9 TO 5 TO PARTNER WITH DOLLY PARTON’S IMAGINATION LIBRARY

 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL is partnering with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Australia to bring the joy of reading to children in need across Australia.

The partnership was announced recently by producers John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia and Suzanne Jones.

As the official charity partner of the musical production, 9 TO 5 will host a charity dress rehearsal on Sunday 13 February at 6:30pm with the proceeds from 500 ticket sales going directly to the Imagination Library. These funds, plus other fundraising initiatives on the night, will assist the Imagination Library to bring the gift of reading to children all around the country.

“I am thrilled to announce that 9 TO 5 will be raising funds for a foundation I started 25 years ago and is very close to my heart, the Imagination Library. The program sends out over one million free books each month to children all around the world - I guess that’s why they call me the book lady,” said Dolly Parton.

Producer Suzanne Jones said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with the Imagination Library as our chosen official charity partner for 9 TO 5.

"Dolly Parton herself established this charity initiative in the US as a tribute to her father who never learned to read. Her aim was to inspire all children to love to read, and we are looking forward to helping her accomplish that mission here in Australia.”

Clayton Noble, Chief Executive of United Way Australia, said: “We are very excited to be hosting a special charity dress rehearsal on Sunday 13 February with proceeds from the ticket sales to go towards supporting families and carers involved in the Imagination Library, and providing the gift of a book each month to children aged 0-5 in many communities across Australia.”

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation. It reaches more children than any other early childhood book gifting program, and posts free, high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth until age five, no matter their family’s income.

After launching in 1995, the program grew quickly. The first books were distributed only to children living in Sevier County, Tennessee where Dolly grew up. It became such a success that five years later a national replication effort was underway. By 2003, the Imagination Library had mailed one million books, which would prove to be the first of many millions of books sent to children around the world.

In 2013, a joint effort between Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and United Way Australia began. The partnership helped bring the program to Australia in 2014 reaching remote communities in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.

A sensation on the West End and inspired by the hit film, 9 TO 5 tells the story of Doralee, Violet and Judy, three enterprising workmates pushed to the edge by their mean-spirited boss Franklin Hart Jnr. Resorting to wit, comradery and cunning, they dream up a no holds barred scheme to kidnap and turn the tables on their controlling supervisor in the most hilariously defiant of ways. Only question is, will the feisty trio manage to change the office culture to reach their full potential - or will events unravel when the CEO pays an unexpected visit?

With a sparkling score by Dolly Parton and a book by the iconic movie’s original screenwriter Patricia Resnick, 9 TO 5 is the quintessential feel-good show for the times. Full of mischief, laughter and affection, it’s gold carat fun!

The NSW Government is proud to support the Australian premiere of 9 TO 5 in Sydney through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.

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