Great Local Shows - Theatrical Reviews
Title |
9 to 5, the Musical |
Organization |
Placer Community Theater |
Date(s) of show |
July 27 - August 11, 2012 |
Reviewer |
Dick Frantzreb |
Review |
There are so many things that are good about Placer
Community Theater's production of "9 to 5," and first among them is the
acting. Sure, I know it’s a musical, but that’s what made the acting
stand out: so often, even in a good musical, the acting takes a back
seat to the music. But not with this production of “9 to 5.” And how did
they find 3 women who were so perfectly cast for the leads? Jeanette
Albrecht played Doralee (Dolly Parton’s role in the movie) to
perfection. Lyra Dominguez, with her big voice, was convincing in the
role of Judy. And Allyson Finn was amazing in the role of Violet: if she
doesn’t get an Elly Award – or at least a nomination – there’s something
wrong with the process. And let’s not forget Phil Jacques, who was
wonderfully funny as the hated boss, and Kathleen Brace, who was
hilarious as his obsequious assistant, Roz.
But there was so much more that made this show a
complete delight, a conclusion I heard from many other audience
members last Saturday night. The music, for one, was engaging, and
just about every number was listenable and fun. Although the
ensemble songs were thin (not enough body mics to go around), the
solo singing was solid, and there were a few numbers that were real
show-stoppers. And the orchestration itself was great: jazzy piano,
drums and guitar. It was so good, in fact, that I thought it was a
recorded track until I spoke during intermission with music director
Patricia Leftridge, who assured me that her piano playing was indeed
live. (I spoke with her only after enjoying the complimentary
dessert and drinks that this company somehow finds the means to
provide.)Another plus of the program was
the dancing, a fair amount of which took place in the aisles. How
many productions can claim as a choreographer, someone experienced
and beloved enough to have a high school theater named after her?
That’s Patti Baker, who retired from teaching dance at Roseville
High School several years ago, and who enlisted 6 of her alumni to
put on some great dancing (in which she joined) throughout this
show.
Although the sets and set pieces were rather Spartan,
as one might expect from a community theater production, they were
more than made up for by the projections on the stage-wide screen
above and behind the actors. When the action was taking place in an
office, the screen showed a real office scene, and this background
changed when the action moved to a different locale. But there was
much more to what was projected, including images that reinforced
the action (such as the imagination of the main characters),
humorous commentaries, etc. Another person might think that getting
creative with projections would detract from any realism in the
play, even for a musical like this. But I thought the effect was
terrific and added a lot to the pace of the action and the humor.
And this is a genuinely funny show, with witty dialog
and excellent comic acting. Some of the humor is a bit risqué, and
there are occasional words that would be bleeped out if you were
watching on TV. So leave your small children at home. But don’t miss
this show yourself. It has personality -- a quality that is
projected by each person on stage – and that, along with all this
production’s other strengths, makes this top-quality entertainment.
|
|