Legally Blonde is a
musicalMusical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with music and lyrics by
Laurence O'KeefeLaurence O'Keefe , also known as Larry, is a composer and lyricist for Broadway musicals, film and television.O'Keefe is a graduate of Harvard College, where he studied anthropology and wrote humor for the Harvard Lampoon and sang with the Harvard Krokodiloes...
and Nell Benjamin and book by
Heather Hach-Early life:Hach graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder's School of Journalism, and later worked as a research assistant at The New York Times Denver bureau and as a magazine editor at Sports and Fitness Publishing.-Career:...
. The story is based on the novel
Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of
the same nameLegally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, and produced by Marc E. Platt...
. It tells the story of
Elle WoodsElle Woods is a fictional character who is the lead protagonist of most media revolving around the Legally Blonde universe. The character originated in the 2001 novel, Legally Blonde, by Amanda Brown. Woods was portrayed in both films by actress Reese Witherspoon...
, a sorority girl who enrolls at
Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner. She discovers how her knowledge of the law can help others, and successfully defends exercise queen Brooke Wyndham in a murder trial.
Legally Blonde premiered in pre-Broadway tryouts in
San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. In April 2007 the show moved to
BroadwayBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, opening to mostly positive reviews and grossed more than $1,000,000 a week on several occasions.
Jerry MitchellJerry Mitchell is an American theatre director and choreographer.-Early life and education:Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, Mitchell later moved to St. Louis where he pursued his acting, dancing and directing career in theatre. He graduated from the Fine Arts college at Webster University in St. Louis. ...
directed and choreographed. The original cast included
Laura Bell BundyLaura Ashley Bell Bundy is an American actress and singer who has performed in a number of Broadway roles, both starring and supporting, as well as in television and film. Her best known Broadway roles are the original Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray and the original Elle Woods in the musical...
as Elle Woods,
Christian BorleChristian Borle is an American actor. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Borle has been primarily featured as an actor in Broadway productions....
as Emmett Forrest and
Richard H. BlakeRichard H. Blake is an American musical actor.One of his earliest stints on Broadway was taking over the role of Roger Davis in Rent. In 2001, Richard Blake took over the role of Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever, a musical adaptation of the film of the same name, having previously starred in...
as Warner. It received seven Tony nominations but failed to win any. The
West EndWest End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production opened in January 2010 at the
Savoy TheatreThe Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre located in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre opened on 10 October 1881 and was built by Richard D'Oyly Carte on the site of the old Savoy Palace as a showcase for the popular series of comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan,...
. The West End production was nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards and won three, including the Best New Musical award.
The musical was recorded in September 2007 and aired on
MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
in October 2007. Following this, a reality TV program was aired showing the audition process for the next person to play Elle Woods on Broadway. The winner was
Bailey HanksBailey Noel Hanks is an American singer, actress, and dancer best known for winning MTV's Legally Blonde - The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods. She performed on Broadway as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical in 2008....
, who played the role from July 23, 2008 until the production closed on October 19, 2008.
Act I
The overjoyed girls of
UCLAThe University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
's sorority Delta Nu, led by Margot, Serena, and Pilar, celebrate the engagement of Warner Huntington III to their perky, sweet, and strikingly blonde sorority president,
Elle WoodsElle Woods is a fictional character who is the lead protagonist of most media revolving around the Legally Blonde universe. The character originated in the 2001 novel, Legally Blonde, by Amanda Brown. Woods was portrayed in both films by actress Reese Witherspoon...
, who is fretting over finding the perfect dress for the occasion ("Omigod You Guys"). Once she acquires her dream dress, Elle goes to dinner with Warner, where he tells her that he needs someone more "Serious" and breaks up with her. Elle is devastated and sulks for twelve days ("Daughter of Delta Nu") but decides to chase Warner to
Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
to show him that she can be serious. With help from Delta Nu sister Kate, Elle studies for the
LSATsThe Law School Admission Test is a half-day standardized test administered four times each year at designated testing centers throughout the world. Administered by the Law School Admission Council for prospective law school candidates, the LSAT is designed to assess Reading Comprehension,...
. Instead of writing a personal essay, Elle bursts into the Harvard admission offices backed by a squad of cheerleaders. She is accepted after revealing she is motivated by love. ("What You Want")
Elle's snobby classmates disapprove of her attire, and the only person who is willing to help her is law teaching assistant, Emmett Forrest ("The Harvard Variations"). However, he cannot protect her in class from the blood-thirsty Professor Callahan ("Blood in the Water"). Callahan kicks the under-prepared Elle out of class at the suggestion of her classmate Vivienne Kensington, who happens to be Warner's new girlfriend. This "tragedy" summons the apparitions of the sisters of Delta Nu, who, acting as a
Greek ChorusA Greek chorus is a homogenous, non-individualised group of performers in the plays of classical Greece, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action....
visible and audible only to Elle, tell her to stay "Positive". Elle, deciding that being blonde is the problem, decides to become a brunette. She heads to the Hair Affair salon where she meets the spunky beautician Paulette, who tells Elle that when she is down, she puts on her favorite CD, and dreams of "Ireland". At the salon, Vivienne gives Elle an unexpected invitation to a costume party. Paulette sends Elle off with a costume for the party, her positivity and blonde hair still intact ("Ireland (Reprise)").
Walking into the party as a
PlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
bunny, Elle soon realizes that she was tricked by Vivienne but courageously seeks Warner in an effort to win him back, leaving him unimpressed ("Serious (Reprise)"). Elle runs from the party, only to meet Emmett, who struggles to understand Elle's love problems. He has Elle assess her priorities until she realizes it is her obsession with Warner that keeps her from earning his respect. Freed from her need to please Warner, she defeats him in a classroom debate ("Chip on My Shoulder"). Elle then helps Paulette in a way that proves she is beginning to understand law ("Law"). Warner and Vivienne win two of Callahan's coveted internship positions, and Warner proposes to Vivienne on the spot right in front of Elle. Vivienne accepts. Before Elle's heart can break, Emmett shows her the internship list. Below the names of Vivienne, Warner, and classmate Enid Hoopes is the name Elle Woods, at which she is ecstatic ("So Much Better").
Act II
Callahan, Emmett, and the four interns are studying the workout video of their client, fitness mogul Brooke Wyndham ("Whipped into Shape"). Brooke's stepdaughter, Chutney, is accusing her of murdering her (Brooke's) much older husband. Callahan and the interns visit Brooke in jail, but are unable to extract an alibi from her, until she is alone with Elle and reveals she was getting liposuction on the day of the murder ("Delta Nu Nu Nu"). Not willing to betray her Delta Nu loyalty, Elle asks Callahan to trust her when she says that Brooke is innocent. Emmett begs Elle to break her promise, which she refuses. She takes Emmett to a department store to help him dress for success ("Take It Like a Man"). The results impress both of them.
Back at the Hair Affair, Elle is getting a manicure when Kyle, the sexy new
UPSUnited Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
delivery man, walks in. Paulette is stunned, but she is too shy to talk to him. As she bends down to pick up the package, Margot, Serena and Pilar are summoned by Paulette's amazing "Bend and Snap". The sorority girls tell Paulette to use the "Bend and Snap" on Kyle, but when she does, she accidentally breaks his nose ("Bend and Snap").
On the third day of Brooke's trial, Brooke's pool boy, Nikos Argitakos, shocks the court by claiming to be Brooke’s lover. Brooke denies it, and Elle believes her. Elle tries the "Bend and Snap" twice in front of Nikos and gets no response. She concludes that he is gay, while Callahan believes him to be simply European ("There! Right There!"). The question baffles everyone until it is revealed by Carlos, Nikos' boyfriend, that Nikos is gay
and European.
Later that night in Callahan's office, the interns celebrate Elle's skill. However, after dismissing Emmett and the other interns, Callahan forcibly kisses Elle, who slaps him. In turn, Callahan fires her. Warner and Vivienne both saw the kiss, though only Vivienne saw the slap. Warner mocks Elle, but Vivienne tells him to shut up and they both leave. A defeated Elle prepares to go home, even though Emmett asks her to stay, finally realizing that he is in love with her ("Legally Blonde").
Elle heads to the Hair Affair to say goodbye to Paulette, but before she can leave, Vivienne convinces Elle otherwise ("Legally Blonde Remix"). Elle discards her lawyerly navy suits, dons a pink dress and leads a parade back to the courtroom. They meet Kyle on the way, who takes a liking to Paulette, and reveals himself to be the Irish man of her dreams, prompting a
RiverdanceRiverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish stepdancing, notable for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary. It originated as an interval performance during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, a moment that is still considered a significant...
amongst the ensemble. Back at the trial, Brooke fires Callahan and hires Elle. Chutney goes to the witness stand and her testimony is damning, but Elle triumphs by revealing Chutney's lie with her knowledge of hair maintenance ("Omigod You Guys (Reprise)"). Chutney accidentally confesses that she killed her father. Warner proposes to Elle, having been dumped by Vivienne. Elle gently refuses, claiming to have been changed by the experience ("Find My Way").
Three years later, Elle ends up as the
valedictorianValedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of her class. Paulette tells the audience that Enid practices family law, Vivienne is training for the
Peace CorpsThe Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
, and Warner pursues a modeling career. Callahan ran for governor but was defeated, and his wife hired Emmett to handle their divorce. Paulette married Kyle, had two kids, and is pregnant with a third. They live in
Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
and Paulette bought a new salon. At the end of the graduation, Elle proposes to Emmett, and Emmett accepts ("Finale").
Musical numbers
Act I
- "Omigod You Guys" — Elle, Serena, Margot, Pilar and Company
- "Serious" — Elle and Warner
- "Daughter of Delta Nu"* — Serena, Margot, Pilar and Company
- "What You Want" — Elle, Serena, Margot, Pilar, Kate and Company
- "The Harvard Variations" — Emmett, Aaron, Enid, Padamadan and Harvard Students
- "Blood in the Water" — Callahan and Company
- "Positive" — Elle, Serena, Margot, Pilar and Greek Chorus
A Greek chorus is a homogenous, non-individualised group of performers in the plays of classical Greece, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action....
- "Ireland" — Paulette
- "Ireland" (Reprise) — Paulette
- "Serious" (Reprise) — Elle and Warner
- "Chip on My Shoulder" — Elle, Emmett, Greek Chorus and Company
- "Law" (To the tune of the 'Love' section in "What You Want")* — Elle and Emmett
- "So Much Better" — Elle, Greek Chorus and Company
Act II
- "Whipped into Shape" — Brooke, Callahan and Company
- "Delta Nu Nu Nu"* — Brooke and Elle
- "Take It Like a Man" — Elle, Emmett and Salespeople
- "Kyle the Magnificent"* ** — Kyle, Paulette and Elle
- "Bend and Snap" — Elle, Paulette, Serena, Margot, Pilar and Salonfolk
- "There! Right There!" — Elle, Callahan, Emmett, Brooke, Vivienne, Warner, Enid, Judge, Nikos, Carlos and Company
- "Legally Blonde" — Elle and Emmett
- "Legally Blonde Remix" — Vivienne, Elle, Enid and Company
- "Omigod You Guys" (Reprise)* — Elle, Judge, Serena, Margot, Pilar and Company
- "Find My Way" / Finale — Elle, Paulette, Emmett and Company
- "Bows"* ** - Orchestra
During its San Francisco run, the musical included a song called "Love and War" in place of what is now "Positive". Another predecessor to "Positive" was "Beacon of Positivity".
During the musical's workshop stage, the song "Good Boy" existed in what would go on to become "Ireland"'s place in the musical, a song in which Paulette and Elle bond over the idea that men are like dogs and should therefore be treated as such.
"Bows" is featured as a iTunes bonus track on the UK iTunes on the Live London Cast Recording but not featured on the Broadway Recording.
"Kyle the Magnificent" is also a bonus track on the Live London Cast Recording after "Take It Like A Man" which is where it is in the show. On the Broadway Cast Recording, it's a hidden track at the end of "Find My Way/Finale".
* Not featured on Original Broadway Cast Recording
** Instrumental Mix
Broadway (2007-2008)
After a tryout at San Francisco's
Golden Gate TheatreThe Golden Gate Theatre is a performance venue located in San Francisco, CA., first opened in 1922 as a vaudeville venue, and later was a major movie theater...
from February 6 to February 24, 2007, following previews from January 23,
Legally Blonde opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on April 29, 2007, following previews from April 3. The production was directed and choreographed by
Jerry MitchellJerry Mitchell is an American theatre director and choreographer.-Early life and education:Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, Mitchell later moved to St. Louis where he pursued his acting, dancing and directing career in theatre. He graduated from the Fine Arts college at Webster University in St. Louis. ...
, with set design by
David RockwellDavid Rockwell is an American architect and designer, who is the founder and CEO of Rockwell Group, based in New York with satellite offices in Madrid and Dubai. Rockwell has long been fascinated with immersive environments.-Early life and education:...
, costume design by
Gregg BarnesGregg Barnes is an American costume designer for stage and film. Barnes won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design and the Outer Critics Circle Award for his work on the 2006 production of The Drowsy Chaperone.-Career:Barnes grew up in the San...
, and lighting design by
Kenneth PosnerKenneth Posner is an American theatrical lighting designer, working on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in American regional theatre. His most notable designs include the musicals Wicked and Hairspray, two highly regarded musicals of the early 21st century...
and
Paul MillerPaul Miller is an American theatrical lighting designer.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Miller studied music and piano performance before attending the Theatre School at DePaul University to study lighting design in 1982...
. The original Broadway cast included
Laura Bell BundyLaura Ashley Bell Bundy is an American actress and singer who has performed in a number of Broadway roles, both starring and supporting, as well as in television and film. Her best known Broadway roles are the original Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray and the original Elle Woods in the musical...
in the lead role of
Elle WoodsElle Woods is a fictional character who is the lead protagonist of most media revolving around the Legally Blonde universe. The character originated in the 2001 novel, Legally Blonde, by Amanda Brown. Woods was portrayed in both films by actress Reese Witherspoon...
and featured
Christian BorleChristian Borle is an American actor. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Borle has been primarily featured as an actor in Broadway productions....
,
OrfehOrfeh is an American singer, songwriter and Tony-nominated actress from New York City.-Biography:Orfeh, born and raised in Manhattan, began her career straight out of high school. She attended the famous LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, and got a record deal right after her graduation...
and
Michael RupertMichael John Rupert is an American actor, singer, director and composer.Rupert made his Broadway debut in 1968 in Kander and Ebb's The Happy Time where he received his first Tony nomination...
. The show received mostly positive reviews and was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Leading Actress, but failed to win any.
During the week ending June 24, 2007, the Broadway production achieved a milestone, joining the millionaires' club for weekly Broadway grosses, by grossing $1,003,282.
The musical was filmed for television in front of a live audience on September 18, 2007, as well as two other dates where it was filmed without an audience. The three performances edited together were broadcast on MTV on October 13 and 14, 2007 with subsequent air dates on November 3 and 14, 2007. MTV's involvement with the musical continued with a reality show program called
Legally Blonde – The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods, which aimed to cast the next actress to play Elle Woods on Broadway, replacing Laura Bell Bundy. The show was hosted by
Haylie DuffHaylie Katherine Duff is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is the older sister of actress and singer Hilary Duff...
, and premiered on June 2, 2008 on MTV. The competition was won by
Bailey HanksBailey Noel Hanks is an American singer, actress, and dancer best known for winning MTV's Legally Blonde - The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods. She performed on Broadway as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical in 2008....
, age 20, from Anderson,
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. The results were first aired on July 21, 2008 on MTV, and her debut as Elle Woods was on July 23. The runner-up, Autumn Hurlbert, also debuted on Broadway in this show as a sorority sister in Delta Nu.
The production closed on October 19, 2008 after playing 30 previews and 595 regular performances.
North American Tours (2008-2011)
First National US Tour
The first national tour started on September 21, 2008.
Becky GulsvigBecky Gulsvig from Moorhead, Minnesota, is an American stage actress, singer, and dancer.Of Norwegian heritage, Gulsvig's mother is a teacher and her father is a financial advisor. She attended Moorhead High School, Trollwood Performing Arts School, and the Red River Dance and Performing...
, who appeared in the ensemble of the original Broadway cast and understudied the role of Elle Woods, is featured as Elle Woods.
Lauren Ashley ZakrinLauren Ashley Zakrin is an American musical actress. She was first known as a finalist on MTV’s “Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods.” She had done musical theater before, and auditioned for the show after being prompted by a friend...
and Rhiannon Hansen, both finalists of the MTV reality show, appeared in the national tour. The original tour closed on August 15, 2010 in
Vienna, VirginiaVienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in zip codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to...
at the
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing ArtsWolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, known locally in the Washington, D.C. area as simply Wolf Trap, is a performing arts center located on 130 acres of national park land in Wolf Trap, Virginia...
.
Second National US Tour
After the first US National Equity Tour ended, the tour closed for a few months and reopened with an all new non-equity cast. The tour launched in
JacksonJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
,
MississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
on September 21, 2010.
Nikki BohneNicole "Nikki" Christine Bohne is an American singer/actress/dancer. A former Young Ambassador, she graduated from Brigham Young University in 2010 with a BFA in Music/Dance/Theater. After graduation, she moved to New York City and was hired to star as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, the musical.....
led the cast as Elle Woods, with Nic Rouleau (Emmett Forrest), Jillian Wallach (Paulette), Hannah Rose DeFlumeri (Vivienne Kensington), and
Kahlil JosephKahlil Joseph is an Indian born film, television and stage actor and teacher of performing arts who has worked extensively in America and India, and is based in Los Angeles, California...
(Professor Callahan). The tour closed on May 15, 2011 at the
Shubert TheatreThe Shubert Theatre is a 1600-seat theatre located at 247 College Street in New Haven, Connecticut. Originally opened in 1914, it was designed by Albert Swazey, a New York architect and built by the H.E. Murdock Construction Company...
in New Haven,
ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
West End (2009-Present)
The
West EndWest End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production opened at the
Savoy TheatreThe Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre located in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre opened on 10 October 1881 and was built by Richard D'Oyly Carte on the site of the old Savoy Palace as a showcase for the popular series of comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan,...
on January 13, 2010, following previews from December 5, 2009. The original London cast included
Sheridan SmithSheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
in the lead role of Elle Woods, with
Duncan JamesDuncan Matthew James Inglis is an English singer, actor and television presenter. He is best known as a member of the boyband Blue.-Early life:...
,
Alex GaumondAlex Gaumond is an actor, singer and songwriter known mainly for playing the lead roles of Galileo in the Queen musical We Will Rock You and Emmett Forrest in the West End production of musical Legally Blonde, based on the hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon.Gaumond was born in Montreal, Canada...
,
Jill HalfpennyJill Halfpenny is an English actress.Halfpenny is best known for her roles as Rebecca Hopkins in the British soap opera Coronation Street from 1999–2000, and as Kate Mitchell in rival soap EastEnders, from 2002-2005...
and
Peter DavisonPeter Davison is a British actor, best known for his roles as Tristan Farnon in the television version of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, which he played from 1982 to 1984.-Early life:Davison was born Peter Moffett in Streatham,...
.
In October 2009,
Sheridan SmithSheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
, with other cast members, recorded a pop video to the song "So Much Better." The West End cast of Legally Blonde performed a medley from the show at the BBC Television Centre on 19 November 2009 during the
Children In NeedChildren in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
telethon.
Legally Blonde is the first and so far only West End show to offer a ticket lottery. The trend is popular on Broadway but had never been used for a West End production. The show had taken £2 million in advance sales before it officially opened. It has recently extended its booking period from the earlier date of October 2011 until the 31st March 2012.
Replacing
Sheridan SmithSheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
as Elle was Irish actess
Susan McFaddenSusan McFadden is an actress and singer born in Dublin, Ireland. She is known for playing the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical in London at the Savoy theatre.- Biography :...
(from 10 January 2011), who was replaced by
Carley StensonCarley Anne Stenson is an English actress and singer, best known for playing Steph Cunningham in the Channel 4 series Hollyoaks. She also appeared as a performer in Abbamania, and is a member of the all-female band Diamond...
on 11 July 2011. Other notable replacements include
Richard FleeshmanRichard Jonathan Fleeshman is an English actor and singer-songwriter. His television career began as a twelve year old, playing Craig Harris for four years in Coronation Street and most recently "All The Small Things"...
and
Simon ThomasSimon Thomas is a Welsh Plaid Cymru politician. He was Member of Parliament for Ceredigion from 2000 to 2005, after winning the seat at a by-election in January 2000 caused by the resignation of Plaid Cymru MP Cynog Dafis...
as Warner,
Denise Van OutenDenise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the...
and
Natalie CaseyNatalie Casey is an English actress, television presenter and singer. She is best known for her long running roles playing Carol Groves in the TV series Hollyoaks from 1995 to 2000 and playing Donna Henshaw in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps from 2001 to 2011...
as Paulette,
Lee MeadLee Stephen Mead is an English musical theatre actor, best known for winning the title role in the 2007 West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat through the BBC reality TV casting show Any Dream Will Do...
and
Stephen AshfieldStephen Ashfield is a British actor. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and since graduating from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy of Music in London, he has enjoyed a successful stage career...
as Emmett,
Carley StensonCarley Anne Stenson is an English actress and singer, best known for playing Steph Cunningham in the Channel 4 series Hollyoaks. She also appeared as a performer in Abbamania, and is a member of the all-female band Diamond...
and Ellie Kirk as Margot and
Siobhan DillonSiobhan Patricia Dillon is an English actress and singer, who rose to fame when she performed in the British talent show-themed television series How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? on BBC One in 2006...
as Vivienne.
The West End show won 3 Olivier Awards on 13 March, 2011 - 'Best New Musical', 'Best Actress in a Musical' (
Sheridan SmithSheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
), and 'Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical' (Jill Halfpenny). The show began a UK tour in Liverpool in July 2011. The show has had more success in the UK than it has in the USA. The West End run has been so far running for around 2 years and is one of the most popular shows in the West End.
First National UK tour
The first UK tour began on 8 July 2011 at The
Liverpool Empire TheatreLiverpool Empire Theatre is located on the corner of Lime Street and London Road in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The theatre is the second to be built on the site, and was opened in 1925. It has the largest two-tier auditorium in Britain and can seat 2,350 people...
. The cast included Faye Brooks as Elle,
Dave WillettsDave Willetts is an English singer and actor known for having leading roles in West End musicals.Willetts is something of an enigma in that he has had no formal singing, dancing, or acting lessons. Before he was 20 he rarely visited the theatre...
as Professor Callaghan, Iwan Lewis as Emmett, Neil Toon as Warner, Charlotte Harwood as Vivienne, Hannah Grover as Brooke, Sophie Isaacs as Margot, Sinead Long as Serina, Micha Richardson as Pilar and Lori Barker as Judge\Saleswoman. Two celebrities from
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
shared the role of Elle's friend, Paulette. From 8 July to 17 September the role was played by former
Atomic KittenAtomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...
Liz McClarnonElizabeth Margaret "Liz" McClarnon is an English pop singer, dancer and television presenter. She was a member of the group Atomic Kitten and originated the role of Paulette in the first UK tour of Legally Blonde the musical....
, and from 20 September to 3 December by
Claire SweeneyClaire Jane Sweeney is an English actress, singer and television personality best known for playing the role of Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside and her appearance on the first series of the Reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother.-Early Life:Sweeney was born in Walton, Liverpool...
.
Australian Production 2012
The Australian production will open in June 2012 at the
Capitol Theatre, SydneyThe Capitol Theatre is a historic theatre building located at 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket, Sydney, Australia.-History:The Capitol Theatre is at the former site of the Belmore Markets. The latter were built in 1891 by George McRae, City Architect, and the structural engineer Norman Selfe, but were...
.The Cast has not yet been announced.
International Productions
Legally Blonde has had international productions in South Korea, The Netherlands, France, The Philippines and Finland.
Productions are planned for Sweden.
Casts
The principal original casts of the major productions of
Legally Blonde.
| Character |
Original Broadway Cast |
Original U.S. Tour Cast |
Original London Cast |
Original Non-Equity Cast |
Original UK Tour Cast |
| Elle Woods Elle Woods is a fictional character who is the lead protagonist of most media revolving around the Legally Blonde universe. The character originated in the 2001 novel, Legally Blonde, by Amanda Brown. Woods was portrayed in both films by actress Reese Witherspoon...
|
Laura Bell Bundy Laura Ashley Bell Bundy is an American actress and singer who has performed in a number of Broadway roles, both starring and supporting, as well as in television and film. Her best known Broadway roles are the original Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray and the original Elle Woods in the musical...
|
Becky Gulsvig Becky Gulsvig from Moorhead, Minnesota, is an American stage actress, singer, and dancer.Of Norwegian heritage, Gulsvig's mother is a teacher and her father is a financial advisor. She attended Moorhead High School, Trollwood Performing Arts School, and the Red River Dance and Performing...
|
Sheridan Smith Sheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
|
Nikki Bohne Nicole "Nikki" Christine Bohne is an American singer/actress/dancer. A former Young Ambassador, she graduated from Brigham Young University in 2010 with a BFA in Music/Dance/Theater. After graduation, she moved to New York City and was hired to star as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, the musical.....
|
Faye Brookes |
| Emmett Forrest |
Christian Borle Christian Borle is an American actor. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Borle has been primarily featured as an actor in Broadway productions....
|
D.B. Bonds |
Alex Gaumond Alex Gaumond is an actor, singer and songwriter known mainly for playing the lead roles of Galileo in the Queen musical We Will Rock You and Emmett Forrest in the West End production of musical Legally Blonde, based on the hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon.Gaumond was born in Montreal, Canada...
|
Nic Rouleau |
Iwan Lewis |
| Paulette Bonafonté |
OrfehOrfeh is an American singer, songwriter and Tony-nominated actress from New York City.-Biography:Orfeh, born and raised in Manhattan, began her career straight out of high school. She attended the famous LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, and got a record deal right after her graduation...
|
Natalie Joy Johnson Natalie Joy Johnson is an American actress.Johnson was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended Mt. Hebron High School In Ellicott City, Maryland and has a B.A. in Theatre from Mary Washington College....
|
Jill Halfpenny Jill Halfpenny is an English actress.Halfpenny is best known for her roles as Rebecca Hopkins in the British soap opera Coronation Street from 1999–2000, and as Kate Mitchell in rival soap EastEnders, from 2002-2005...
|
Jillian Wallach |
Liz McClarnon Elizabeth Margaret "Liz" McClarnon is an English pop singer, dancer and television presenter. She was a member of the group Atomic Kitten and originated the role of Paulette in the first UK tour of Legally Blonde the musical....
and Claire SweeneyClaire Jane Sweeney is an English actress, singer and television personality best known for playing the role of Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside and her appearance on the first series of the Reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother.-Early Life:Sweeney was born in Walton, Liverpool...
|
| Professor Callahan |
Michael RupertMichael John Rupert is an American actor, singer, director and composer.Rupert made his Broadway debut in 1968 in Kander and Ebb's The Happy Time where he received his first Tony nomination...
|
Ken Land |
Peter Davison Peter Davison is a British actor, best known for his roles as Tristan Farnon in the television version of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, which he played from 1982 to 1984.-Early life:Davison was born Peter Moffett in Streatham,...
|
Kahlil Joseph Kahlil Joseph is an Indian born film, television and stage actor and teacher of performing arts who has worked extensively in America and India, and is based in Los Angeles, California...
|
Dave Willetts Dave Willetts is an English singer and actor known for having leading roles in West End musicals.Willetts is something of an enigma in that he has had no formal singing, dancing, or acting lessons. Before he was 20 he rarely visited the theatre...
|
| Warner Huntington III |
Richard H. Blake Richard H. Blake is an American musical actor.One of his earliest stints on Broadway was taking over the role of Roger Davis in Rent. In 2001, Richard Blake took over the role of Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever, a musical adaptation of the film of the same name, having previously starred in...
|
Jeff Mclean |
Duncan James Duncan Matthew James Inglis is an English singer, actor and television presenter. He is best known as a member of the boyband Blue.-Early life:...
|
Matthew Ragas |
Neil Toon |
| Vivienne Kensington |
Kate Shindle |
Megan Lewis |
Caroline Keiff Caroline Keiff is a British theatre performer, best known for her portrayal of Nessarose in Wicked. She was member of the original London cast and performed on the show's opening night of September 27, 2006. She performed in the ensemble and understudied the role of Nessarose. From July 2007, she...
|
Hannah Rose DeFlumeri |
Charlotte Harwood |
| Chad/Dewey/Kyle |
Andy Karl Andy Karl is an American actor and singer, best known for performing in musical theatre. He has appeared on Broadway in the original productions of Legally Blonde and 9 to 5, as well as appearing in Wicked.-Early life:...
|
Ven Daniel |
Chris Ellis-Stanton |
Michael Milton |
Lewis Griffiths |
| Brooke Wyndham |
Nikki Snelson Nikki Snelson is an American actress, who works mainly in stage musicals.-Biography:Snelson is originally from St. Louis, Missouri and received her training at the Boston Conservatory. Snelson's first major role on Broadway came as "Winnie Tate" in the 1999 Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun...
|
Coleen Sexton Coleen Sexton is an American stage actress who made her Broadway debut at age 20 in Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse's Jekyll & Hyde in 2000. She portrayed the starring role of Lucy Harris in the Broadway production, as an understudy from 1999, and took over the role from Luba Mason in January...
|
Aoife Mulholland Aoife Mulholland is an Irish actress and musical theatre performer from Salthill, Galway. Aoife is a successful leading lady in London's West End...
|
Shannon Mullen |
Hannah Grover |
| Enid Hoopes |
Natalie Joy Johnson Natalie Joy Johnson is an American actress.Johnson was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended Mt. Hebron High School In Ellicott City, Maryland and has a B.A. in Theatre from Mary Washington College....
|
Gretchen Burghart |
Suzie McAdam |
Sarah Beth Pfeifer |
Gemma Baird |
| Serena |
Leslie Kritzer Leslie Kritzer is an award-winning Broadway actress. She is from Livingston, New Jersey.-Biography:Kritzer, a 1999 graduate of the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music, has also appeared on Broadway in Hairspray and was the character Serena in Legally Blonde The Musical...
|
Cortney Wolfson |
Susan McFadden Susan McFadden is an actress and singer born in Dublin, Ireland. She is known for playing the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical in London at the Savoy theatre.- Biography :...
|
Nadia Vynnytsky |
Sinead Long |
| Margot |
Annaleigh AshfordAnnaleigh Ashford is an American actress known for her Broadway credits in Wicked, Legally Blonde, and Hair.-Early life:Annaleigh Ashford was born Annaleigh Swanson in Denver, Colorado to Holli Swanson, a gym teacher...
|
Rhiannon Hansen |
Amy Lennox |
Maggie Taylor |
Sophie Isaacs |
| Pilar |
DeQuina Moore |
Crystal Joy |
Ibinabo Jack |
Brit West |
Micha Richardson |
| Kate/Chutney |
Kate Wetherhead |
Alex Ellis |
Roxanne Palmer |
Nicole Brancucci |
Nia Jermin |
- The cast for the TV airing, filmed in mid-September 2007, consisted of the entire original Broadway
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
cast, except for Tracy Jai Edwards taking over for Leslie Kritzer as Serena and Asmeret Ghebremichael replacing DeQuina Moore as Pilar. Moore departed from the production in July 2007, and Kritzer in August that same year.
Critical response
The musical received mixed reviews but was praised for being a fun and upbeat production.
Ben BrantleyBenjamin D. "Ben" Brantley is an American journalist and the chief theater critic of The New York Times.-Life and career:...
, reviewing the musical in
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, wrote that the show was a "high-energy, empty-calories, and expensive-looking hymn to the glories of girlishness"; he praised Laura Bell Bundy saying, "she sings and dances flawlessly, and she delivers silly lines as if she meant them."
Clive BarnesClive Alexander Barnes, CBE was a British-born American writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977 he was the dance and theater critic for the New York Times, the most powerful position he had held, since its theater critics' reviews historically have had great influence on the success or failure of...
, in his
New York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
review, wrote that he loved the "effervescent and radiant Bundy" as well as others in the cast, and that the "dances certainly have a slick snap, crackle, and pop". Elysa Gardner in the
USA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
wrote that the musical was an "ingratiating trifle", and the "game cast ensure that the proceedings, however patronizing, aren't irritating." Jeremy McCarter in
New York Magazine wrote that the musical unfortunately "doesn’t summon memories of
Tracy FlickTracy Enid Flick is a fictional character, originating in the 1998 novel Election by Tom Perrotta and portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in the 1999 film adaptation of the same title. Tracy is a smart, ambitious high school student, whose quest to win a school election is nearly derailed by her own...
, the steely student-council campaigner that
Reese WitherspoonLaura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
played in
ElectionElection is a 1999 American comedy film adapted from a 1998 novel of the same title by Tom Perrotta. The plot revolves around a three-way election race in high school, and satirizes both suburban high school life and politics...
before starring in
Legally Blonde.
The West End production received mostly positive reviews. Benedict Nightingale in
The TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
wrote "Let’s overlook some forgettable tunes and welcome dance that embraces everything from skipping with ropes to spoof Riverdance. Let’s relish the support both of a fake-Greek chorus dressed as cheerleaders and of two cute, unnaturally obedient dogs. Let’s agree that Legally Blonde is, well, fun". whilst Paul Taylor for
The Independent wrote "Ridiculously enjoyable from start to finish."
The show also received some negative criticism. Tim Walker wrote in the
Sunday Telegraph: "It is a great big empty vessel of a show that makes a lot of noise and not much else, and would have been better entitled 'Irredeemably Bland'. I was aware that for the whole of the two hours and 25 minutes that it ran, I was sitting among a group of people with vacant smiles on faces that otherwise seemed entirely numbed.That was how I looked, too. It is the expression that registers when what one is seeing doesn't entirely sync with what is going on in one's brain." Quentin Letts wrote for
Daily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, “It is pink not just in the colour of many of the clothes and stage effects. It is pink to the core of its little, tiny soul ... The plot is pap, the musical unmemorable, the dancing often hefty except for one routine with skipping ropes".
Recordings
The Original Broadway Cast recording was recorded on May 7 and 8, 2007 and released on July 17, 2007 by Ghostlight Records (an imprint of
Sh-K-Boom RecordsSh-K-Boom Records is a record label, a producer of recorded and live entertainment, and an interactive community at www.sh-k-boom.com — all devoted to the mission of bridging the gap between pop music and theater...
). During the week of July 23, 2007, the cast album made its debut on Billboard's Cast Album chart, placing at #1 and charted at #86 on the Billboard 200.
Before previews, a promotional sampler CD was released featuring "Omigod You Guys", "So Much Better", and "Take It Like a Man", featuring a slightly divergent cast, arrangement and lyrics of that of the final show's.
During the development phase of the musical, a demo recording was released with twelve songs featuring
Kerry ButlerKerry Marie Butler is an American actress known primarily for her work in theatre.-Early life and career:...
and others as Elle. The demo featured workshop versions of "There! Right There!" (labelled on the sampler as "Gay or European"), "Blood in the Water", "Omigod You Guys", "Serious", "What You Want", "Legally Blonde", "Legally Blonde Remix", "So Much Better", "Take It Like a Man", in addition to two songs not present in the finalized version of the show, "Beacon of Positivity" (which would become "Love and War" for the previews and eventually "Positive" for the finalized version of the show), and "Good Boy", a song in the place of "Ireland".
Bailey HanksBailey Noel Hanks is an American singer, actress, and dancer best known for winning MTV's Legally Blonde - The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods. She performed on Broadway as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical in 2008....
, who won the reality show
The Search For Elle Woods, recorded the song "So Much Better", which was released as a single on July 22, 2008.
It was announced on May 21, 2010 that a new live London cast recording would be recorded featuring
Sheridan SmithSheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
and
Duncan JamesDuncan Matthew James Inglis is an English singer, actor and television presenter. He is best known as a member of the boyband Blue.-Early life:...
.
It was recorded live on the 12th, 13th and 14th of June that same year. It was released on August 16th, 2010. The London Cast Recording used the same track listing as the Broadway Cast Recording, with bonus tracks "Kyle The Magnificent" and the curtain call music added to the digital download version.
Original Broadway production
| Year |
Award Ceremony |
Category |
Nominee |
Result |
| 2007 |
Actors' Equity Association Awards |
Outstanding Broadway Chorus |
|
| Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
|
Outstanding Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since. Before the 21st Drama Desk Awards, acting awards were given without making distinctions between roles in straight dramas as opposed to musicals, nor were there...
|
|
| Outstanding Book of a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee which comprises New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
|
Heather Hach -Early life:Hach graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder's School of Journalism, and later worked as a research assistant at The New York Times Denver bureau and as a magazine editor at Sports and Fitness Publishing.-Career:...
|
|
| Outstanding Actress in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since...
|
Laura Bell Bundy Laura Ashley Bell Bundy is an American actress and singer who has performed in a number of Broadway roles, both starring and supporting, as well as in television and film. Her best known Broadway roles are the original Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray and the original Elle Woods in the musical...
|
|
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since...
|
Christian Borle Christian Borle is an American actor. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Borle has been primarily featured as an actor in Broadway productions....
|
|
| Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical was first awarded in the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has subsequently been awarded every year. In the 1993-1994 Drama Desk Awards the award was given under the name of Outstanding Supporting Actress - Musical...
|
OrfehOrfeh is an American singer, songwriter and Tony-nominated actress from New York City.-Biography:Orfeh, born and raised in Manhattan, began her career straight out of high school. She attended the famous LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, and got a record deal right after her graduation...
|
|
| Outstanding Choreography -1970s:* 1970: Ron Field – Applause** No nominees* 1971: Michael Bennett – Follies and Donald Saddler – No, No, Nanette** No nominees* 1972: Patricia Birch – Grease and Jean Erdman – Two Gentlemen of Verona...
|
Jerry MitchellJerry Mitchell is an American theatre director and choreographer.-Early life and education:Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, Mitchell later moved to St. Louis where he pursued his acting, dancing and directing career in theatre. He graduated from the Fine Arts college at Webster University in St. Louis. ...
|
|
| Outstanding Director of a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical was first awarded at the 1974–1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since...
|
|
| Outstanding Lyrics The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics is an annual award presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
|
Laurence O'Keefe Laurence O'Keefe is an English bassist, and has previously played in a number of bands, most notably Jazz Butcher, Levitation, Dark Star, and The Hope Blister. Since Dark Star split up, O'Keefe has toured with Sophia and Martina Topley-Bird.-External links:* *...
and Nell Benjamin |
|
| Outstanding Music The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music is an annual award presented by the Drama Desk, a committee comprising New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
|
|
| Outstanding Set Design of a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee composed of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
|
David Rockwell David Rockwell is an American architect and designer, who is the founder and CEO of Rockwell Group, based in New York with satellite offices in Madrid and Dubai. Rockwell has long been fascinated with immersive environments.-Early life and education:...
|
|
| Drama League Award The Drama League Awards, created in 1935, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing...
|
Distinguished Production of a Musical |
|
| Distinguished Performance |
Laura Bell Bundy Laura Ashley Bell Bundy is an American actress and singer who has performed in a number of Broadway roles, both starring and supporting, as well as in television and film. Her best known Broadway roles are the original Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray and the original Elle Woods in the musical...
|
|
| Christian Borle Christian Borle is an American actor. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Borle has been primarily featured as an actor in Broadway productions....
|
|
| Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets...
|
Best Featured Actress in a Musical |
OrfehOrfeh is an American singer, songwriter and Tony-nominated actress from New York City.-Biography:Orfeh, born and raised in Manhattan, began her career straight out of high school. She attended the famous LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, and got a record deal right after her graduation...
|
|
Tony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
|
Best Book of a Musical The Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical is awarded to librettists of the spoken, non-sung dialogue, and storyline of a musical play. Eligibility is restricted to works with original narrative framework; plotless revues and revivals are ineligible...
|
Heather Hach -Early life:Hach graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder's School of Journalism, and later worked as a research assistant at The New York Times Denver bureau and as a magazine editor at Sports and Fitness Publishing.-Career:...
|
|
| Best Original Score The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the composers and lyricists of the best original score written for a musical in that year. The score consists of music and lyrics...
|
Laurence O'Keefe Laurence O'Keefe is an English bassist, and has previously played in a number of bands, most notably Jazz Butcher, Levitation, Dark Star, and The Hope Blister. Since Dark Star split up, O'Keefe has toured with Sophia and Martina Topley-Bird.-External links:* *...
and Nell Benjamin |
|
| Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical |
Laura Bell Bundy Laura Ashley Bell Bundy is an American actress and singer who has performed in a number of Broadway roles, both starring and supporting, as well as in television and film. Her best known Broadway roles are the original Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray and the original Elle Woods in the musical...
|
|
| Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. The award has been presented since 1947...
|
Christian Borle Christian Borle is an American actor. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Borle has been primarily featured as an actor in Broadway productions....
|
|
| Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical This is a list of the winners and nominations of the Tony Award for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical. The award, introduced in 1950, was previously named as Best Performance by a Featured or Supporting Actress in a Musical until 1976....
|
OrfehOrfeh is an American singer, songwriter and Tony-nominated actress from New York City.-Biography:Orfeh, born and raised in Manhattan, began her career straight out of high school. She attended the famous LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, and got a record deal right after her graduation...
|
|
| Best Choreography -1940s:* 1947: Agnes de Mille – Brigadoon / Michael Kidd – Finian's Rainbow* 1948: Jerome Robbins – High Button Shoes* 1949: Gower Champion – Lend An Ear-1950s:* 1950: Helen Tamiris – Touch and Go* 1951: Michael Kidd – Guys and Dolls...
|
Jerry MitchellJerry Mitchell is an American theatre director and choreographer.-Early life and education:Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, Mitchell later moved to St. Louis where he pursued his acting, dancing and directing career in theatre. He graduated from the Fine Arts college at Webster University in St. Louis. ...
|
|
| Best Costume Design of a Musical These are the winners and nominees for the Tony Award for Best Costume Design. The award was first presented in 1947 and included both plays and musicals...
|
Gregg Barnes Gregg Barnes is an American costume designer for stage and film. Barnes won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design and the Outer Critics Circle Award for his work on the 2006 production of The Drowsy Chaperone.-Career:Barnes grew up in the San...
|
|
North American Tour
| Year |
Award Ceremony |
Category |
Nominee |
Result |
| 2009 |
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
|
Outstanding Special Class Direction |
|
| Outstanding Special Class Special |
|
| Helen Hayes Award A Helen Hayes Award is a theater award named for the famed actress Helen Hayes to recognize excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are managed by Linda Levy Grossman. and presented by the Washington Theatre Awards Society.-Awards:The Helen Hayes...
|
Outstanding Performance in a Non-Resident Production These Helen Hayes Awards are given for outstanding acting in non-resident or touring productions that are staged in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.-Outstanding Lead Actor in a Touring Production:...
|
Becky Gulsvig Becky Gulsvig from Moorhead, Minnesota, is an American stage actress, singer, and dancer.Of Norwegian heritage, Gulsvig's mother is a teacher and her father is a financial advisor. She attended Moorhead High School, Trollwood Performing Arts School, and the Red River Dance and Performing...
|
|
| Touring Broadway Awards The Touring Broadway Awards recognize outstanding achievement in Broadway plays and musicals that tour North America.Founded in 2000 by the League of American Theatres and Producers, the TBAs celebrate excellence in touring Broadway by honoring artists and productions...
|
Best New Touring Musical |
|
| Best Design of a Touring Production |
|
| Best Choreography of a Touring Production |
Jerry MitchellJerry Mitchell is an American theatre director and choreographer.-Early life and education:Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, Mitchell later moved to St. Louis where he pursued his acting, dancing and directing career in theatre. He graduated from the Fine Arts college at Webster University in St. Louis. ...
|
|
Original West End production
| Year |
Award Ceremony |
Category |
Nominee |
Result |
| 2010 |
Evening Standard Award |
Best Musical |
|
| Best Actress |
Sheridan Smith Sheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
|
|
| 2011 |
Laurence Olivier Award |
Best New Musical |
|
| Best Actor in a Musical |
Alex Gaumond Alex Gaumond is an actor, singer and songwriter known mainly for playing the lead roles of Galileo in the Queen musical We Will Rock You and Emmett Forrest in the West End production of musical Legally Blonde, based on the hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon.Gaumond was born in Montreal, Canada...
|
|
| Best Actress in a Musical |
Sheridan Smith Sheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
|
|
| Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical |
Jill Halfpenny Jill Halfpenny is an English actress.Halfpenny is best known for her roles as Rebecca Hopkins in the British soap opera Coronation Street from 1999–2000, and as Kate Mitchell in rival soap EastEnders, from 2002-2005...
|
|
| Best Theatre Choreographer |
Jerry MitchellJerry Mitchell is an American theatre director and choreographer.-Early life and education:Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, Mitchell later moved to St. Louis where he pursued his acting, dancing and directing career in theatre. He graduated from the Fine Arts college at Webster University in St. Louis. ...
|
|
| WhatsOnStage.com Award The Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards are organised by the theatre website Whatsonstage.com and recognise the performers and productions of British theatre with emphasis on London's West End. Nominations and eventual winners are selected by the theatre-going public....
|
Best New Musical |
|
| Best Actor in a Musical |
Alex Gaumond Alex Gaumond is an actor, singer and songwriter known mainly for playing the lead roles of Galileo in the Queen musical We Will Rock You and Emmett Forrest in the West End production of musical Legally Blonde, based on the hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon.Gaumond was born in Montreal, Canada...
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| Best Actress in a Musical |
Sheridan Smith Sheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
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| Best Supporting Actor in a Musical |
Chris Ellis-Stanton |
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| Best Supporting Actress in a Musical |
Jill Halfpenny Jill Halfpenny is an English actress.Halfpenny is best known for her roles as Rebecca Hopkins in the British soap opera Coronation Street from 1999–2000, and as Kate Mitchell in rival soap EastEnders, from 2002-2005...
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| Best Takeover in a Role |
Denise Van OutenDenise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the...
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| Best Choreographer |
Jerry MitchellJerry Mitchell is an American theatre director and choreographer.-Early life and education:Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, Mitchell later moved to St. Louis where he pursued his acting, dancing and directing career in theatre. He graduated from the Fine Arts college at Webster University in St. Louis. ...
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