The Theatre Department at DeSales University closes its season with 9 to 5: THE MUSICAL, featuring music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and a book by Patricia Resnick, based on the 1980 film starring Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin.
With the exception of the title song, many of the songs feel trite and generic. But without a doubt, the highlight of the production is the musical direction by Nathan Diehl. Under his leadership, both orchestra and cast deliver powerhouse vocals supported by a polished, top-notch ensemble.
The production is visually striking. David Gallo’s scenic design is colorful, stylish, and clever, evoking a minimalist vision of the corporate rat race. The stage is gorgeously lit by lighting designer Eric Haugen.
Karen Getz’s choreography is clean and delivers the expected audience-pleasing moments, and the performers execute the movement with confidence. At times, however, the choreography feels at odds with the characters and the period.
Essentially a revenge tale, leaning heavily on sexist stereotypes as a group of female employees take on their chauvinistic male boss, the book is the musical’s weakest element, relying on caricatures rather than fully developed characters. In the context of the #MeToo era, its treatment of misogyny and workplace harassment can feel superficial, reduced to glib one-liners and innuendo, and resolved with an overly tidy conclusion. Strong dramatic writing this is not. Given these limitations, one might wish that Valerie Joyce’s direction engaged more deeply with the material. As it stands, the acting often feels perfunctory and secondary to the production’s technical and musical strengths.
Runs thru May 3, 2026. Tickets: https://desales.app.getcuebox.com/o/LL17K2LQ/shows
ACT 1 DeSALES UNIVERSITY
LABUDA CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS
2755 Station Ave
Center Valley, PA 18034
610-282-3192
www.desales.edu/act1
Review submitted by:
Franklin Joseph
Author’s bio: I am simply an avid theatre goer. I have seen a lot of productions over the years (I keep all my playbills and I currently have a collection of 2,330 of them!) so I have a honed sense of what I think works well and what doesn’t. I also possess a rather broad sense of the theatrical cannon from the Greeks, to Shakespeare and the modern era. Additionally, I am a fan of the writings of Walter Kerr and Frank Rich and have studied their body of work and structural style. I try to put some of those lessons into my own writing.
