9 to 5 The Musical becomes tribute to the late, great Dolly Parton
Chichester’s Westbourne House School
Evolve Theatre Company bring the late, great Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 The Musical to Chichester’s Westbourne House School from Thursday, October 29 to Saturday, October 31.
Tickets are available at https://ticketsource.com/evolve-theatre-company for what has effectively become a tribute to the US singer who died this summer.
Maria Lee is directing the show: “We decided to do it when we were previously doing Sister Act about this time last year. We started rehearsals a few months back and then we heard about Dolly Parton passing away, and that had a really big impact on us. It just made us really want to do the best that we can in the name of Dolly. It was on a rehearsal day and people were turning up saying ‘Have you heard the news?’ and it was just like a gasp between us all. We were just looking around us, standing there thinking she is no longer here.
“It is written by her and the music and lyrics are by her and we even project her vocally. She is very much part of it. So the show is now a tribute to her. We were going to do it before this happened. We didn't want it to be a tribute, and it's really sad that it's turned into a tribute. We all love Dolly and we all want to do the best that we can for her.
“It's a great show. It's heartfelt and it's heartwarming and it's beautiful music, the story of three women that are fed up with men taking over the office. They're not getting paid the same and not getting the promotions and so on. It's about them coming together and socking it to the man... in the nicest way!”
The company is based in Pagham: “We are an amateur dramatic company, and we are an all-inclusive company. Everyone is welcome to come along. My job is to encourage and to get the best out of everybody.
“The company was previously named Rainbow Theatre Company and had been going for a long time before that. I took it over and it became Evolve Theatre Company about six years ago. We normally do three shows a year but this year we're doing two because we wanted to give longer for our compilation shows. But we've just got the rights to do Come From Away about this time next year which we are really excited about, and we're hoping that the Regis Centre will be open again for us then.”
Evolve Theatre Company will present 9 to 5: The Musical at the Millennium Theatre, Westbourne House School in Chichester from Thursday, October 29 to Saturday, October 31.