Legally Blonde: The Musical plans to take Northwest Tennessee by storm bringing something new to the Masquerade Theatre.
“The show really is unlike anything that has even been presented on the Masquerade stage. It’s a very modern; it’s very contemporary. It’s very funny and in the now. It’s fun, energetic and exciting,” said Director Jonathan Johnson, a UTM alumnus.
Legally Blonde plans to offer the audience agenda-free entertainment. Johnson says that most art, no matter what kind, has a hidden message behind it, but this musical doesn’t.
“We’re not trying to change the world; we’re not trying to put our political views out there and make a statement. We are whole heartedly trying to entertain for two hours,” Johnson said.
The two-hour show is packed with high-energy musical numbers, modern choreography, interesting costumes and a variety of characters.
“Legally Blonde is an escape. Our goal is for the audience to just have a good time,” Johnson said.
The show, unlike others that have appeared on the Masquerade stage, is set in present day. Cell phones and laptops are used in multiple scenes throughout the show.
“A lot of shows, while very entertaining and audience favorites, are kind of dated. Legally Blonde debuted on Broadway just seven years ago. It’s still touring the country, and it still sells out,” Johnson said.
“The music is very modern. All of the songs play like an American Top 40, very pop centric. These are very well developed characters. There are also some openly gay characters on stage. I think that has only been done on the Masquerade stage one other time in a very heavy drama. The choreography is modern; the whole show plays like a music video. It’s very colorful, and that sets it apart from anything Masquerade has ever done.”
Throughout the duration of the show, Elle Woods, played by Molly Maclin, continues to show the audience why they should root for her. She sets out with a plan to get accepted into Harvard Law School in hopes of getting her love interest back, but soon finds she can do more than become a desperate housewife.
With help from her new friends Paulette, played by Karen Saldana a UTM alumna, and Emmett, played by John Alex Warner, Elle soon becomes the leading lady of Harvard.
Legally Blonde wouldn’t be complete without the bend and snap, and the audience can certainly expect it to be included. Johnson says he is most excited about this number.
“My favorite scene is Bend and Snap. Even if people haven’t seen the movie, they know what bend and snap is. The writers of the play, Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, took this ‘bend and snap’ and turned it into a huge musical number. That is the scene that I make sure to sit down and watch when we’re rehearsing,” Johnson said.
The show opens Friday, March 14 and runs for three weekends. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with the Sunday matinees beginning at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved by calling Lanzer’s in Union City at 731-885-0651 or can be purchased at the theatre before each performance. The show is expected to be a hit; so, anyone expecting to see the show is encouraged to reserve his or her seat. Masquerade Theatre is located at 120 S. First St., Union City.
