“Nothing’s Gonna Change If You Don’t Change It”: Nonesuch Players Present 9 to 5: The Musical
For two nights this February, the Nonesuch Players’ production of 9 to 5: The Musical whisks audiences back in time to the 1970s, when the grind of office life meant typewriters, landlines, lots of paper—and keeping to the status quo in which women were treated as less than their male counterparts. With a tagline of “Nothing’s gonna change if you don’t change it,” the show tells the story of three women taking charge of their own lives to make a difference—with plenty of humor, heartfelt songs, and flashy dance numbers along the way.
9 to 5: The Musical, featuring music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, is a musical adaptation of the 1980 movie starring Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin. “9 to 5 may be set in the 1970s, but its message still hits hard today,” writes director and choreographer Zoë Iacovelli in an opening note in the program for the show.
“Through satire, comedy gives us permission to look closely at society in a way that is approachable and digestible. This show invites us to think about equity, voice, and standing up for what’s right, all while delivering the razzle-dazzle of a big ensemble musical,” writes Iacovelli.
The story follows Violet Newstead (Jojo Stein ’27), Judy Bernly (Anya Carroll ’26), and Doralee Rhodes (Caroline Sorel ’27), three office workers faced with the “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” Franklin Hart (Henry Goldstein ’26) as their boss. Each pushed to a breaking point, the women become unlikely friends and fantasize about getting rid of Hart. When those fantasies tumble into reality and the women find themselves in a position to kidnap Hart, shenanigans ensue—but so does improvement in office morale and productivity, as the women implement their own policies in Hart’s absence.
Violet, played by Jojo Stein ’27, is a widow and a single mother who has been working at the same company for over a decade. She reaches her breaking point when she’s passed over for a promotion, which goes to a less qualified man instead.
“Of course there’s the message of feminism [in the show,] but I think there’s also the message that anyone has the ability to fight inequality in their lives and make a difference,” says Stein.
“Violet has faced a lot of hardships, but she still gets up every day and keeps trying,” Stein reflects. “Her perseverance and grit are really inspiring and something I want to take with me after the show is finished.”
Ella Kramer ’28 plays Roz, an employee who’s willing to undermine her female coworkers if it means getting into Hart’s good graces. Kramer adds that one of her takeaways from the show is “to embrace your individuality and not care about others’ opinions about you.”
Iacovelli praises the cast and crew for their hard work on the production. “Every single person helped make this show happen, and watching students, from middle schoolers to seniors, pour their hearts into this story has been simply the best,” she says. “This story is special to me, and I’ve had the best time working with the production team to bring it to life!”
Many members of the extended Rivers community contribute to the production in different ways, from the cast and tech crew to the pit musicians led by Krissy Skare and to partners at Regis College, where the musical is performed. Costumes by Cathy Favreau P’22 and Maddy Smith help create the world of the musical, full of bright colors and styles of the era.
Iacovelli adds that it’s meaningful to see the evolution of the cast over the course of working on the show and beyond. “I had many moments in the audience where I got a little emotional. Many of these kids I’ve taught since sixth or seventh grade, and seeing them grow into confident, bold, authentic performers makes me so incredibly happy,” she says. “Many of the cast, this is my first time working with them, and they have blown my expectations out of the water with their talent, commitment, and humor.”
Stein says the supportive environment of the show extends beyond its participants. “I think the community is what I love most about theater at Rivers,” she says. “Both the people in the production and also the broader Rivers community. You can really feel all the support and joy from everyone on opening night, which makes it my favorite night—getting to see so many people come to support you is one of the best feelings.”
For showtimes and to purchase tickets, visit rivers.org/9-to-5.
Cast
Violet Newstead - Jojo Stein ’27
Judy Bernly - Anya Carroll ’26*
Doralee Rhodes - Caroline Sorel ’27
Roz Keith - Ella Kramer ’28
Franklin Hart - Henry Goldstein ’26³
Joe - Alex Ho ’27
Dwayne Rhodes - Tyler Constantino ’29
Dick Bernly - John Henry Lenzen ’26
Josh Newstead - Kyra Coggin ’26*³
Kathy - Sophie Senties ’28
Margaret - Saniya O’Meally ’28
Maria - Maylea Harris ’26
Missy Hart/Judy Understudy - Erin Grimm ’29
Tinsworthy - Patrick Minogue ’28
Bob Enright/Detective - Mika Mustafayev ’27
Doctor - Esme Asaad ’26*²
Candy Striper - Isbelle Kim ’28
New Employee - Isla Scott ’28
Ensemble: Clem Cradick ’28, Eden Hossaena ’28, Meron Hossaena ’29, Quinn Kennedy ’28¹, Maya Kloman ’28, Myzelle McCleary ’28, Kaitlyn Nagy ’27, Madi Pugatch ’27ª, Sarahi Vasquez-Mejia ’28
Kids: Sam Baker ’32, Brooke Byrnes ’32, Leighton Giangrasso ’30, Mollie O’Leary ’32
Production
Director/Choreographer: Zoë Iacovelli
Music Director: Krissy Skare
Costumes and Props: Cathy Favreau P’22
Costume Assistant: Maddy Smith
Producer: Julia Auster-Hogan ’06
Stage Manager: Katherine Shaw ’26*
Tech Week Stage Manager: Savannah Maldonado ’26
Set Design: Peter Calao, Wooden Kiwi
Light Design: Chris Fournier
Light Board Operator: Elise Kravitz ’28
Sound Board Operator: Andrew Woods, Mark Deluzio, Mockingbird Sound
Pit
Keyboard 1/Conductor: Krissy Skare
Keyboard 2: Gaiyatri Mathew ’27
Drums: Gabe Menasseh ’26
Oboe: Alicia Wen ’26
Trombone: Ben Schouten ’26
Reed 1: Elana Lorrance
Reed 2: Bradley Sampson
Trumpet 1: Ron Christianson
Baritone Horn: Sagine Cazimir ’26
Electric Bass: Jack Ward ’29
Guitar 1: Mike Lecuyer
Guitar 2: Chris Felknor
Tech Crew
Laurence Davids ’27 (Tech crew head)
Vivian Dykema ’26
Yamilee Jules ’29
Elise Kravitz ’28
Zimon Li ’26
Noelle Lee ’26
Sara Vasquez Mejia ’28
Nicole Paez-Penaloza ’29
Maeve Quigley ’28
*Drama Captain
ªDance Captain
¹Junior Dance Captain
²BRIDGE Representative
³GSA Representative
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