9 To 5: The Musical at the Marriott Marquis Theatre

(Seen 5/6/09)

Dolly Parton makes her Broadway debut as a composer with this stage musical version of the 1980 film. If you loved the movie, there's no reason why you shouldn't relish this incarnation, written by the original screenwriter, Patricia Resnick.

There is non-stop music and movement, with silly and unbelievable characters doing ridiculous things, in a truly formulaic story -- the under-dogs vanquishing the "man"!

Allison Janney, revealing a gifted musical side of her talent, leads a dedicated and professional cast of thirty, through varied shenanigans to further the cause of women's lib. The expected result is the triumphant squashing of one chauvinistic, woman-exploiting middle-management male.

The music is pleasant and tempo-ed, the acting is broad, and director Joe Mantello and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler make sure that every possible group activity is danced through the scene changes -- so that no transition from scene to scene is seamless or cinematic, as might have been intended.

The film titled award winning song, "9 To 5", is still catchy and tuneful -- a song you might leave the theatre humming.