Country music legend Dolly Parton has endorsed the California premiere of 9 To 5: The Musical, for which she wrote the popular score. Nationally celebrated arts organization, CMT Marquee Productions, opens the premiere of the Broadway hit show on April 13.

The show is produced by Marquee Productions, which mounts an annual musical with proceeds benefiting Children’s Musical Theater San Jose. Marquee Productions shows feature adult actors from throughout the South Bay who donate their time to the organization. The musical runs through 22 at downtown San Jose’s historic Montgomery Theater.

The musical is based on the 1980 movie which starred Jane Fonda, Lilly Tomlin and Ms. Parton, herself. The production ran on Broadway in 2009 featuring actress Allison Janney, and was nominated for four Tony Awards and a Grammy Award for best original score.

“Bravo! I am so proud to hear that CMT Marquee Productions has chosen San Jose’s wonderful historic Montgomery Theater to present “9 to 5: The Musical,” says Ms. Parton. “We can’t do enough to give training and performance opportunities to the children and young adults in our communities. Very special thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts, individual donors and local organizations for making this all possible. I truly hope you enjoy my music.”

The Marquee Productions presentation of 9 To 5 is directed and choreographed by Kevin R. Hauge, who has been with the company for seventeen years, and includes prominent Silicon Valley business executive and former San Jose mayoral candidate Michael Mulcahy in a lead role. 9 To 5 marks the second major premiere in one season for Marquee Productions, after having produced the West Coast premiere of Disney’s Tarzan.

About CMT: Children’s Musical Theater celebrates its 44th anniversary as the longest thriving performing arts organization in San Jose. For the past nine years successively, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has awarded CMT grants in recognition of artistic excellence.

One of the nation’s leading theater companies for youth, CMT presents ten full-scale productions each season and provides training and performance opportunities for children and young adults. Ongoing support from individual donors, local organizations and the NEA strengthen the company’s ability to mount productions and serve the regional community. Visit CMTSJ.org for more information.

Image Courtesy of  Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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Half of the miners involved with the accident at the San Jose mine are still unemployed, one year later. Those who have jobs are only part-time as mechanics, odd-job men or greengrocers. When the miners were trapped underground in Chile, great things were predicted for them. They thought nothing would be the same in their lives.

They would be rich; cinema producers would make films about them and journalists would pay fortunes for their stories. Therefore, they thought they would never have to work again. Jean Romagnoli was the miners’ physical trainer while they were below ground. He helped them to stay in shape so they could fit into the capsule used for their rescue.

“The promises that were made to them when they reached the surface, like for example that they were going to all have a job in the national mining industry; they’ve all vanished,” Romagnoli said. The reality has been quite different. Some of them are dealing with the psychological impact of what they went through.

Only a couple of the 33 men trapped for two months at San Jose have ventured back down the mines. Raul Bustos, a miner who works as a guest speaker for a telephone company said, “I’ve dealt with those problems, but there are two or three of the miners who still have problems. They haven’t been able to get over it, and they’re still on sick leave.”

He believes every miner deals with psychological impacts in their own different ways. Last July, 31 of  33 men launched legal action against the Chilean state, accusing them of failing to do their job properly by allowing the San Jose mine to remain open in the year before the accident. They are claiming a compensation of $500,000 per man.

Meanwhile, the state is claiming the mine owners’ money back for the millions of dollars spent on the miners’ rescue.  Jean Romagnoli said to BBC News  that any mining company is avoiding giving them jobs because they think of them as damaged goods. “They think they’re psychologically unbalanced still, and there’s a risk in contracting them,” he said.Despite their recent frustrations, there is still some hope that they are going to become rich men very soon.

Mike Medavov, the Hollywood producer who grew up in Chile has bought the rights to make a movie about the miners. He seems to have affinity with the accident. Jose Rivera has been hired to write the script. He wrote the screenplay for the Che Gevara film. As well,Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Hector Tobar is working on a book about the miners.

The book will be based on the diary that Victor Segovia, a miner among the 33 kept writing below ground. The profits from the sales will be split between the miners.

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Imagine yourself on a strong and beautiful horse galloping up the mountains and along the beach as the sun sets, or swinging through the rainforest, swinging on canopy lines that extend over an acre.

Horseback riding and zip line excursions are just a couple of the many unforgettable things to experience when traveling to the lovely land of Costa Rica. This Central American country which sits in between the Pacific and Caribbean Ocean offers a wide range of beaches and resorts.

Less than 2 hours away from the capital city San José, is Jaco, the city is known to be a popular tourist spot. It is one of the top destinations for surfing and is even sometimes called “the Hawaii of Latin-American surfing.” Playa Jaco is nearly 3 kilometers long and faces the Pacific Ocean.

There you’ll find tourists from all over who come to enjoy the warm waters, ride its large waves and be a part of surf tournaments. This beach is the most visited in the country and was even named one of Costa Rica’s top ten beaches.

Jaco is also known for being a ‘party beach’ because of its “excellent nightlife.” Tourists will find hot casinos and clubs like The Monkey Bar, Vibrations, aka Vibraciones, Ganesha all along the strip. They can party with the Costa Rican locals (Ticos) and no matter what kind of music a person might like to dance to, they’ll find a mix of everything; Reggaeton, dance-hall reggae, electronica, hip-hop, club music, and more.

There are local buses that run throughout the city making it convenient for commuters to get around without the use of a car. Hotels like Villa Estrellamar are right there on the strip, nearby to everything but still far enough that guest can still have the desired peacefulness and relaxation without the crowds.

Among some of Costa Rica’s amazing attractions is the Arenal Volcano. The Arenal had been the country’s most active volcano until recently, but still maintains an “unavoidable presence.” There are canopy and rappelling tours surrounding the Arenal National Park as well as hot springs to soak and relax in. Tourists also get the chance to explore Costa Rica’s beautiful and diverse wildlife at places like the Carara Biological Reserve and the Manuel Antonio National Park.

Though there are many sites to see and exciting activities, Costa Rica’s delicious foods can’t be excluded. Some enjoyable dishes include empanadas, gallo pinto, and the traditional national dish casado. To top of a great meal, try their desserts such as flan or tres leches. Most choose to visit Costa Rica during its dry season between January and April, September and October tend to be the rainiest months.

It is a great place to come with friends and family whether the purpose is for weddings, yoga retreats, or other special events. With an abundant amount of restaurants guaranteed to serve good food and affordable shops, visitors can revel in a luxurious vacation even while on a budget.

Costa Rica is sure to be a worthwhile adventure.

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