9 to 5 Coming to Broadway

Country music legend, actress, literacy campaigner, businesswoman and philanthropist. There is not much Dolly Parton has not done in her 41 year career. The latest feather in Ms. Parton's cap is set to be musical theatre. Parton is writing the music for a new show based on the 1980 film 9 to 5, in which she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The show will open in Broadway in early 2009 and if successful it may find its way to the West End.

Wicked director, Joe Mantello is at the creative helm and the show's book has been written by 9 to 5's original screenwriter, Patricia Resnick. Parton will not be playing the role of Doralee Rhodes as she did in the original film. Instead, the phenomenally talented Megan Hilty will be taking on the brassy southern character. Hilty previously played Glinda in the Broadway production of Wicked and is a graduate of the prestigious Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.

9 to 5 centres around three office workers who plot against their misogynistic manager. A strange series of misunderstandings lead the workers to kidnap and imprison their boss. They take control of their department and transform the workplace into a more fun, friendly environment. The film spawned a television spin-off series and catapulted Parton from the country music scene into the mainstream media.

Parton, who has had 26 number-one singles, was characteristically humble when asked about her contribution to the new musical. She described Broadway as "a little bit out of my league" and said that Megan Hilty "is a better Doralee that I ever was". Parton also commented on how much fun she has had writing the new material.

With a cast and production team including some of Broadway's brightest stars, music by the indisputable queen of country music and legions of fans of both Dolly and the original film. This new musical is set to take Broadway by storm, fingers crossed it finds it's was across the Atlantic asap.