By Lindsay Seagraves/News Editor
Theatre of Gadsden production opens this weekend
Theatre of Gadsden President of Board of Directors Lewis Fuller announced the summer blowout ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ will open Friday, June 20.
Production times will be at the Theatre of Gadsden Friday, June 20 and Saturday June 21 at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. The musical will show again next weekend on June 27-29 during the same times.
Patricia Resnick and Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5: The Musical features three female co-workers, pushed to the boiling point by their boss, who work together to create a scheme that will get back at even the worst of bosses. Conspiracy, revenge, feminism, and friendship take over this outrageously hilarious musical.
Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda played in the famous 1980 movie Nine to Five, directed by Collin Higgins.
Lewis said at a city council meeting on Tuesday, June 11, “We’ve got our own Dolly Parton. There’s a lot of wonderful talent in the city of Gadsden. We’ll have live music, and a nine-piece band.”
Cast members include Gadsden residents as well as students from Jacksonville State University.
Director Eric Christensen, Assistant Director Bret Fletcher and Music Director Ed Glaze will lead the cast of 20 actors, eight dancers, and 12 band members, as well as 12 other production staff members.
“We’d like for you to come out and see it, it’s going to be a good show,” Fuller said.
The Theatre of Gadsden will also hold auditions on June 30 and July 1-2 for the play ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’.
The Harper Lee classic was written in 1960 in Monroeville, Alabama, and is set in fictional Macomb, Alabama in the 1930’s. The story focuses on racial justice and ethics, as two children journey through their youth defending an African American during the civil rights movement.
The Theatre of Gadsden is asking local law firms to help sponsor the play, and encouraging African Americans in the community to audition.
Fuller said they have tried to cast for the production in the past but have been unsuccessful because no African Americans auditioned.
Fuller says of the upcoming play, “We strongly encourage your participation.”