Lights. Camera. Kidnapping and paperwork? West’s blast-from-the-not-so-distant past musical production closed its final curtain yesterday in the Alberta Kimball Auditorium, bringing new flair with 9 to 5: The Musical.

Choir teacher Bethany Meyer saw the opportunity to both engage and entertain audiences while also teaching important messages.

“9 to 5: The Musical is all about the office workplace in the 1970s, where there are secretaries who work for a pretty stereotypical boss,” she said. “He is sexist, egotistical, and a maniac. The secretaries decide they have had enough, kidnap him, and tie him up in his house and hilarity ensues.”

Meyer has a wide variety of factors and variables to consider when picking the annual show.

“When figuring out musicals, you have to make sure that you pick a show that you have the right cast for,” she said. “Even though I think that 9 to 5 is a fun show and newer, it definitely had strong female leads and a baritone lead. It was a good choice for the students that I had.”

In the context of previous productions, this musical pushed more boundaries regarding social topics and mature themes. Meyer acknowledges the change and believes it’s something new and for the better.

“It's a more mature comedy, but I would be doing students a disservice with a kid-friendly show,” she said. “They're high school students and they deserve to see a wide spectrum of what the arts really are.”

Junior Myrah Lago, who played the role of Doralee Rhodes, praises the musical’s representation of real-world problems.

“The show is a lot about equality for women in the workforce and empowerment,” she said. “I think that it's important to inform others about those things because they were a real problem in the 70s when the show is based, and even in today's world. A female-led musical shows the viewers how empowering women are.”

Despite the maturity, senior Senja Sippert enjoyed the banter in the show that offset any tension.

“In the 70s and 80s, women did not have roles of power in office settings,” she said. “This show portrays overcoming frustration through comedy. It’s a really fun aspect to 9 to 5.”

The relatability of the show added a personal touch in the production that Sippert feels brought a connection between herself and her character.

“One of the most important messages of the show is independence and discovering who you are, especially with my character,” she said. “Judy Bernly relies on other people to help her. I have definitely discovered the similarities between the two of us, realizing that you don't need a certain person or a romantic interest to be happy, but it takes her a while to figure that out.”

Lots of hard work and planning goes into the musical between the casting and the curtain rise of opening night. Lago put substantial effort into preparation for her performances.

“I learned the music and lines at home in my free time and would also practice in my car during lunch,” she said. “To help me really feel the Dolly Parton-type role, I would listen to a couple of my favorite Dolly Parton albums, and my mom had me talk in a country accent around the house.”

Sippert found it most beneficial to learn through example.

“I watched other companies do 9 to 5 and saw how they delivered the lines,” she said. “There are scenes where you'd think this is a serious scene, but Judy's kind of an airhead, so she's not gonna say things seriously.”

Meyer is grateful for her hardworking musicians and stage crew, but noticed some struggles that have dragged on from the musical hiatus during Covid years.

“The biggest challenge right now is it is a lot of commitment because we haven't had a lot of events in the last couple of years for students to actually participate in,” she said. “Now, students are getting involved, but it's been really hard to keep consistency in rehearsals for the musical and move forward.”

With the added stressor of fluctuating and unpredictable Omicron flare ups, Meyer definitely had her concerns.

“We didn’t know if one day we would be canceled or postponed,” she said. “It was quite a challenge, and it was definitely a fear in my eyes as well.”

Moving forward through the challenges, Meyer felt a sense of relief and joy in restarting the musical tradition.

“My favorite part of the show is watching students get from the first read-throughs to that performance stage,” she said. “It's fun to watch them bloom and grow throughout the process and finally understand what that last piece of dialogue is or be able to perfectly portray their character on stage.”

Meyer hopes that many were able to understand the message the actors portrayed and took away something new from the production.

“The musical and the music mentions that you’re strong enough to do whatever you set your mind to and you shouldn't allow other people to stand in your way,” she said. “Our characters definitely show us that if you believe in yourself and trust in yourself, you can do anything.”

by Ellis Coe

Oshkosh West Index Volume 118 Issue IV

January 31st, 2022

Musical tackles societal ills through lyrical criticisms