The 1980 film Nine To Five – about three female colleagues who plot to turn the tables on their sexist, lying boss – is to be turned into a musical which will open on Broadway on April 23, 2009.
The musical will feature Dolly Parton’s original score for the film, as well as 20 new songs.
The West Wing‘s Allison Janney will take on the role played by Lily Tomlin in the original film, while Stephanie J. Block will play Jane Fonda’s character, and Megan Hilty will co-star as the sexy executive secretary originally portrayed by Dolly Parton. Marc Kudisch will play their bigoted boss.
It was producer Robert Greenblatt and original screenplay writer Patricia Resnick who persuaded Dolly Parton to work on the stage adaptation.
Although she was unsure about it at first, Dolly Parton, 62, said working on the musical turned out to be the most fun she had ever had as a songwriter. “I don’t know that much about Broadway; it’s a little bit out of my league,” she said. “But when they asked me if I would write the music, I said I would try.”
Meanwhile, the Tony award-winning Broadway musical Wicked is heading in the opposite direction. It’s set to become the latest stage show to be turned into a major film.
Following the success of Chicago, Hairspray and Mamma Mia!, the Wizard of Oz-inspired musical is to be turned into a film by Universal Pictures. It will be produced by Marc Platt and Stephen Schwartz.
However, fans will have to wait some time to see the film, according Wicked author Gregory Maguire. He says it may be four years before it actually hits the big screen.
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