Arrive Magazine - September/October, 2009

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Why I Love ...

Broadway

A ‘ 9 to 5’ job brought four-time Emmy Award–winner Allison Janney back home to Broadway

Ten years ago, Allison Janney was basking in the glow of a Tony Award nomination for her work in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, after years of struggling to break through on Broadway.

“I had many tears on the subway, with
thoughts of going back to Ohio,” Janney says.

Then she caught a flight to Los Angeles to shoot a pilot for NBC, figuring she’d make a little cash and be home before the plants needed watering. The pilot was The West Wing, which ran for seven seasons and earned Janney a quartet of Emmy Awards for her portrayal of White House sta;er C.J. Cregg.

West Wing led to small roles in good films, including The Hours, playing the girlfriend of Meryl Streep (“I got to kiss Meryl Streep”), Hairspray, Juno, and Sam Mendes’ latest film, Away We Go. Still, she longed for a return to her Broadway roots.

So, when she was
o;ered the role
of alpha secretary
Violet Newstead in
the musical version
of the 1980 hit film 9 to 5, she jumped at the
chance, and then panicked.

“I was terrified,” she says. “I didn’t see myself as a singer.” But Dolly Parton, who starred in the original film and wrote the music and lyrics for the show, gave her a little confidence boost. “Dolly said, ‘I’m not a singer either,’ ” Janney remembers. “She considers herself a songwriter.”

The musical, which closes in September, follows a trio of frustrated secretaries—Violet, Judy and Doralee—seeking revenge on their boss, Mr. Hart. “It is the most fun I have had in a long time,” says Janney, who received a Tony nomination for her work. “It stays true to the original and is enhanced by Dolly’s unbelievable talent as a songwriter.”

Now that she’s back in the Big Apple, she can indulge in a few favorite pastimes, such as exploring the parks with her pup, Addie, and hitting the shops in SoHo. “I’m a big shopper,” she says. “I’m always looking for the newest beauty cream and latest handbag.”— MICHAEL HAMMETT