ECC’s 9 to 5 the Musical Will Fly High

The East Central Theatre Department is making final run-throughs for 9-5 the Musical, with a high-flying treat for audiences.

It is the first time that a performer will fly through the air on stage at the John Edson Anglin Performing Arts Center. Director Grace Austin said the cast is working with On the Fly Productions, LLC, St. Louis.

“This year, we were fortunate with the support of the administration to be able to hire On the Fly, A professional company out of St. Louis that also does flying productions all over the world,” Austin said.

Show times for 9 to 5 the Musical will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, through Saturday, Feb. 22, and then at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23. Tickets are still available for these shows at ecctheatre.com. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone at the Theater Box Office at 636-584-6693.

“Being able to fly a performer as called for in the script is a new thing for us and something unique that we are able to offer to our students who were trained by On the Fly,” Austin added. “We are definitely hoping to partner with the company again to offer flying workshops.”

The musical is set in the late 1970s and is a story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era. The music and lyrics of this outrageous, thought-provoking, and even a little romantic musical, were written by Dolly Parton.

The cast will be led by ECC theater veterans Brittany Losh as Judy Bernly; Tara Steffens as Violet Newstead; and Chad Greife Wetenhall as Franklin Hart; with newcomers Rebecca Evans as Doralee Rhodes and Crystal Pratt as Roz Keith.

Joining them in principal roles are Isaac Corum as Joe; Jonathan Robertson as Dwayne; Donovan Counts as Josh; Jessie Patterson as Missy Hart; Abby Shallin as Maria; Trey Dinker as Dick Bernly; Andrew Carter as Bob; Kyle Counts as Tinsworthy; Briley Howell as Kathy; and Heidi Nuckolls as Margaret.

Rounding out the company is Rita Bub, Diane Burnett, Carol Buescher, Jagger Case, Schuyler Condon, Kathy Dawson, Jasmine Derhammer, Camryn Dunivin, Aidan Gildehouse, Sam Holland, Patty Kellmann, Zack Kimker, Meg Kimminau, Nate Mendez-Torres, Sebastian Montowine, Russell Pinnell, Anna Marie- Sampson, Lainie Shollenberger, Sue Spann, Sydney Smith, Erin Wehmeyer, Sophia Wildt and Andrew Utz.