For some couples, working together in close proximity day in and day out, and taking their work home with them might be unbearable, but for husband and wife Jay and Emma Johns, it is the dream.
The seasoned performers are immersing themselves in the 1980s office world with a boys' club mentality, prominent sideburns, and hairstyles as loud as their costumes in Dolly Parton's hit musical 9 to 5.
The Johns' auditioned before they wed in 2019, and now as husband and wife play characters Maria and Bob, together with performing in the ensemble.
But the desire to hit the stage together was not always on the cards - the show was put on hold for two years and the pair had to find other jobs in the meantime.
Jay scored the role of Bob in the first round of auditions, while Emma was cast as Maria during the second lockdown in 2021.
"We couldn't believe it," Emma says, noting she had to pick between 9 to 5 and another musical, which she admits was difficult.
"But then, the prospect of touring together and working together for the whole year, it would be insane."
The laugh-out-loud musical has had a successful run in Sydney and is wrapping up at Brisbane's Lyric Theatre in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) on July 2.
Between the dancing, songs, and undeniable wit, are the stories of three women who are fed up with sexist attitudes at the heart of their workplace, Consolidated Industries.
Not all the characters are jerks in the office of course, but the boss Franklin Hart Jnr., who makes his office fantasy Doralee, pick up a pen and reach for a book on a high shelf so he can perve, certainly sticks out like a sore thumb.
This is where Bob comes in - he laughs at Hart's masculinist jokes and sucks up to him for a promotion, which he gets ahead of Marina Prior's character Violet Newstead.
Meanwhile, Maria is an office secretary with hair that has as much of a personality as its owner, buzzes around the office having one too many coffees.
For Jay, a performer who specialises in tap and hip-hop but is also an Opera Australia regular, 9 to 5 is his first musical after seven years of tackling one audition and callback after another.
He made it to the So You Think You Can Dance Australia finale and has performed on X-Factor, The Voice, in the Peter Pan pantomime, in different onscreen roles, went on a world tour with the singer G.E.M, and went to Disneyland Paris as part of Mickey's Christmas Big Band.
"For Jay's first big musical, and... [to have] waited two years for this, and then for me being able to watch him finally live out his dreams and watch him do it every night, that's pretty special," Emma smiles.
She made her musical debut in the King and I and has provided her talents to A Chorus Line, as well as travelling overseas with Hi-5, The Fairies and Barney Party Series, along with various onscreen roles and expertise as a choreographer.
The concept of working together is not unfamiliar for the Johns', who have danced and choreographed for their company JEM Entertainment, and took to the waters with Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas.
"We've had 'aren't you going to struggle living together, going to work together, living together, working...'" Jay says.
"And I say to that, 'well, we did a cruise ship together before this, that was...in each other's pockets as much as you possibly can...being in a tiny cabin.' So we were pretty confident we'd be able to work together.'"
They say, however, there is a major difference between being given a script to stick with, versus being responsible for the direction of performances.
"So the first time we decided to collaborate, choreographing together, it was really tough," Emma laughs and the pair look at each other in agreement.
"We were butting heads all the time because we're just so passionate about what we do."
Their passion is instead focused on bringing their best to every performance.
The Johns' waved goodbye to their apartment in Bellevue Hill in Sydney in May and made the road trip to Brisbane.
With their lives packed away in a few bags each, stacked on top of one another in the car boot, they enjoyed their trip to Brisbane, with scenic stops along the way.
They embraced Queensland's sunshine, rode e-scooters to work and strolled across the river was a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of life in Sydney.
"We felt fresh after a bit of time off coming to a new city, everyone's excited," Emma says.
"And the location of the theatre on South Bank is so beautiful by the water, and there's a beautiful atmosphere."
"We were just excited for a new theatre, a new change of pace, Brisbane is a bit calmer than Sydney," Jay agrees.
While Emma has thrown herself into Maria and part of the ensemble, Jay was recently forced to recover at home after injuring his foot during a tech rehearsal.
He bemoans that it has been "boring" to rest, but it was his only hope to hit the stage for the official opening in May.
Time was occupied flicking through Binge to find the next series to sink his teeth into, video games, working on choreography, and gentle exercises in the hotel pool.
He is not completely in the dark about the show though - he is briefed on any changes when Emma gets home.
Since arriving, she finds there is greater intimacy between the cast and the audiences in Queensland.
"The Brisbane audience is so great...we can see their faces, we can see their reactions, it's really lovely because they are very expressive," she says.
"It's like that instant feedback for us, we know they're really enjoying it."
However, the atmosphere was not the same without her husband, the understudy bringing a different energy to Bob's character.
"So...he has a whole different... [set of] characteristics of Bob and...he's a lot more confident whereas Jay's Bob is a lot more sly," Emma says.
"There's even a big difference on stage in...my character Maria and Bob...acting towards each other without Jay there."
"There's less flirting, right?" Jay jumps in with raised eyebrows.
"Less flirting," Emma laughs.
The couple's office personas rarely cross paths throughout the musical as they make their way around the desks and cabinets of Consolidated Industries.
Despite Bob laughing at the boss' filthy jokes, he does untuck Maria's chair as she works at her desk.
There is also one lift together, which is something the Johns' are known for off stage, especially the Dirty Dancing-inspired lift, which unfortunately does not make an appearance in the musical.
Although they are in the zone bringing the characters to life, they always make sure to touch base.
"At the very beginning of the show, Jay is dancing on stage and I'm standing in the wing ready to come on," Emma says.
"I always give him a little smile at the very start of the show. So that's our first sort of check-in at the start."
The couple beam at each other, clearly looking forward to future possibilities of working together.