PORTSMOUTH— The community has been summoned to appear before the Portsmouth Area Childrens Theatre’s popular courtroom production, Legally Blonde: The Musical, as the group ramps up a second swing at the beloved story featuring Elle Woods.

The story, according to Musical Theatre International (MTI), “Legally Blonde, based on the hit movie of the same name, premiered at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre in February of 2007. The show then transferred to Broadway, where it opened at the Palace Theatre on April 29, 2007. The original production starred Laura Bell Bundy and Christian Borle. It ran for 595 regular performances before closing on October 19, 2008.”

The story follows Deltu Nu sorority sister Elle Woods as she searches for love at Harvard, where her long-term boyfriend has been accepted to attend law school. Through new friends, a new outlook on life, and appreciation for the law and all things pink, the student succeeds in finding herself in a place she never expected to excel.

“As always, so many factors are considered when choosing a PACT show, and deciding this year’s senior company production was no different,” PACT Executive Director Bailey Hartlage said. “We knew we wanted a well-known title that people would like to see and something our students would want to be a part of. We also knew we needed to challenge our students with a type of show they’d never done before. All of those features fit Legally Blonde perfectly, and I couldn’t be happier with our decision. This musical is so fun with lots of campy moments, but the message is sincere: always believe in yourself and stay true to who you are. Legally Blonde will make you laugh, cry, and laugh until you cry.”

The show is being artistically directed by Ali Thompson, who appeared as the lead, Elle Woods, in the last production. Additionally, Hartlage was also featured in the show.

“I was a part of the cast when PACT produced Legally Blonde 11 years ago, along with our current director, Ali Thompson. I absolutely loved being in a senior company show,” Hartlage said. “The combined company shows with 60 plus kids of all ages are great in their own ways, but there’s something special about a smaller cast of kids all around the same age. I remember loving rehearsals because it was just like hanging out with my best friends for three hours, and I hope the kids in this production feel the same. I am so lucky that I’m able to give back to this generation what was given to me, and I feel especially fortunate that I’m able to do it with fellow PACT and Legally Blonde alum Ali.”

While Thompson and Hartlage both appeared on the PACT stage since its inception, and even before, when productions were handled by Portsmouth Little Theatre before the offshoot of PACT, the executive director explained that the senior company shows are absolutely vital to the students who spend their childhoods on the stage.

“These senior company shows are vital to our students and mission. Kids benefit significantly from being in a show with their peers,” Hartlage explained. “They push each other to be better and, with the smaller cast size, have a better opportunity to bond with everyone involved. This type of show, written for young adults rather than children, allows our high school-aged students to grow in so many ways. We’re able to tackle more serious topics that aren’t covered in Disney or Broadway Junior musicals, which helps our students immensely as they prepare to enter the “real world.” The music and choreography challenge them artistically, and the payoff is amazing when they finally nail that complicated dance move or tricky harmony.”

Legally Blonde: The Musical has a cast of 26 students in grades eight through 12 from 12 schools in three counties across Ohio and Kentucky. They have been together since October, getting ‘whipped into shape’ for the performances that hit the stage this weekend.

“I can’t wait for audiences to see our students give yet another phenomenal performance!” Hartlage said.

Legally Blonde: The Musical will hit the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts stage on Friday, February 2 at 7 p.m., Saturday, February 3 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, February 4 at 2:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for students and $15 for adults. For online tickets, visit www.vrcfa.com. Follow PACT on Facebook for information on shows, auditions, and other community programming.

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved.