JUST as Dolly Parton’s new Pure & Simple album arrives, York Stage Musicals return to the stage to present Dolly's 9 To 5: The Musical at the Grand Opera House, York, from tomorrow until September 17.

Based on the 1980 American movie of the same name, the show heads back to the late 1970s in a musical comedy built around three office workers, Violet, Doralee and Judy, who turn the tables on their sexist boss.

"Outrageous, thought provoking and even a little romantic, 9 To 5: The Musical is about teaming up and taking care of business," says artistic director Nik Briggs. "It features original numbers from Dolly's Oscar, Tony and Grammy Award-nominated score, such as Backwoods Barbie, Shine Like The Sun and her hit song 9 To 5. Dolly fans certainly will get their fix as they sing along to 9 To 5 with Dolly, who appears on screen direct from her desk in Dollywood."

Briggs has reassembled the creative team from his 2014 production of Sister Act, not least York Theatre Royal pantomime's "luvverly" Brummie AJ Powell, returning as choreographer, while Stephen Hackshaw is in the pit again as musical director.

"This is the ultimate feel-great show for both fans of Dolly Parton and people who just want a fun night out,” suggests Nik. “With music and lyrics by Dolly, you know you'll be heading out humming the tunes for days to come, and being set in the late Seventies, Patricia Resnick’s book has a real feel of all those classic TV shows of the time, such as The Sonny And Cher Show, Charlie's Angels and Bewitched. It’s been so much fun creating this show in the rehearsal room with AJ, Stephen and our company.”

Leading that company will be York Stage favourites Julie-Anne Smith, Joanne Theaker and Alicia Roberts who play divorce-bound Violet, widow Judy and happily married Doralee respectively.

York Press:

Dolly Parton in the poster for the original 9 To 5 movie

"Alicia has brought a lot of herself to the role of Doralee but she's also the Dolly they want to see," says Nik. "Doralee's in a committed relationship and wants to make friendships with all the girls, but they judge her on that Western idea of glam, so that's something all the women in the audience can relate to, while all the men can have all the 'Dolly' they desire!"

Darren Roberts returns to show his bad side again, after last playing Callaghan in Legally Blonde, this time cast as sexist, egotistical Franklin Hart Jnr. In Briggs's cast too will be York Stage stalwarts Maya Tether as Roz, George Stagnell as Joe, Conor Mellor as Dwayne, Jonny Holbeck as Dick and Sandy Nicholson, Lucy Mulvihill and Maya Bartley O’Dea as the three gossiping secretaries Margaret, Kathy and Maria.

9 To 5: The Musical is the second show in York Stage Musicals' season of Love, Life and Loss, following on from Ghost: The Musical in February. Still to come are Chris D'Arienzo's Rock Of Ages, Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years, Steve Brown's Spend Spend Spend and Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott's Priscilla Queen Of The Desert.

“9 to 5: The Musical fits in perfectly with this season as it’s all about overcoming challenges and picking yourself up from adversity," says Nik. “Dolly Parton’s music drives the narrative brilliantly and is a gift for our performers to sing. The three lead characters are all at points in their lives we can relate to as an audience; it really champions the message that while things may feel like they are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place.”

While the film version "isn't always on the TV", says Nik, nevertheless "people do remember it for Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton, who played Doralee in her first ever film role, and it was ahead of its time in taking on sexism in the workplace". "Looking at that theme through a musical is a great way to do it as you can address it powerfully through the songs, but it also celebrates women in the workplace.

"The music that Dolly's created for the show is some of the best musical theatre I've ever worked with. It has such positivity as there's such a richness to it: she gives a country feel to some parts and a really big musical theatre feel to others that rivals the biggest West End and Broadway shows."

Choreographer A J Powell, who will be appearing in Cinderella at York Theatre Royal this winter, has enjoyed his return to York Stage. "I had so much fun doing Sister Act and I was surprised as just how talented everyone was in the company, whereas where I'm from, in Birmingham, there was nothing to match this level of talent and skill," he says.

"Watching the principals in rehearsal for 9 To 5, my jaw dropped to the ground when I heard them sing. Their voices just blew me away."

Powell has "raised the bar" when creating his choreography for 9 To 5. "With Sister Act, I didn't know what to expect and they were more mature than this company, so I didn't want to over-exert them! But now I'm working with a younger company, so I can push them to the limit and do choreography that even I would find challenging! Now I can do with this company what I first pictured in my mind," he says.

"In Sister Act, they were in nuns' habits, which kind of restricted them and meant they had to dance in a certain way, whereas with this show, I can do it in my style. Two years ago I was saying, 'we've got to do 9 To 5', so I've kind of got my way!"

York Stage Musicals in 9 to 5: The Musical, Grand Opera House, York, September 9 to September 17, 7.30pm except Sunday, plus 2.30pm Saturday matinees. Box office: 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york