Musical ‘9 to 5’ to open Friday at Harlingen Performing Arts Conservatory

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HARLINGEN — He is a neurotic self-obsessed sleaze bag.

She is sharp, ambitious, and constantly pushing against the glass ceiling,

“Is that a gift from my wife?” barks Franklin Hardy Jr. played by George Matthew Gutierrez, 17, a junior in the upcoming new musical “9 to 5” which opens Friday at the Harlingen Performing Arts Conservatory.

“Yes it is,” Adrianna Rodriguez, 17, answers quite pointedly as the character Violet Newstead.

“I must remind you,” she continues, “that delivering your personal items is not part of my job description.”

And Hardy, aka George Matthew, jumps from his chair as though he’s been stuck with a needle and claps his hands with loud banging.

Poor Hardy can’t handle it.

But Violet can.

Adrianna and George Matthew and the rest of the cast moved swiftly about the stage at rehearsals Monday preparing and polishing their roles for their performance of “9 to 5” this weekend. The musical is a most playful and yet serious musical that was originally inspired by Dolly Parton’s song which she wrote for the comedy film of the same name in 1980.

The film — and the musical that followed — tell the story of three women dealing with their obnoxious misogynistic scheming and bigoted boss, Hardy.

Although the story was created in 1980, it is as relevant now as it was then, said senior Adrianna.

“This show has been such a joy to work on,” she said. “Not only because of the incredible music and humor but also because it highlights struggles that working women still face: unequal pay, being overlooked, and fight to be taken seriously.”

George Matthew’s character Hardy refuses to take Violet seriously.

“Violet, be a good girl and get me some coffee,” he orders.

Apparently, he thinks office “girls” are still the “coffee girls.”

Hardy is a very crude and creepy individual, and George Matthew faced the challenge of playing someone quite the opposite of his personality.

“Some challenges I’ve experienced when playing him have to be embodying his overall sense of being a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical, bigot,” he said.

But …

“Sometimes when playing a character like him, it’s important to not judge him or play him as if you know he is the bad guy,” he said. “Again, you are portraying real people with real thoughts and ideas. My experience in the musical has been really enjoyable, from dancing on top of desks to even being lifted in the air.”

This particular piece has presented the challenge of multiple pieces and the movement and the shifting of those pieces and the rapid transitions through different costumes.

Martin Vela, theater director at Harlingen High School South, said rehearsals leading up to the opening show were going well with so many parts working together.

“I think it’s a very collaborative project,” said Vela, who is in his first year with the Harlingen district.

“It’s been fun to work with everybody together,” he said. “There is so much to tackle but I think it has been really challenging. The set is massive. There are a lot of moving pieces. Costuming, so many pieces that go in and out. There are hundreds of costume pieces in the entire show.”

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One of Violet’s partners in crime is Judy Bernly, played by Karla Rivera, a Harlingen High School South senior.

“This character holds a special connection to me as I see a lot of myself in her,” Karla said. “She goes through this journey of becoming independent and strong after years of mistreatment. She continues to push on even in the face of adversity and I admire that of her. Judy’s kind yet strong hard is what I love most about her.

Azeneth Corrales, 16, plays the third member of the fighting trio, Doralee Rhodes.

“Despite how others may perceive her, she knows her value and is determined to prove it, which is a key aspect of her character in the show,” said Azeneth, a junior.

The show at Harlingen Performing Arts Conservatory opens Friday at 7 p.m.

For more information about tickets or show times, visit www.hcisdpa.org/conservatory-home

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