As the curtain for Green Hope Theatre Company’s spring musical, “9 to 5,” rises the character of Roz from the Dolly Parton musical adaptation steps onto center stage. The actress is none other than Nicole “Nic” Anderson (‘25). 

Anderson got her start in theater back in elementary school. At the time, she attended a school that was more specialized in arts than she expected. Anderson performed her first musical in the 4th grade and immediately fell in love with theater. 

During middle school, Anderson attempted to participate in theater as much as she could, with the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic looming over any possibilities. She tried to get as much experience as she could at the time, especially at a point where she was doing more traditional acting than musical-type productions. “I didn’t look back, and I think a lot of people stumble into theater when they get to high school,” she said. “I was someone who fully walked in and fully aware of what I was going into.” 

For the musical, “9 to 5,” Anderson will be playing the character of Roz. When asked about her character, Anderson described Roz as an individual who’s a goody two shoes and rather annoying. In the production, her character is portrayed as a right-hand henchman to the character of Hart, the main antagonist of the musical. “She’s so aggressively in love with him and Hart can’t stand her, because nobody else can either. She’s very straight-nosed and follows the rules,” explained Anderson. “She has her moments where, especially when she’s by herself, her personality underneath the surface is on display, and there’s a little bit more nuance there. I think she’s really funny because she irritates people around her, and everyone is so tired of her.”

Anderson also describes how Roz houses relatability underneath the initial irritability. To Anderson, the character can be seen as someone who the audience can envision as some sort of irritant in their own life. “She’s also just so over the top, and that’s one of my favorite things about her,” she said. “With her, I’ve kind of broken through my fear of looking stupid. It’s a write of passage when it comes to doing theater, getting over the fear of people thinking you look dumb while on stage. This role is so over the top and crazy to the point where I didn’t care if I looked stupid. It was all part of the character.”

Anderson described “9 to 5” as a highly energetic and fun show to be a part of. For her, “9 to 5” will be a show she will look back on for years to come, as an experience with a group of people that cannot be replicated. “It’s really cool getting to come together with a lot of different people who care about what they’re doing and creating something. We have a lot of really talented people working on the show, both in front of and behind the scenes. This show will never be performed by these people in this place at this time again. It’s one of the things that gets me to come back and do shows each time,” she added. 

As for the musical itself, the Broadway musical production first debuted in September of 2008 and was based on the movie “9 to 5” released in 1980. In Anderson’s eyes, the show has a lot of applicable messages to the present day, especially in the context of modern communication. , “I think there’s such a strong sisterhood that undercuts the entirety of the show, and I think that’s something that makes the show really special,” Anderson explained. “The story at its core is about women who come together against a common enemy, and that common enemy is being oppressed and being beaten down.”