Dolly Parton, Country music legend and admitted cosmetic surgery fan, tried to spice up the Great White Way with a stage rendition of 9 to 5. Unfortunately, the show never achieved the popularity that her iconic film did in the early Eighties. Fans are wondering, what was missing?
The stage musical version of the hit film 9 to 5 will be closing on Broadway next month, due to a disappointing run at the box office and mixed reviews. With music and lyrics by the iconic Dolly Parton, the musical was expected to break all the records, and become Broadway’s next Hairspray.
Many wonder whether the new Doralee Rhodes, Parton’s popular character played by Megan Hilty in the musical, didn’t live up to the legendary lady. Hilty, who previously starred in Wicked, doesn’t have the over-the-top, southern belle, bodacious Dolly-look. Was that the reason for 9 to 5’s demise? Can there be a 9 to 5 without the lovable legend? Obviously not.
Maybe Megan didn’t look enough like Dolly, but few could. The Steel Magnolias sweetheart is known for her big hair, tiny waist, short height, and of course, her ample chest. (Rumor has it, Ms. Parton actually has two implants stacked on top of each other in each breast.)
Dolly celebrated her 63rd birthday this year, but with some help from her surgeon, she has continued to maintain her Country glam look without showing her age. Plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn speculated in his celebrity blog that Ms. Parton has had a facelift, upper and lower blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, browlift, fat grafting to the face, Botox, Restylane and chemical peels, jokingly adding, “…but who’s counting?”
Dolly is refreshingly open about her cosmetic surgery beliefs. “Ain’t nothing I can do about the numbers but there’s plenty I can do about how I look,” she told Ladies Home Journal last year. “And how I act… If somebody asks me point-blank, ‘Have you had plastic surgery?’ It’s like, well, duh. I never talk about it unless someone asks me. But I don’t want to lie about it.”
Although the musical is a bust, Dolly continues to thrill fans, thanks to her unfailingly positive attitude, enduring musical talent and iconic look. What a way to make a livin’, indeed.
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August 18th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Are you saying that Megan Hilty is the reason the show is closing? And that her portrayal of Doralee Rhodes is lacking in some way? Are you serious? That claim is so ridiculous it’s almost laughable. Dolly herself has nothing but praise for Megan and what she’s done with the role. She owns it!
August 18th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Ms. Hilty’s performance was nominated for an Outer Critics’ Circle award, a Drama League award, and a Drama Desk award. Her performance was widely regarded as one of the highlights of the show. Ms. Parton has publicly stated more than once that she thinks Ms. Hilty is an amazing talent and has even mentioned how much she’d like to see her get a shot at playing Dolly’s role in a possible film of her life. And her look onstage was exceptional, to say the least.
In other words, if it’s good enough for Dolly, then who the hell are you to judge?
August 18th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
The musical itself (that Dolly created along with others) is why it failed. If anything, Megan Hilty was a major highlight and extended the life of this (not so great) show.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I don’t want it to close.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Wow? Seriously? You’re blaming this incredibly underrated show’s unfortunate and unfair demise on one of the actors’ appearance? Ms. Hilty is naturally gorgeous… her confidence in her appearance should not be condemned, rather it should be celebrated. Dolly Parton herself has nothing but wonderful things to say about Megan and her performance in 9 to 5, and as previously stated, Hilty was nominated for several awards this theatre season I think it is extremely unfair to even insinuate such a thing. What a terribly inappropriate article.
“You say one more word about [her] and I’ll get that gun of mine and I’ll change you from a rooster to a hen with ONE SHOT!” –Doralee Rhodes “9 to 5″
August 18th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
The claim that Megan did not live up to Dolly is beyond ridiculous – as others have stated, Dolly herself has nothing but praise for Megan’s portrayal. I would like to know who these many people are and on what basis that inquiry is made.
No one can look exactly like Dolly Parton – no one SHOULD look like Dolly, she is amazing and unique and it should stay that way. But Megan’s performance of Doralee Rhodes is point on and there are times when it is difficult to distinguish if it’s Dolly singing or Megan. To criticize an actor because she does not look exactly like someone else who has played a role previously is insanity. How many people look exactly like Idina Menzel, who originated the role of Elphaba in Wicked? Do we say that they lack talent because of this? No we don’t.
Next time you try to criticize and ridicule an actor/person make sure they actually deserve it before you publish your writings. Megan has done NOTHING but improved the quality of that show since day one.
August 18th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Have you seen this show? This cast does a fantastic job with the great material they were given, it is truly Broadway at its finest. It seems to just not have caught an audience, but that does NOT in any way make it a bad show. Megan Hilty plays Doralee Rhodes with such truth and honesty, giving the character a new life on the stage. She beautifully infused what Dolly had done on the role with who she is as an actor. On top of all her talent, she is a Beautiful girl with a beautiful heart. In my opinion, her gorgeous, natural look, compliments the character in many ways. Please do not try and place blame of this shows short lived run on one of the major and respected talents in the piece.
August 19th, 2009 at 9:06 am
I completely disagree with your criticism of Megan Hilty. She does have that over-the-top southern glam girl look with the large chest and big mass of blonde hair. She was the standout performer for my family and I when we saw the show. I think a lack of money on the part of NYC visitors has led to the demise of many Broadway shows. Don’t blame a wonderful actress like Megan Hilty, blame the economy!
August 19th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
No doubt Dolly is an unequaled singer-songwriter but with the candy-floss hair and her bawdy, larger-than-life, knock-’em-out curves, Dolly is one of the greatest hotties of the world.
At age 63 now, as of Januari 19 th 2009, she still looks better than a lot of those so-called supermodels. I’d say it’s way overdue that she showed those 34E’s aka “The Best Boobs in the Bizz” to the world, so c’mon Dolly pose nude in the near future and don’t wait until y’er 100-th birthday or at least have the pictures that have been taken in the past published!!
August 19th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I would have to say that your claim that Megan Hilty is the reason for 9 to 5’s closing is completely ridiculous. I saw the show a couple weeks ago and found Megan’s portrayal of Doralee Rhodes to be absolutely fantastic. If anything should be blamed for the show not succeeding, it would be patrons buying discounted tickets and the lack of a “Best Musical” nomination at the Tony Awards. And, as all of the actresses in this show have said, they are not trying to imitate the leading ladies of the movie but are taking over the rolls as their own. Megan should not be blamed at all, nor should any of the actresses. It is an unfortunate and untimely closing, but it was simply a lack of bringing in enough money to fund such an insanely technical (and expensive) show.
August 19th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
When an actor/actress takes on a role that has previously been played by someone else, especially some one as famous as Dolly Parton, it is NEVER the goal for them to be identical to the person they are replacing, in either performance or appearance. Megan has done the role Dolly originated more than justice, was nominated for 3 different awards for her interpretation and Dolly herself has had nothing but positive things to say about her.
That being said, the very fact that you would choose to blame Megan’s appearance for the fact that is show is closing just shows that you were ignorant enough not to look at the larger picture. If you had then you would have seen that there were many factors (such as an expensive set, lack of recognition at the Tony awards and audiences buying discounted tickets) that contributed to an early closing and that Megan, let alone any of the other immensly talented cast memebers, should not in any way be blamed.
August 20th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Megan is a fantastic performer. She was the main reason why I wanted to see the show in the first place. Her portrayal of Doralee was flawless. She’s a brilliant young lady and she gets an excellent response from the audience every night. How would you like it if someone blamed you for something like that. True it’s only Megan’s second show and she’s still growing but I can say she’s grown into a true pro since I saw her make her Broadway debut in Wicked. It’s the fault of the economy.
August 20th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
ARE YOU CRAZY?! Megan Hilty is amazing in this role. Besides, shes not playing DOLLY PARTON, shes playing DORALEE RHODES! Your judgement and criticism is outlandish and rude. She and the Stephanie J. Block and Allison Janney all did wonderful justice to the movie, the characters and the three original women. Simply because she is young, normal and not at all fake doesnt mean she is the cause of the closing of the show. As many others have said, there are many uncontrollable things causing the closing. I think you should apologize to Megan Hilty as well as all of her fans and the cast and crew of 9 to 5!!
August 21st, 2009 at 6:09 pm
So let’s get a few things straight before we unrightfully criticize one person and blame the “failing” of the show on them. The Marquis Theatre has never been known to have a show in there for long. It’s basically going to die if you open something in it. The place is cursed. Gavin Creel has closed TWO shows in that theatre. Does that mean it was his fault? No. It means that the theatre is too big for the shows that go in it. If you follow the weekly Broadway grosses as closely as someone like myself does, you would see that 9 to 5 did in fact sell many seats a week, enough to sell out many theatres on Broadway, but not enough for the shows larger-than-life home.
As for the comment on Megan Hilty, she is beyond talented and no, you’re right, she’s not exactly like Dolly Parton. But would a show like Wicked be any good if every Glinda was exactly like Kristin Chenoweth? People would stop coming if the way the character was percieved by certain actors and actresses in every show stayed the same. We should count ourselves lucky to have gotten the amazingly beautiful and talented Megan Hilty to portray herself as a spot-on DORALEE RHODES. Doralee is who she was hired to play. Not Dolly Parton.
August 21st, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Say what you want, but I do not agree with this “article”. It is in no way going to change the fact that Megan Hilty is an amazing actress who works hard and does an incredible job every night. Blaming her for the closing of 9 to 5 is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. It sounds to me more like someone is pointing fingers with no real justification at all. Even if I had no idea who Megan Hilty is, or some other actor/actress was mentioned, I would still find it all absurd. As others have said in their comments before my own, Megan is playing Doralee, NOT DOLLY. Even Miss Dolly Parton herself spoke volumes about how proud she is of Megan and the rest of the brilliant cast of 9 to 5. Yes, it’s unfortunate that the show is closing, but everyone (not just Megan) involved in the show has done such an amazing job bringing this show to life on stage night after night. “When it’s all said and done, we’re gunna shine like the sun!”
September 1st, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I apologize if this sounds hostile. But are you on glue?
Have you seen Megan Hilty perform live? She brings nothing but grace and talent with her to the stage, and to say that she was the downfall of this show is absolutely absurd. The show flopped because of the lack of recognition at the Tony Awards (which is only because it opened on Broadway very close to the time the awards were tot ake place). Megan Hilty performs the role with incredible precision and heart, and she puts everything she has into it – you can tell. Her performance is flawless, and so is her appearance and presence on stage. She is inspiration to budding musical theatre performers everywhere, I can tell you that much. Let’s not forget that Dolly hand-picked her for the role, which says massive things about what Dolly thinks of her. I’ve never heard anything but praise coming from Dolly about Megan. Perhaps before you make a snap judgement, you should stop and think about how ridiculous and ignorant you sound.