LEGALLY BLONDE Opens Tonight at the Beck Center

Beck Center for the Arts presents Legally Blonde The Musical on the Mackey Main Stage, July 6 through August 12, 2012. This award-winning Broadway hit musical is based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the MGM major motion picture, Legally Blonde which starred Reese Witherspoon. With music and lyrics by a top-of-their-class creative team, Legally Blonde The Musical was nominated for seven Tony Awards including Best Score and Best Book of a Musical. The New York Times called it a “nonstop sugar rush of a show.” Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays.

Don’t underestimate Elle Woods, a college sweetheart, homecoming queen, and not-so-dumb blonde who doesn't take "no" for an answer. When her boyfriend dumps her for someone “more serious," Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before – Harvard Law School. Along the way, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style. This feel-good musical comedy is like “omigod you guys” a dream come true. The verdict? This much fun shouldn’t be legal!

Directed by Beck Center’s Artistic Director, Scott Spence with musical direction by Larry Goodpaster and choreography by Martín Céspedes, Legally Blonde The Musical stars Caitlin Elizabeth Reilly as sorority sister, Elle Woods. Northeast Ohio audiences may remember Reilly as the gum-chewing, bubble-blowing Suzy in The Marvelous Wonderettes earlier this season at Beck Center. Elle’s love interest, Emmett Forest is played by fellow Equity actor Jamie Koeth. Reilly and Koeth appear courtesy of the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the union of actors and stage managers.

“We are definitely in the era of Hollywood movies becoming Broadway musicals…and ‘Legally Blonde’ is among the best in pedigree!” remarked Spence. “It's a terrific story of female empowerment told through rich characters and tuneful music.” The Tony-nominated score with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin includes memorable songs like “Omigod You Guys!,” “Whipped into Shape,” “Take It Like A Man,” and the infamous “Bend and Snap.”

Legally Blonde The Musical features a talented cast of 30 actors and two new canine celebrities – a Chihuahua named Betty Davis and a bulldog named Miss Otto. Heather Wentz of All Star Animal Training in Parma Heights has been working with the dogs to get them ready for their stage debut at Beck Center. Spence continued, “Add in two dogs, 20 sets, 16 jump-ropers and an onstage marching band – and you've got yourself the perfect summer musical. It's an Elle of a good time!”

Tickets for Legally Blonde The Musical are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), $17 for students (with valid ID), and $10 for children (12 and under). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Preview Night on Thursday, July 5, is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. Purchase tickets online at beckcenter.org or call Customer Services at 216.521.2540, ext. 10. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Beck Center’s production of Legally Blonde The Musical is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI) and is sponsored by Brilliant Electric Sign Co., Ulmer & Berne LLP, Cox Communications, the Ohio Arts Council, and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional Theater Productions, arts education programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, and gallery exhibits featuring regional artists.

More Articles by This Author...