Character guide
Franklin Hart Jr.
from 9 to 5: The Musical
Franklin Hart Jr. is the overbearing, self-serving boss whose behavior sets the plot of 9 to 5: The Musical into motion.
- Show
- 9 to 5: The Musical
- Premiered
- 2009
- Role
- Lead
- Composer
- Dolly Parton
Who is Franklin Hart Jr.?
Hart runs his office with a mix of vanity, entitlement, and casual cruelty, taking credit for his employees' work while treating the women under him as either targets for his advances or obstacles to his ambition. He is the story's chief antagonist, and his mistreatment of Violet, Doralee, and Judy is what finally pushes the three women to band together against him.
His comic self-regard makes him an easy character to root against, and much of the show's satire is aimed squarely at the kind of workplace behavior he represents.
Playing Hart on stage
As a lead role, Hart demands a performer with strong comic instincts who can play smarmy self-importance without losing the audience's engagement, since he needs to be entertaining even as he is thoroughly unlikeable. Big physical comedy and confident stage presence go a long way in the part.
Because the character exists largely to be outwitted by the three women around him, the role works best when played with just enough charm to make his eventual comeuppance land as thoroughly satisfying.
Frequently asked
What show is Franklin Hart Jr. from?
Franklin Hart Jr. is a lead role in 9 to 5: The Musical, which opened on Broadway in 2009.
Is Franklin Hart Jr. a lead or supporting role?
He is a lead role, serving as the show's central antagonist opposite the three female leads.
Who wrote the music for 9 to 5?
Dolly Parton wrote the score for 9 to 5: The Musical.
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