Michael Scott did once say “I am Beyonce, always,” so it shouldn’t be all that surprising that a woman has been cast to play him in the raunchy send-up of The Office that opens next month. Sarah Mackenzie Baron will play the World’s Best Boss when The Office! A Musical Parody starts Sept. 20 at The Jerry Orbach Theater.
The spoof comes from the creators of Bayside! The Unmusical!, a ribald Saved by the Bell parody where Screech was also memorably played by a woman. Since that blew us away in 2012, Bob and Tobly McSmith have also skewered Showgirls and Friends, among others.
“Because Dunder Mifflin firmly believes in Diversity Day, all genders, ages and races were considered for the role,” reads the announcement. “Writers and creators Bob and Tobly McSmith were on the hunt for the perfect triple threat: singer, dancer and paper lover.”
Baron is a New York-based actor-dancer-bartender who has previously played Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, among various other productions in Arizona. You can see her playing Michael Scott’s “Prison Mike” character in the audition tape she submitted as part of a nationwide call for submissions.
Elsewhere on the bill, Tom McGovern, an actor-musician who plays dueling pianos around town, has–yes–dueling roles as Jim and Andy. Taylor Coriell, who day-jobs as a receptionist, will appropriately play Pam and her successor, Erin. Michael Santora will play Dwight, though by the looks of his headshot he’s going to have to grow some forehead first.