It’s Centennial secondary’s biggest show yet.
Last year, for its “Golden Grand Opening” to mark the launch of the Coquitlam high school’s new digs, drama teacher Lisa Boddez and musical director Carole Baker had 45 students in Audition: The Musical.
This year, though, the pair has 70 teens on stage, in the orchestra pit and behind the scenes to run 9 to 5, a production based on the Broadway show. “It’s heartening to see so many students involved in theatre,” Boddez said during a rehearsal last Friday. “The program is certainly growing.”
Last September, on Day 1 of classes, Boddez and Baker announced they’d picked the hit because of the amount of female actors they had for the cast. Within the week, they were auditioning for the leads, selecting: Grade 11 student Vanessa Porretti as Judy (played by Jane Fonda in the 1980 film); Emma Rose Stefanini-Taylor as Violet (Lily Tomlin’s role); Rhiannon Marrington, another student graduating in June, as Doralee (Dolly Parton’s part); and Grade 11 student Jason Persiani as their evil boss, Franklin Hart (portrayed by Dabney Coleman).
Persiani, a student at Coquitlam’s Lindbjerg Academy of Performing Arts, said he was pleased to take on Mr. Hart though he cringes at some of his lines as 9 to 5 focuses on sexism, harassment and gender inequality in the workplace. “It’s certainly a topical show with #MeToo happening,” Boddez said, adding, “It’s unacceptable the way he behaves.”
Boddez said Centennial’s version of the PG13-rated musical — performed last year by Terry Fox secondary, under drama teacher Dan Tilsley and choreographer Riley Langford — sticks pretty much to the Broadway script.
The plot follows Judy, who is forced back to work after her husband runs off with his secretary.
On the job, Judy falls under the wing of office supervisor, Violet, who introduces Judy to the staff including Hart and his executive assistant, Roz (played by Kallista Jones, a Lindbjerg student who also choreographs all but two numbers for the Centennial musical).
Sick of Hart, Judy, Violet and Doralee team up to get even. “He’s an example of how not to treat women,” said Stefanini-Taylor, who has been in every Centennial musical since Grade 9.
Grade 12er Raphael Groushvitski said his character, Joe, who is smitten with Violet, is “the opposite of Mr. Hart. He’s very caring and only wants the best for her.”
As for Marrington, “personally, I’m nothing like Dolly Parton,” she said while adjusting her costume. “I’m definitely out of my comfort zone with this wig and fake boobs.”
Added Porretti, a Lindbjerg student who plans to pursue law after graduating, “The show is a lot of fun and Ms. Boddez and Ms. Baker deserve a lot of credit.”
• Tickets for 9 to 5 at Centennial secondary school (570 Poirier St., Coquitlam) are $16/$13 via CentTheatre.com. It runs Feb. 7 to 9 and Feb. 13 to 15 at 7:30 p.m., with a 1 p.m. matinee on Feb. 15 at $10 per ticket.
