Hot on the heels of Xanadu, the latest early 80's film to get the stage treatment is the classic comedy 9 to 5. Dolly Parton, who made her film debut in the workplace revenge fantasy, is writing the music and lyrics, and after playing in Los Angeles later this year, it will hit Broadway next year.

It's going to be tough to fill the high heels of the film's original cast, Dolly, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin, but the cast they've announced seems more than up to it. In the Lily role of the tough-as-nails office manager Violet is Emmy winner Allison Janney, and two performers from Wicked are playing the Jane and Dolly roles. Stephanie J. Block is the newly divorced Judy, and Megan Hilty is the sexy secretary Doralee. The press notes reveal that the musical will keep pretty close to the plot of the movie:

"In a series of farcical events, the women inadvertently remove their boss from the workplace and keep him otherwise engaged. Taking advantage of his absence, they begin instituting a host of new and welcomed office procedures such as flexible hours and day care, but their schemes quickly spin wildly and hilariously out of control"

After the break, you can see the title song from the movie, Dolly's Oscar nominated #1 smash. I think Dolly movies are a natural fit for the stage, and I've been doing some creative casting in my head. The greatest Dolly movie is of course, Rhinestone, and who else could fill the fringe and leather outfits of co-star Sylvester Stallone than out studmuffin Cheyenne Jackson?

We have a new reason to be jealous of UK TV viewers: Channel 4's youth-oriented time slot, T4, will be airing a special next week that will feature a chat between Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears and Jake's heroine, legendary country chanteuse Dolly Parton.

The preview clips for When Jake Met Dolly are frustratingly short, but certainly make the special look very promising. In the first clip, the two discuss the questions they get asked too often in interviews. In the second clip, the two casually perform together. The special will also feature a tour of Dolly's "camp-as-Christmas" traveling wardrobe.

As always, Jake is utterly adorable (those eyes get me every time) in the clip while Dolly is sweet and welcoming. The special airs on December 26 at 11 AM on Channel 4. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the special gets picked up by an American network soon afterwards, because it looks fabulous. Check out the clips here and here!