The Center at West Park Presents
death by 9 to 5
Presented as part of the CWP Evolution Festival
Sunday, September 20, 2026 @ 7:00 PM
Guild Hall at the Episcopal Actors’ Guild
1 E. 29th Street, New York, NY 10016
Death by 9 to 5 is a hilarious musical inspired by the author's decade working inside the United Nations. A frustrated cabaret artist posing as a United Nations diplomat takes the audience on a musically bureaucratic journey about the fears and anxiety of leaving a comfortable life behind in order to pursue your heart’s desire.
Content warning: strong language, sexual humor, simulated drug use, and comedic depictions of death. The show includes audience participation. (Don't worry, won't be called to the stage without consent)
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Death by 9 to 5 is the story of a Spanish immigrant who moves to New York dreaming of becoming a Broadway superstar, but accidentally spends the next decade working at the United Nations.
Seduced by diplomatic prestige and exploited by his authoritarian boss, "The Ambassador," he slowly transforms into a jaded bureaucrat haunted by the artistic dreams he keeps postponing.
Blending original music, farce, and cabaret, Death by 9 to 5 is a hilarious journey through bureaucracy, burnout, and the dreams we sacrifice in exchange for approval, stability, and the lives others imagined for us.
Cast & Creative Team
Writer/Actor: Pelayo AF
Director: Federico Mallet
About the Lead Artist
Pelayo AF is a Spanish-born cabaret artist, singer-songwriter, and producer based in New York City. After moving to the United States to work at the United Nations, he returned to his first passion: the stage. Having previously studied theatre in Madrid, Pelayo has spent the last five years performing with and helping lead the NYC-based theatre company Something From Abroad. He is the creator and host of The Spanglish Affair, a recurring variety show celebrating immigrant, queer, and bilingual artists through performances in Spanish, Spanglish, and English. The project extends beyond the stage through Death by 9 to 5, a companion album featuring nine original songs that deepen the story's exploration of modern work culture, artistic identity, and artistic survival.