Comedy sends a message: Exploring "9 to 5"

Pour yourself a cup of ambition and come to life with this fascinating research by Dyllon Glaze and the 9 to 5 movement. Theatre and history come together in a hilarious and inspiring production of "9 to 5: The Musical."

Dyllon Glaze, a second-year Theatre and Entertainment & Media Studies major, is not only the Dramaturg for UGA’s fall production of "9 to 5: The Musical" but is also conducting undergraduate research through UGA’s Institute for Women’s Studies. That research, funded by a grant from Mellon Intersectional Southern Futures, with Professor George Contini of the department of theatre and film studies as mentor, focuses on the historical 9 to 5 movement, its connection to UGA’s fall production, and the disparities that women continue to face in the workplace. In her words, Glaze has always had “a very strong interest in the intersectionality between feminism and theatre,” which spurred her to conduct this research project.

When she was younger, Glaze begged her parents to let her attend drama camp and by high school she fell in love with theatre, knowing that it would be a major part of her life. During her Theatre as a Profession class, dramaturgy piqued Glaze’s interest, because it provides the necessary context to connect daily life and theatre. As the dramaturg for "9 to 5: The Musical," she has had the chance to inform the cast and crew about the historical nuances of the musical’s time period. The cast performed different exercises that simulated what the workplace was like for women during the 1970s and 80s. 

In honor of the original newsletters published during the 9 to 5 movement, Glaze chose to share her work through newsletters and podcasts. On a weekly basis she has published her findings to share the information with a broader audience. One of her goals has been to connect with working women in the Athens community. “The end goal is to reach the audience and community with the same kind of passion and love that inspired the 9 to 5 movement and bring that energy to today so we can inspire change with our production,” Glaze said. 

She has also partnered and collaborated with Women Who Work, a division of the Athens Chamber of Commerce, on two events. The first event was a screening of the documentary “9 to 5: The Story of a Movement” and the second event was a panel of working women discussing feminism and the workplace. 

“My goal is to tie in the community and the school as much as possible into this work," Glaze said. "For women who are going out into the workplace or those already in the workplace this is a great opportunity to make connections, learn and feel the passion of being able to bring change together.”  

Working on "9 to 5: The Musical" has allowed Glaze to learn about all aspects of theatre and how they are interconnected. She is excited and grateful to have had the opportunity to work with an amazing cast and crew. 

Glaze’s newsletter about the 9 to 5 movement is available on line at https://dyllonglaze13.wixsite.com/9to5  

The UGA Theatre production of "9 to 5: The Musical" runs through November 24. 

Image: Dyllon Glaze working with the cast of "9 to 5: the Musical" in rehearsal. Photo by Clay Chastain.