I saw 9 to 5 on Broadway and have seen the touring production.
I'll start by saying most of my interest in this show is based on the fact that I love Dolly, love the movie (it's in my top 3)and love the movie's theme-song. Those factors made me flip when I heard it was coming to Broadway. I was a fan, and championed the show from the start.
I found the show (both on Broadway and on the road) "cute." It was frilly with no real weight to it. At the time when the movie came out, many of the topics used as humor were actual issues of the era. The movie worked because of the stellar perfs, but also because of it's relevance at the time. Because times have changed, the Broadway version didn't couldn't carry as much humorous weight with it. Thus a nostalgic approach had to be taken.
I had the same feeling when I left the theatre on Broadway as I did when I left after the touring production. It was fun, light and enjoyable, but I wished I loved it more... or at least half as much as I do the movie.
From a production standpoint, Broadway (obviously) had a much more substantial feel to it. I LOVED the sets on Broadway and the overall feel. I felt the weightiness of the sets added a wow factor that the show needed. (I wish I could rewind time and again watch that office set rise and magically appear onstage!) However, Broadway's book had horrible "lags" to it. There were times when there were pauses in dialogue (for humor's sake) and deafening silence in the audience. It was as if the book writer, director and actors never knew if they'd get laughs - so they'd pause - only to minor chukles. In comparison to the movie, the funniest part (IMO) could not be repeated on stage. The high point of the movie is the hysterically funny scene where the ladies arrive at the hospital, steal the body and the frantic drive that ensues. Onstage it was reduced to a painful scene with Violet pushing the body around hospital drapes amidst unfunny jokes. This scene (although acted over-the-top) landed with a thud. Finally, the show writers found it necessary to add a love interest for Violet. IMO that's the worst decision they could have made. Heck, it negates the whole theme of female empowerment if you ask me.
The tour has filled in some of those gaps to the story. They've streamlined some parts that draaaaged on Broadway. However the hospital scene remains as dull as it was on stage. The bad jokes added for Broadway ("Just Do It" - hey that sounds catchy") remain and flop just as they did before. The set for the tour is pitiful. It serves it's purpose, but seems amatuerish after having seen the scenery fleshed out on Broadway. What's really odd is that some remnants of the Broadway set were encorporated into the tour (the back of Violet's car, the couch/furniture from Violets house, etc.) The choreography in the tour, IMO, was sub-par... but seems more interactive because it was necessary to disguise the fact that the cast now moves the scenery by hand. The best change the tour made was encorporating Dolly into the show. Although I wish she had popped up more than at the beginning and end.
On Broadway, I greatly enjoyed Megan Hilty and Allison Janney's performances but I found Stephanie J Block mis-cast as Judy. Maybe because she was the first Elphaba I ever saw, and I just don't see her as the meek, timid, mousey type. On the road, I found Dee Hoty to be on par with Janney - but she sang it better. I found Mamie Paris to be the standout - she was flawless as Judy, absolutely perfect. Diana DeGarmo was horrific as Doralee... it was like watching her do an imitation of Minnie Mouse with a bad, fleeting country accent.
I love to listen to people's reactions at intermission and after a show... and both on Broadway and on the road I heard the same comments. "It was fun"."The movie was better." etc. Not once did I hear "Wow, that was incredible." or "I can't wait to see that again." As hard as I wanted people to fall in love with it... they didn't. Nor did I.
What's really funny is, the music Dolly wrote for the show is very, very clever and whitty. She's a genious when it comes to telling a story through song. Her music is a standout no matter.
All that having been said, as a whole, I personally found the Broadway version more enjoyable. But I'd much rather watch the movie which still makes me scream with laughter.
That, in itself, is why the show didn't survive Bway... and will likely see a shortened trip on the road. It has nothing to do with the book streamling in the tour, or the different choreography, or simpler vs more complex sets. The show just didn't strike a chord... and that's crucial to any show's success. It was just a tad misguided, and suffered from really poor timing.
Updated On: 2/25/11 at 01:15 PM
