As we settled into our seats at Smithfield Little Theatre on Friday night, we noticed the many beds on stage, and a clock showing the time to be 8:00.  I thought – glad these characters still have an entire hour to get ready, because I’m pretty sure they are going to need to be at work by 9 (just a feeling on my part) – and they appear to all still be in bed.  Suddenly, an alarm clock sounds – then two, then seven – and the stage is buzzing, as the first (of many) quick changes designed by head costumer Rachel Popp gets the cast out of their jammies and into work-appropriate garb (if only I had Popp and costumer assistant Mhairi Henderson providing me with the plethora of outfits this large ensemble required, I wouldn’t have to rely on my tried-and-true khakis and an off-brand polo shirt every weekday). 

And so begins the Dolly Parton revenge fantasy that is “9 to 5”, playing now at SLT.  The show starts with a bang, with movement and action designed by choreographer Melody Ganaway in the first couple of numbers creating the feel of one of those days at work where your head is spinning from all the emails (err, this is the 80s, so… memos), Teams and Slack messages (or… phone calls), and random people dropping by your desk (that one is still accurate).  And luckily, this very clever set easily keeps up with the fast pace of the work day.  Andrew Smith’s design has tricks up its sleeve that we did not see coming – from huge filing cabinets for back walls with stairs hidden inside, to smart rolling pieces that can close off open archways and create more intimate areas – and seeing the many beds and desks roll around and completely switch the scene in mere seconds is quite striking.

Of course, it is the cast who is entrusted with delivering the story within the bounds of what the technical crew delivered for them.  The show requires what amounts to three leading ladies – Stephanie Kensicki as the competent but glass-ceiling-limited Violet, Jessica Whitlow as the recent cuckolded divorcee and new-to-the-office-environment Judy, and Kristen Martwinski as the Dolly-inspired Doralee.  What brings them together, you ask?  Why – they are all co-workers, putting in their eight hours for the man – specifically, Franklin Hart Jr, played by the hilarious Joe Philipoom.  Philipoom immediately embodies all of the worst traits of a male boss in the ‘80s (or, any decade really) – he can’t remember new hire Judy’s name, he is the pettiest of dictators in outright banning personal affects from the office, he forces Violet to constantly get him coffee, and he lusts after Doralee, making massively inappropriate passes at her time and again. 

What Philipoom doesn’t realize is that he has met his match in these three strong-willed women.  Kensicki brings something that feels very real to the role of Violet, searching for success at work while raising a family at home.  Whitlow (as Judy) does a nice job of seeming lost as the show begins, unable to conceive of what her life will really look like without her husband – and her character’s story is more about finding herself than what is happening outwardly with anyone else – something she accomplishes by the end as Whitlow belts her final song “Get Out and Stay Out”.  And Martwinski is wonderfully sweet in the role of Doralee, bringing a warmth and positivity to the role that can only be described as Dolly-like, while her emotional rendition of “Backwoods Barbie” made you want to root for her.

The nice touch about this show is that, while all three leads have their moment in the spotlight (both early and later), the show really hits its stride in a very well-staged and well-paced extended shared dream sequence, and continues to be at its best when the three leads are plotting together.  In stark contrast, Kelly Flick’s character, Roz, is best alone, while wishing to be together with, of all people, that egotistical bigot of a boss in the aforementioned Hart.  Flick is wonderfully devious in the role, scampering around the stage, hiding in toilet stalls and delightfully taking notes on toilet paper.  The HRACT Award nominee shines in her licentious number “Heart to Hart”, wears glasses with a beaded chain like no other, and even breaks out some French.

Showing that not all men suck is Joe, played by Michael SanGiovanni, doing his best impression of, well, me – the nerdy and normal accountant-type guy.  Keep an eye out for the late and dramatic entrance of Mark Hall as the Chairman of the Board Tinsworthy – his walk down the crowd is perfectly executed, and we always look forward to his cameos.  And music director Trey Gwaltney returns to lead the live band at SLT, which always brings a sense of liveliness and a quality of authenticity to the musicals there.

Every time the lights go down at Smithfield Little Theatre, there is a tradition of playing a recording of Jim Hurst, one of the key cogs who brought the theater to fruition.  While a touching tribute in itself, it is also a reminder that it takes people with vision and drive to keep our local theaters going.  Each generation requires a rekindling of that passion to ensure the theater’s survival – and you could feel the pride in the room as one of SLT’s original Summer Youth Project graduates, twenty-one-year-old (and HRACT Award nominee on the acting side) John Post, takes the reins, directing a main stage show for the first time, and delivering a strong production.  Mix that sense of community and pride with a big dose of Dolly Parton – and we’ve got ourselves an awfully fun time all the way from “9 to 5”.