Back in the third diva-dominated season of the Fox talent search juggernaut American Idol, then 16-year-old Snellville, Georgia-native Diana DeGarmo narrowly missed the coveted title, walking away as the first runner up that year. Fast forward to 2011 and the now 23-year-old has joined the celebrated ranks of several fellow alumni from the TV reality competition as a frequent marquis name in the world of musical theater. DeGarmo's latest triumph: she is currently in the national touring company of 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL, the Broadway adaptation of the cult 1980 film that examines gender struggles in the corporate environment. The show performs an all-too-brief single-week run at the Segerstrom Center of the Arts in Orange County, California from May 10 through May 15.

In the show, DeGarmo is tasked with the coveted role of Doralee Rhodes, which many will recall was played infamously in the original film by international superstar—and this stage musical's Tony-nominated composer—Dolly Parton. DeGarmo takes it on with great enthusiasm, something many have come to expect from the now-seasoned actress with a string of several high-profile shows already under her curly blond wig.

In the years since her days on Idol, DeGarmo made her Broadway debut in the hit Tony Award-winning musical HAIRSPRAY (opposite former child popstar Tevin Campbell) followed by memorable turns in BROOKLYN: THE MUSICAL and THE TOXIC AVENGER. Most recently, she played Shiela in the final closing Broadway cast of the much-lauded Tony Award-winning revival of HAIR.

During the 9 TO 5 tour's much-caffeinated stop in Seattle two weeks ago, DeGarmo spared some time for a giggly, laugh-filled chat with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos to talk about her days on that televised singing competition, her early stage work, and her giddiness over filling Dolly's shoes.

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BWW: Hi, Diana! So tell me, how's the tour been going so far?

Diana: The tour's been great! I mean, really, it's a lot of fun. We're just now wrapping our longest sit-down [engagement] which is a whole whopping three weeks [Laughs] here in Seattle, and Seattle has been absolutely lovely to be in. It's been really cool to go to places I've never been to around the country and performing for people and bringing a fun show to entertain folks... it really is a good time!

Great! Now this isn't your first tour correct?

Correct... but this has been the longest [stretch of] time that I've been out on the road. My first tour was with BROOKLYN: THE MUSICAL, ironically with [9 TO 5 director] Jeff Calhoun also! [Laughs] Who would have thought that five years later we'd be working together again!

So how did it feel for you to be stepping into this iconic role of Doralee that Dolly Parton herself introduced so memorably into pop culture?

Well, you know, at first I was super excited to do the role, of course. And then I had that fear of "ohmigod, what did I get myself into?!" [Laughs] And then I got into the show and found my own version of Doralee—and got Dolly's blessing. So, from that point on, it's just been a fun ride ever since.

That's great! Were there ever moments when you felt yourself subconsciously slipping into Dolly-isms while playing the role?

As you know, because the role is so infamous and became such a bright, shining moment for Dolly and her career, there are certain characteristics that you have to kind of pay homage to... because they're so much a part of her character. And not just because it's Dolly Parton, but it's who Doralee Rhodes is. So, yeah, there are some Dolly-isms in there! [Laughs] But a lot of it is in the way the character itself is written. Even Dolly herself says, "Yeah, we're two different people. Doralee and I are not the same person!" But because the character was her big [entrance] into film and television, people, in a sense, tend to associate both of them together. So it's been fun... making Doralee my own. I do have some Dolly-isms, but the rest of it is me! [Laughs]