romantic duet as Violet and Joe within the track “Let Love Grow.” In what audiences described because the standout track of the night time, each actors delivered a shocking vocal showcase. 

“Their duet was, oh my God, it was like butter,” mentioned Da’Mareae Landry, a first-year theater main.  “Any time that Tianna was singing it sounded amazing. It was like art. It was beautiful.”

One fan favourite of the night time included third-year theater main Cash Wheeler, who earned laughs your complete night time as boss Franklin Hart. 

Fourth-year musical theater main Ainsley Jane’s portrayal of Roz, the imply secretary, performing “Heart to Hart” obtained the most important laughs of the night time.

The pitch-perfect singing, typically achieved by standout performer and third-year musical theater main Mia Gibson as Judy, was accompanied by a stay orchestra led by conductor and music director Kevin Gasio, a musical theatre professor. 

The musical additionally options enjoyable and campy dance sequences deliberate by choreographer Courtney Ozovek, a dance professor. 

The musical was a transparent hit with the viewers because the solid obtained a standing ovation following the closing quantity. Buckley hopes the musical will go away audiences pondering as they go away the theater. 

“The amount of progress that we’ve made in this country, with women’s rights, on how precious those rights are, and that it is useful for everyone to fight for those,” Buckley mentioned. “When some folks do not have rights, then none of us actually do.”

The musical runs till Nov. 1 and is advisable for ages 13 and above.