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9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL raconte l'histoire de trois amies qui conspirent pour prendre le contrôle de leur entreprise et qui apprennent en fait que rien ne leur est impossible.

Film Nine to Five (1980)

Tout est parti du film Nine to Five de 1980, une comédie sur trois femmes aux profils très différents qui s’entendent pour prendre leur revanche sur un patron misogyne, égoïste et malhonnête.
En 2008, der rumeurs circulent sur une adaptation en comédie musicale, avec un livret de la scénariste originale, Patricia Resnick, et une partition de… Dolly Parton, qui n’a aucune expérience préalable de l’écriture d’une comédie musicale.
Le spectacle est créé à Los Angeles à l’automne 2008 avant de débucher à Broadway. La bonne surprise, c’est que tout cela donne un spectacle très divertissant. Dans le premier acte, en particulier, tout se combine à merveille : une histoire déjantée qui débite les traits comiques à grande vitesse, une distribution excellente et, surtout, une mise en scène rythmée et inventive, particulièrement fluide, qui emmène le tout dans une sorte de tourbillon permanent. La partition de Parton n’est pas inoubliable, mais elle atteint très correctement ses objectifs, notamment dans sa façon de donner une voix distinctive à chaque personnage.
Il y a au moins trois scènes dans le premier acte qui se distinguent par leur niveau de créativité : le tableau d’ouverture, sur la chanson “9 to 5”, qui montre les préparatifs des héroïnes le matin chez elles avant d’aller travailler ; “Heart to Hart”, une chanson permettant à la vieille fille amoureuse du patron, Roz, de déchaîner ses pulsions dans les toilettes des femmes ; et, surtout, une séquence délirante enchaînant trois chansons (“The Dance of Death”, “Cowgirl’s Revenge” et “Potion Notion”) dans lesquelles les trois héroïnes, qui ont fumé de la marijuana, imaginent les sévices qu’elles aimeraient faire subir à leur horrible patron.

Acte I
"9 to 5" § — Violet, Doralee, Dwayne, Judy and Ensemble
"Around Here" — Violet and Ensemble
"Here for You" — Franklin Hart, Jr.
"I Just Might" § — Judy, Doralee and Violet
"Backwoods Barbie" § — Doralee
"The Dance of Death" — Judy, Hart and Ensemble
"Cowgirl's Revenge" — Doralee, Hart and Ensemble
"Potion Notion" — Violet, Hart and Ensemble
"Joy to the Girls" * — Judy, Doralee, Violet, Hart and Ensemble
"Heart to Hart" — Roz and Ensemble
"Shine Like the Sun" § — Doralee, Judy, Violet

Acte II
Entr'acte — Orchestra
"One of the Boys" — Violet and Boys
"5 to 9" — Roz
"Always a Woman" *† — Hart and Men's Ensemble
"Change It" *§ — Doralee, Violet, Judy and Ensemble
"Let Love Grow" § — Joe, Violet
"Get Out and Stay Out" § — Judy
"Finale: 9 to 5" — Company

† Removed for the US National Tour.
* Added to production after Los Angeles pre-Broadway run
§ Has been recorded/covered by Dolly Parton on a studio album or EP

Other 9 to 5 songs
The following songs were in the Los Angeles pre-Broadway run and have since been cut from the final version of the Broadway production.
"Out of Control": This song took place during the scene where Judy is using the Xerox machine. The song begins after Violet leaves Judy alone with the copy machine, having instructed her on how to use it. As the song progresses, Judy begins to feel confident that she is finally doing something right. Then suddenly the machine begins to go crazy; papers flying all over the place, etc. The aforementioned is what is currently present in the musical.
"Tattletales": A song performed in the office cafeteria when Judy is eating lunch with Violet and the girls. They ask Judy to "spill her story" and she refuses. Kathy (Ann Harada's originated role) urges her to tell them and the cafeteria patrons all begin to explain how they "learned to gossip". Doralee enters in the middle of the song, wearing Judy's scarf, and the girls continue to spread rumors.
"9 to 5 (Reprise)" / "The One I Love": In the current and final version of the show a song called "I Just Might" takes place over these two songs. "9 to 5 (Reprise)" was a small song that takes place as the Consolidated employess head home at 5PM after a long day of work. "The One I Love" comes shortly afterwards and involves each of the three women at home either chatting with their husbands or with their children. Judy explicates that she may still love and have feelings for her ex-husband Dick, Violet with her son, and Doralee with her husband.
"I Killed the Boss!": As Judy, Violet, and Doralee are at the hospital, they hear a doctor explaining to someone that "he is dead". Violet, believing that the doctor was speaking of Hart, has become overly dramatic and thinks that she has killed Hart by putting the rat poison in his coffee.
"Mundania" / "Mundania" (Reprise): The song basically has the same message as "Always a Woman" which replaced these songs. Hart is "hanging around" bored doing nothing and is finally sick and tired of the trio of girls and attempts to escape. He finally escapes during the reprise.
"Willin'" / "Well-Oiled Machine": Was replaced by "Change It" and has the same meaning. The Consolidated employees are puzzled and concerned by all of Mr. Hart's changes and the girls urge them to continue working as a team.

Violet Newstead
Judy Bernly
Doralee Rhodes
Franklin Hart Jr.
Roz
Dwayne
Kathy
Joe

Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant 9 to 5

Ce musical a été nominé pour 15 Drama Desk Awards, nombre de nominations jamais atteint par un musical la même année.
Il a aussi été nominé pour quatre Tony Awards.