Several Broadway Show Albums Nominated For Grammys

The Grammy Award nominations were announced yesterday, and the Best Musical Show Album category was almost entirely made up of Broadway musicals. The nominated show recordings were: Ain't Misbehavin' (30th anniversary cast recording featuring American Idol's Ruben Studdard and Frenchie Davis), Hair (Broadway revival cast album), 9 To 5 The Musical (featuring a score by country music superstar Dolly Parton), Shrek The Musical (Original Broadway cast recording), and West Side Story (new Broadway revival cast recording). If you want to hear what the fuss is about, three of the musicals - Hair, Shrek, and West Side Story - are still playing on Broadway. The winners of the Grammy for Best Show Album will be announced in January.

9 To 5 Musical Closes on Broadway

9 To 5, the musical version of the 1980 film starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin, closed at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway today. With a book by Patricia Resnick, 9 To 5 featured a brand new slate of songs written by Dolly Parton, along with Parton's hit title song for the movie. The Joe Mantello-directed musical comedy starred Allison Janney (The West Wing), Stephanie J. Block, Meg Hilty (in the Parton role), and Marc Kudisch as their sexist pig boss. Despite having a known title, a big screen star in the cast, and the talents of Dolly Parton, 9 To 5 scored low with the critics and didn't manage to get a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical. Audience reaction was more positive, but not enough to keep the show alive on Broadway for more than five months. However, a tour is being planned.

Broadway Musical 9 To 5 To Call It A Day

The new Broadway musical 9 To 5 couldn't quite hack it in the high-stress New York City theater business. Alas, the show will be packing up and moving out of its office at the Marquis Theatre on September 6. Based on the 1980 movie about three fed-up working women who kidnap their boss, 9 To 5 has a brand new score by country music legend Dolly Parton and stars Allison Janney, Meg Hilty, and Stephanie Block. Though the musical seemed to get a pretty good response from audiences, the reviews were mostly negative and the show failed to nab a coveted Tony Award nomination for Best Musical, stalling the momentum it needed to continue a profitable Broadway run. However, 9 To 5 will hit the touring circuit, launching a national tour from Nashville, Tennessee in late 2010.

Dolly Parton To Appear on 9 To 5 Star Stephanie J. Block's Solo Debut

For Broadway actress/singer Stephanie J. Block, her gig in the new Dolly Parton-penned Broadway musical 9 To 5 has paid off in more ways than one. Block, who has been working on her solo album debut, is getting the country music legend herself to appear on her new CD - the pair will duet on the 1974 classic "I Will Always Love You". Also appearing on Block's album, titled This Place I Know, will be an array of Broadway big shots, including Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz (accompanying Stephanie on piano for a recording of his song "Making Good"), A Chorus Line composer Marvin Hamlisch (arranging and accompanying on his song "Smart Women," cut from the Broadway comedy Imaginary Friends), and Ragtime tunesmith Stephen Flaherty (the first recording of his song "Something Beautiful"). Considering Stephanie J. Block's already impressive Broadway credits - The Boy From Oz, Wicked, and The Pirate Queen - it's no wonder she was able to assemble such a team for her first solo outing. The album is due out on the PS Classics label on June 2, with a digital release on May 12.

Dolly Parton Talks About Broadway's 9 To 5 On 60 Minutes Tonight

Songwriter Dolly Parton will be talking about her career, her life, and her brand new Broadway musical 9 To 5 on the CBS series 60 Minutes tonight when she is interviewed by Morley Safer. The new Broadway musical 9 To 5 is based on the 1980 film of the same name starring Jane Fonda (now on Broadway in 33 Variations), Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton herself. The musical version stars Allison Janney, Megan Hilty, and Stephanie J. Block, and will open at the Marriott Marquis Theatre on April 30.