Guest Director Eric Deeb Weaver to Helm "9 to 5 The Musical" This Spring

UB Theatre and Dance thrives in great part due to the contributions of professional guest artists and scholars. In 2024 we welcome two new guest directors, Scout Davis and Eric Deeb Weaver, to guide the creation of our spring productions of Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play and 9 to 5 The Musical, respectively.

This is the second of two interviews. In getting to know Eric, we had an opportunity to discuss his perspective on 9 to 5 The Musical, and what audiences can expect this spring. The show runs April 26 - May 5, 2024 in the UB Center for the Arts Drama Theatre.

Eric Deeb Weaver (Director/Choreographer) grew up performing in San Diego, CA and received his BA in Drama with Honors in Musical Theatre from the University of California, Irvine. He worked professionally during college and made the move to New York City where he lived for over a decade as a member of Actor’s Equity, performing nationally and internationally.

During the pandemic Eric moved to his husband’s hometown of Buffalo, NY where they have put down roots. Eric previously served as the Associate Artistic Director at the Historic Palace Theatre, and is now Development Associate at MusicalFare Theatre. 

Recent production credits include: The Rocky Horror Show (Choreographer) at  Kavinoky Theatre, Chicago (Assistant Director/Choreographer) with Nardin Academy, The Little Mermaid (Director), 42nd Street, Pippin, Matilda (Choreographer) at the Palace Theatre. Favorite performance credits include: Young Frankenstein (National Tour), 42nd Street (Boebe Productions), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Riverside Theatre, Musical Theatre West, Moonlight Theatre), and Spamalot (Hilton Head), among others. Upcoming projects include: Showtune (Man #2) at MusicalFare Theatre, The Producers (Director/Choreographer) at Lancaster Opera House, and adult dance classes with Second Generation Theatre!  

What attracted you to direct “9 to 5 The Musical?” And what aspects of your previous work do you feel will inform your direction of the play?

What drew me to 9 to 5 is that it’s a big song-and-dance, Broadway musical that people expect of contemporary musicals, which is exactly the kind of show I love and is in my wheelhouse. It’s also kind of a full-circle moment, When I was in college at the University of California, Irvine, we were not too far from downtown Los Angeles, where I was fortunate enough to see the pre-Broadway tryout of 9 to 5 with the original cast at the Ahmanson Theatre! It was one of those shows that truly stuck with me and I remember so much of it still to this day despite being up at the very top of the balcony. I can still remember Stephanie J. Block belting out “Get Out and Stay Out” and how absolutely floored I was with her performance!

I feel my extensive experience in book musicals, both on and off the stage, and being highly observant of how shows I have been in took shape will help inform my direction. So much of musical theatre is about pacing and transitions from scene to scene, not just what is actually happening during the scene. I feel my attention to detail will aid in these quick scene changes that happen in many locations during the story, and my goal is to have them seamlessly interchange in an almost cinematic way so that the audience is constantly engaged during this hilarious rollercoaster of a show!

What makes this a worthwhile musical for participating Theatre and Dance students? And for audiences?

I think this musical is a great challenge for all students whether it’s acting, dance, design, or stage managing. The sheer enormity of the show on all fronts will allow the students to experience how much work goes into the typical musical like this. My hope is to prepare them for how to approach putting up this kind of production so that they are ready for the amount of personal responsibility that is expected when they are hired at professional regional theatres.

For audiences, this is an exciting, funny, toe-tapping, song and dance feast for the eyes, not to mention amazing music written by the indomitable Dolly Parton herself. Yes, the title song is in there, but she also has perfectly written a variety of songs that capture the characters’ stories and propels the story along. You can expect country, old-school Broadway, pop, and more. Dolly Parton is so talented and I am honored to be Directing and Choreographing her show.

Given the scale of a work like this, how do you begin your process? Do you start with a specific aspect, like the music, costume/set/lighting design, tone, or a signature scene? Do you take extensive notes or is it of necessity more intuitive and free flowing in the timeframe?

Well, funnily enough, a few production meetings have already taken place, so you can say the design and overall ideas of the show come first. I read the script, watch the movie if there is one, listen to the album on repeat, and research to get familiar with the world of this story. Honestly, the music is what inspires me first, as I start to see the pictures in my head, how people are staged, what effects I’d like to see, and I go from there! Casting the show is a huge process too, and seeing the talented actors bring their all to auditions is what also inspires me and allows me to begin formulating blocking and choreography based on my actors!

What is your favorite aspect or scene in the show and why?

As of right now, my favorite part is still the 11 o’clock number in Act II when the character of Judy (played by Jane Fonda in the 1980 movie) realizes her strength, power, and independence and literally belts to the high heavens in “Get Out and Stay Out.” It is one of those great female ballads that will last a lifetime and is moving every single time–you can’t take your eyes off the actor playing the role and I can’t wait to have our audiences moved by this turning point in the show.

The comedy of the original movie 9 to 5 feels almost of another era, which some patrons might prefer to contemporary humor, and others may feel is outdated. What's your take on this and how will you approach it in directing the work?

I definitely can see that, but the book for the musical was actually written around 2009, and then updated for the national tour after that, which is the version we’re doing. The musical is very similar to the movie with a few additions to help the story’s cohesiveness and some new ideas, and some comedic moments that have been edited to land with today’s audiences. I think most of the humor is timeless, relatable, and there is a little something for everyone. It also brings us back to a time that doesn’t feel too far away for some of us, when things that are so easy now were such burdens before technology improved. I also think it highlights how so much misogyny and a male-driven world still exists today and how we have to call it out whenever we can. These three female leading ladies have the juiciest roles in musical theatre to fight back one of the worst bosses ever who would absolutely not get away with what he says in today’s world. It’s all from a comedic “musical theatre” lens, but also a reminder of how present it was in society and still is, highlighting how much work society as a whole needs to work on equality and respectable workplaces.

Please share any other insights about the work which you feel may be of interest to potential patrons.

If you love the movie, Dolly Parton, or newer musical theatre, this show is for you! It is truly an upbeat, funny, mesmerizing show from the minute the downbeat starts to the final curtain call. You definitely don’t want to miss this one, especially if you want a glimpse of Dolly herself narrating and singing along with our students!