By Jean Konda-Witte/Special to 91原创 Advance Times

At 28, 91原创鈥檚 Lauren Trotzuk has accomplished more in a decade than many folks twice her age.

And now, she has landed one of the biggest gigs of her career as the artistic director for Dolly Parton鈥檚 Broadway show 9 to 5 鈥� The Musical, set to open Friday, April 21 with Fraser Valley Stage in Abbotsford.

To put her spin on Dolly鈥檚 iconic title song, Trotzuk paraphrased, 鈥淚 tumbled outta bed and into the director鈥檚 chair.鈥�

Well, not quite. But it鈥檚 worth taking a step back to see how the local gal got there.

鈥淚 have always loved theatre,鈥� she said, adding that as a child her favourite movie was not Cinderella or The Lion King, but the filmed stage production of CATS.

As a young girl she would hold concerts for her family in their living room.

Fast forward 10 years, to Grade 9 at D.W. Poppy Secondary. Her drama teacher encouraged her to audition, and of course she got the part (as Billy the Duckling in HONK, the adaptation of Hans Christian鈥檚 The Ugly Duckling story).

Then in 2013, at age 18, Trotzuk wrote and directed her first Jukebox musical, Once Upon a Fairytale.

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鈥淚 wrote it because the graduating year after me was not going to have a senior year musical that year. I wanted them to have a chance to perform so I wrote them a show and directed it.鈥�

Since high school, and while continuing her post-secondary studies, Trotzuk has performed in community theatre all over the Lower Mainland 鈥� from Vancouver to Mission, Maple Ridge to White Rock.

Some of her favourite musicals include CATS, Into the Woods, Seussical and Footloose.

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鈥淚 love all forms of theatre, but especially musical theatre,鈥� she shared. 鈥淚 love singing and dancing and acting, so it鈥檚 the best of all worlds.鈥�

In 2015, she hooked up with Fraser Valley Stage in Abbotsford to portray Liza Minnelli in Forbidden Broadway. She circled back to FVS in 2022, where she brought the house down as the feisty Sister Mary Hubert in the musical comedy Nunsense.

As a director her most recent show was Confessions of a Grocery Clerk (based on a true story), which she wrote and produced through her own theatre company, Capricorn Theatre Productions, in partnership with Vagabond Players.

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Now, Trotzuk has returned to FVS as the artistic director of their big spring show, 9 to 5 鈥� The Musical.

The Broadway show was based on the 1980鈥檚 film 9 to 5 starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton 鈥� who wrote all the music and lyrics for the show. Parton鈥檚 iconic 9to5 title song was nominated for an Academy Award and won two Grammy鈥檚 that year.

The large cast production centres around the lives of three women working in an office and tells the age-old story of the underdogs rising up in order to stick it to 鈥榯he man鈥� who, in this case, is an actual man, the boss, Mr. Hart.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very important to me to take part in shows that have a good message: 9 to 5 in particular appealed to me because of this. If you don鈥檛 like something in your life, you have the power to change it,鈥� added Trotzuk.

鈥淚 am also a sucker for the underdog and a big supporter of artistic content that follows a female led narrative, especially when it is girls supporting girls. This is a message our audience can benefit from hearing and one that I am passionate to tell.鈥�

9 to 5 鈥� The Musical runs April 21 to 23 and April 28 to 30 at the Abbotsford Arts Centre, 2329 Crescent Way, Abbotsford. Evening shows start at 7:30 p.m., with matinees at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $32/adults; $28/seniors and students. This show is not recommended for children younger than 13 due to some mature content.

Tickets can be purchased online at or call the box office at 604-302-1235.

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