Dolly Parton’s musical 9 to 5 to light up Melbourne

The country music singer’s defiant 9 to 5 musical with messages about women’s and workers rights is set to light up the stage in Melbourne after successful runs on Broadway.

‘We are still talking about pay equality,’ says producer Suzanne Jones. Picture: David Caird

Dolly Parton’s defiant 9 to 5 musical with messages about women’s and workers rights is set to light up the stage in Melbourne after successful runs on Broadway and the West End.

Producer Suzanne Jones said tickets to the shows Sydney performances were in high demand over the past few months, and she expected similar uptake in Melbourne.

“Australians love a bit of a laugh. They don’t take themselves too seriously (and) they like the underdog. They like the underdog to win,” she said on the night of the premiere.

Eddie Perfect and Erin Clare in 9 To 5 the Musical. Picture: David Hooley

Based on the film starring Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin of the same name, 9 to 5 tells the story of three enterprising women who dream up a scheme to kidnap their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” of a boss and change the culture of their office.

Ms Jones said its message from the original 1980 film still rings true today.

“We are still talking about pay equality. There is a joke in the show about that,” she said.

“Twenty years ago female producers like me, there were next to none of us. Now I say if you haven’t got a migraine from hitting your head against the glass ceiling you haven't climbed up the ladder high enough.

“The good part about that is there are more of us with migraines.”

Having met Parton, who wrote all the songs for the stage production, in Nashville Ms Jones said meeting the country singer “was like meeting a god”.

“She has decided that her best weapon is her beauty and her boobs,” she said.

“People think that’s not conscious. (But) if you listen to the lyrics of so much of her music it’s incredibly political and progressive.”

After the musical was cancelled, along with all performing arts concerts across the world at the outset of the pandemic, Ms Jones said the cast are excited to be back on stage.

“It was terrible. We thought we would be shut three or four weeks, but it was quickly obvious that wasn't going to happen. Then New York shut down, and the West End,” she said.

“We’re still dealing with the fallout from that. (But) we brought everybody back.”

Ms Jones said about the musical’s reception in Sydney: “People love it”.

“It’s funny and irreverent, and punchy. It’s a great night at the theatre. It’s exactly what the community want right now,” she said.

Casey Donovan, Marina Prior and Erin Clare star in the show which will run six days per week at the Arts Centre Melbourne until September 18.