Legally Blonde to Close on Broadway Oct. 19
By Adam Hetrick
24 Sep 2008
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Blonde's Bailey Hanks
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| photo by Andrew Walker | The Broadway production of Legally Blonde, the musical about a valley girl with Harvard ambitions that is based on the film of the same name, will play its final performance at the Palace Theatre Oct. 19.
Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell, Legally Blonde officially opened at the Palace April 29, 2007. The production will have played 595 regular performances and 30 previews when it concludes Oct. 19.
"Producing Legally Blonde has been one of the highlights of my career. Much like Elle Woods, the entire company, creative team and crew has worked with heart, wit, enthusiasm, integrity and style throughout the entire, thrilling run. I can't wait for the rest of the country to be able to experience the show live," said lead producer Hal Luftig in a statement.
A national tour of the musical, starring Becky Gulsvig, launched in Providence, RI, Sept. 21 and is currently booking dates through September of 2009.
Legally Blonde earned seven Tony nominations, including Best Book, Best Original Score, Best Choreography and Best Actress (for original star Laura Bell Bundy).
Legally Blonde received a box-office boost following the television broadcast of the musical in its entirety on MTV. The MTV presentation drew a reported 12.5 million viewers for its weekend of airings.
The MTV broadcast also inspired a partnership between Legally Blonde's Broadway producers and the cable network to create a show that would search for Bundy's replacement in the role of Elle Woods.
Bailey Hanks, the winner of MTV's reality casting competition "Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods," currently stars as the musical's pink-clad heroine.
The Broadway company of Legally Blonde also features Christian Borle as Emmett, Orfeh as Paulette, Richard H. Blake as Warner, Kate Shindle as Vivienne, Nicolette Hart as Brooke, and Michael Rupert as Professor Callahan.
Completing the cast are Tracy Jai Edwards, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Kate Rockwell, Lucia Spina, Barry Anderson, April Berry, Kyle Brown, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Beth Curry, Amber Efe, Tiffany Engen, Stephanie Fittro, Josh Franklin, Jason Gillman, Rod Harrelson, Eric Hatch, Manuel Herrera, Autumn Hurlbert, Nick Kenkel, Cara Massey, Rusty Mowery, Emily Padgett, Kevin Pariseau, Jody Renard, Dani Spieler and Bryan West.
Legally Blonde has music and lyrics by both Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy: The Musical, Cam Jansen and the Curse of the Emerald Elephant, Sarah, Plain and Tall) and Nell Benjamin (Cam Jansen, Sarah, Plain and Tall, The Mice) and a book by Heather Hach (the film "Freaky Friday"). James Sampliner serves as music director. Orchestrations are by Christopher Jahnke.
The production features scenic design by David Rockwell, costume design by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and Paul Miller and sound design by ACME Sound Partners.
The show is produced on Broadway by Hal Luftig, Fox Theatricals and Dori Berinstein, in association with MGM Onstage, Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber.
For more information visit www.legallyblondethemusical.com.
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