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St. Augustine's Musical Theatre Company

The UK Midlands' Award Winning Premier Local Theatre Company - Entertaining for 45 Years - 1974 to 2019

9 to 5
Performances: 15 to 19 November 2016
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The 9 to 5 Company
Photo: Mark Woodward Photography
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Judy (Lauren Clarke), Doralee (Jo Smith) and Violet (Loretta Parnell)
Photo: Mark Woodward Photography

9 to 5
performed from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 November 2016 at The Core Theatre, Solihull

Our colourful and vibrant production of 9 to 5, with a fabulous musical score by Dolly Parton, performed in Solihull from 15 to 19 November and the audiences loved it! Thanks to all who came along to see the show - we really appreciate your support. Here's a selection of audience comments:


“Huge congratulations to everyone involved with ‘9 to 5’ last night, was a brilliant opening night.”

“What a great show! Well done!!”

“What a great opening night. Lots of song, dance, music and so much laughter. Well done to all.”

“Well done all great show”

“Great show, enjoy the rest of the week!”

“Fabulous, funny and fantastic performances at tonight's ‘9 to 5 - The Musical’ at The Core in Solihull. Congratulations to the cast and orchestra.”

“Fab show! Loved it”

“Absolutely fantastic show. Well done to all cast and crew.. just brilliant. Xx
Good Luck for the rest of the week too..”

“Fantastic show, loved it !”

“Great show last night, well done to all cast and crew.”

“Loved it! So funny!!”

“Brilliant show, everyone, absolutely superb!!!!!”

“Another amazing show from you all, well done and keep up the great work”

“Well done to all involved in ‘9 to 5’ including the fantastic band - throughly enjoyed the matinee performance on Saturday. Thank you”

“A totally brilliant performance by everyone. Passionate & amusing. Congratulations to all involved. Highly recommended…..”

“Congratulations to all involved. A very professional show and enjoyable”

“Fabulous show last night - congratulations to the whole team. This must be the best am dram company around.”


Watch our recent trailer for the show below:
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2016 PRODUCTION - 9 to 5 - The Musical

15 to 19 November 2016 at The Core Theatre, Solihull

Here were our three fabulous leads for 9 to 5 - Judy (Lauren Clarke), Doralee (Jo Smith) and Violet (Loretta Parnell). Rehearsals stormed along really well and this proved to be a great show with a musical score packed with catchy songs, great choreography and an evening's entertainment packed full of a whole lotta darn tootin' fun!
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2016 PRODUCTION - 9 to 5 - The Musical

15 to 19 November 2016


Our November 2016 production was the brilliant new musical 9 to 5.

Based on the well-known 1980 film of the same name, the stage show has a sparkling score written by Dolly Parton, who also wrote the lyrics. Nominated for 4 Tony Awards, a Grammy and 15 Drama Desk Awards, 9 to 5 has all the ingredients for a great show to perform and a great night out for the audience.

Set in the late 1970s this hilarious story of friendship and revenge is outrageous, thought-provoking, and even a little romantic. The music is most definitely a ‘Theatre’ score, not a ‘Country’ score, and includes the Oscar nominated title song from the film.

Pushed to the boiling point, three female co-workers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. In a hilarious turn of events, Violet, Judy and Doralee live out their wildest fantasy - giving their boss the boot! While Hart remains ‘otherwise engaged’, the women give their workplace a dream makeover, taking control of the company that had always kept them down.

This high-energy show features three central female leads, two lead males, plus other roles, and a large ensemble with plenty of opportunities for chorus and dancers. With its jubilant score and characters,
9 to 5 is the perfect show for everyone!

Click the link below to watch the trailer for the recent UK Tour production, and read a synopsis of the show.

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CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT - 9 to 5

Following auditions, we were delighted to announce the three central lead characters for our November production of
9 to 5.

Doralee Rhodes will be played by Jo Smith, Violet Newstead by Loretta Parnell and Judy Bernly by Lauren Clarke.

Loretta starred as Deloris van Cartier in last year’s sell-out production of
Sister Act. Jo and Lauren are new to the Company and we welcome them warmly to the cast.


See more casting over to the right of this page.
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CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT - 9 to 5

Following auditions, we were delighted to announce that Mark Hughes would play the central lead male role of Franklin Hart Jr. in our November production of
9 to 5.

Mark has played many roles with St. Augustine’s MTC dating back to 1994, including The Baker in Into the Woods, Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, Gladhand in West Side Story, General Harrison Howell in Kiss Me, Kate, René in ‘Allo ‘Allo and more.

After bringing the hilarious Sister Mary Patrick to life in our 2015 production of
Sister Act, Nicola Palfrey returned to play the role of Franklin’s doting and slightly crazy secretary Roz Keith.


See more casting over to the right of this page.
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CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT - 9 to 5

Following auditions, we were delighted to announce the roles of Joe, Dick and Dwayne for our November production of
9 to 5.

Ed Mears returned to the Company to play the role of accountant Joe, the good all-American guy who is smitten with Violet. Ed’s previous roles with St. Augustine’s MTC have been Action in
West Side Story and Hortensio in Kiss Me, Kate.

Richard Haddock and Rob Restell joined the Company in 2015 for
Sister Act to play the roles of Joey and Eddie respectively and they both return for 9 to 5.

Richard played the role of Judy’s husband Dick who has treated her badly and left her for another woman. Rob took the role of Doralee’s husband Dwayne, happily married and devoted to each other.


See more casting over to the right of this page.
Synopsis
Act I

As the clocks ring and the workers wake up, Violet, Doralee, and Judy prepare for work (9 to 5). The workers begin another mundane and hellish day at work under Franklin Hart, Jr., president of Consolidated Industries. Judy and Violet meet for the first time and Judy reveals she does not have any work experience, but Violet states she will be proud to train her and gives her a few tips and pointers for surviving office life (Around Here). Franklin Hart, Jr., is a domineering and equally lecherous man, who lusts after his secretary, Doralee, and has no shame in making those feelings known, which discomfits Doralee (Here for You). Judy is having major issues on her first day (such as being unable to work a Xerox machine) and feels there is something more inhibiting her. All three women, in separate settings, share mutual feelings, but all feel they can overcome it and make it all work out in the end (I Just Might).

A new day rises upon the begrudged workers of Consolidated and life resumes as normal. Around the lunch hour, Doralee and Judy speak for the first time as Doralee asks Judy to go to lunch with her, but Judy subtly refuses and Doralee doesn't know why. She then reflects on her whole life, about just being a pretty face and nothing much more (
Backwoods Barbie). Violet is passed over for yet another promotion, which angers her since it is somebody that she personally trained. After a heated confrontation in Hart's office, Doralee finds out about Hart's rumour about their supposed 'affair', which infuriates her to the point of threatening him. All three of the women, who are now seemingly united in their contempt for Hart, go back to Violet's house and light up a joint. Suddenly, each woman lapses into a murderous fantasy involving Mr. Hart; Judy as an unforgiving femme fatale (The Dance O' Death), Doralee as a crack rodeo star (Cowgirl's Revenge), and Violet as a deranged Snow White (Potion Notion). All of these sadistic fantasies soon culminate into a celebration of Hart's death, which is quickly nixed after Hart is discovered alive (Joy to the Girls).

The next day at the office, Violet unwittingly acts out her fantasy and believes she put rat poison into Hart's coffee. They all go to the hospital in panic, but learn he was never there. Roz overheard the ladies in the bathroom and tells Hart, who concocts a plan to scare them by pretending he was actually poisoned and to threaten them with the police. After Hart leaves, Roz sings a song confessing her obsessive love and fantasies for him (
Heart to Hart). Hart confronts Doralee with the information and Doralee, acting on a fight or flight instinct, rips the phones out and ties up Hart with the wires, which he seems to get a quasi-sexual pleasure from. The women are seemingly puzzled as to what to do with Hart, but Judy and Violet create a plan in which they will imprison Hart in his own house. As they are carrying out their plan, they sing to Hart their issues with him and the problems in their own lives, but will begin to make the changes in their lives and have confidence to succeed (Shine Like the Sun). The women, empowered, have restrained Hart to a mechanical harness above his bed.


Act II
After the Entr’acte, in Hart's office the three women are pondering on how they can keep the office in the dark about Hart's disappearance, when Doralee's skill of being able to forge Hart's signature comes into play. Judy and Doralee both point out to Violet that she is, in a sense, the new Operating Officer of the company. Violet then lapses in a fantasy and sings a song about she is now a hard-hitter like the rest of the male employees (who seems to rank above the women) (One of the Boys). Roz begins to get nosy and wonders where Hart actually is, which creates a new obstacle for the ladies to rid of. Judy formulates the idea to send Roz to a one-month language seminar to learn French, which isn't necessary and is only a way to rid of her. Roz receives the memo from Violet and is heartbroken, because she believes that Hart doesn't like her, and that the time she isn't at work is lonely and boring (5 to 9). As Hart is still strung up in his bedroom, he passes time by watching countless hours of soap operas. Doralee enters to give him a meal and Hart lashes out at her saying that he still has the control and will use it when he is free. Doralee brushes him off and leaves the room. Hart begins to recount how most of the men in history had "downfalls" by women and that he is no different, which angers him (Always a Woman).

Back at the office, the new changes the women have made under Hart's name have seemed to ease the workers' lives and changed their outlook on work (
Change It). Joe, who has shown admiration toward Violet through the show, asking her out many times, confronts her and asks why she rebuffs him. She claims she was a "one-man woman" and that her husband's death three years before has prevented her from dating again. Joe tells her that it is time to move on and possibly give someone new a chance (Let Love Grow). Violet accepts, as they walk out of the scene holding hands. Later on that evening, Judy's ex-husband, Dick, shows up at Hart's house and asks her to take him back (since his secretary girlfriend dumped him). She rebuffs him and states she is a changed woman who will not crawl back to someone who broke her heart, showing strength as she orders him to leave (Get Out and Stay Out).

The next day, Hart storms into the office with Judy hostage, which shocks the women, who have collected evidence about Hart's “creative accounting" and embezzling practices to use against him. The women, seemingly defeated, prepare to submit to Hart's wishes when they learn that the CEO of Consolidated, Mr. Tinsworthy, is paying a visit. The women and Hart meet Tinsworthy, who, after noting the changes in office life, gives the credit to Hart. Violet and the others step up and say they made the changes, but are shot down. However, in a comedic twist, Tinsworthy sends Hart to manage the South American branch in Bolivia. Violet is then promoted to Hart's position as President of the company and a celebration ensues, while Roz is devastated over the loss of her obsession.

The characters deliver epilogues about what happened after the events of the story (Finale:
9 to 5 Reprise). Hart was captured by natives in the jungles of Bolivia and was never seen or heard from again. Roz found a new love - Hart's wife. Violet and Joe have been together for the past 30 years and are very happy together. Doralee went to Nashville and became a successful country western singer. Judy is single and loving it and wrote a bestselling book, Life Without Dick.
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9 to 5 - Flyer Front
(click image to enlarge - right click to download)
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9 to 5 - Flyer Back (Ticket Booking Form - PLEASE NOTE - there is also a matinée performance on Saturday 19 November at 2.30pm)
(click image to enlarge - right click to download)
@import((9 to 5 2016))