The 2001 cult classic film Legally Blonde introduced Reese Witherspoon’s iconic portrayal of Elle Woods to the world. Six years later, her story was transferred from the silver screen to the Broadway stage, earning seven Tony nominations. The subsequent West End production was nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards and won three, including Best New Musical. Now it’s the Blue Mountains Musical Society’s (BMMS) turn to showcase Elle’s journey to Harvard Law in a show filled with laughter, music, and heart. With its big dance numbers, fun script, and a signature splash of pink, this production promises to capture the spirit of the film while celebrating the joy and energy of live theatre.

At the helm is experienced performer Tyler Moody, who recently appeared in the BMMS production of Come From Away. Tyler has been on the creative team many times before, most recently as choreographer for BMMS’ School of Rock, but Legally Blonde is his first time in the director’s chair.

“Legally Blonde is the perfect choice for any community theatre society,” Tyler said.

“It’s full of brilliant ensemble numbers, offers a wide range of roles for performers, but above all, it’s crowd-pleasing and incredibly fun!

“That’s exactly what drew me to direct this show. I love the joy and energy the show brings, and I wanted to be the one to shape that experience.

“I also wanted to give myself the chance to explore a different creative muscle I hadn’t used before,” said Moody.

Whilst fans of the movie can expect all the iconic quotes and characters (Bruiser included), there are additions in the musical that actually enhance and add depth to the original.

“Some of the main differences, I find, are actually improvements,” explained Tyler.

“The show spends more time establishing Elle’s friendship with Emmett. There have also been a few tweaks to Vivienne and Elle’s relationship which make their journey to becoming friends feel so much better,” he said.

“Fans of the movie are in for such a treat!” added Charli Arkle, who will bring Elle Woods to life on the stage.

“They’ll get all the iconic moments they adore, from the ‘Bend and Snap’ to Bruiser stealing the spotlight, but the addition of music and dance numbers brings a whole new level of heart and energy,”

she said.

In her BMMS debut, Charli (like Elle) is fresh from time in Los Angeles, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre (Hons) at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She grew up watching Legally Blonde, and both Reese Witherspoon’s film performance and Laura Bell Bundy’s Broadway interpretation are “burned into my brain,” Arkle said. She has been working hard to craft a performance that feels uniquely her own.

“Since being cast, I’ve tried not to watch the movie so I could create a version of Elle that felt true to me, while still keeping all the ‘Elle-isms’ that audiences know and love,” she said.

Finding that balance between authenticity and character has been key for Charli.

“Elle’s personality is so perfectly woven through the script that it’s present in every scene and song, which makes it easier to step into her shoes while keeping her authentic and true to the story.

“I think most women identify with Elle in one way or another. Whether it’s her determination, her optimism, the way she’s underestimated, or even her fashion sense.

“For me, it’s about finding the bits of Elle that resonate personally and letting them shape the version of her that I bring to the stage,” Charli explained.

The musical format also gives added depth, not only to Elle’s personal journey, but to her relationships with others.

“Through the songs, we get a glimpse into the characters’ inner thoughts and feelings, adding sparkle and depth to the story in a way that film can’t,” Arkle said.

“In the stage version, Elle and Emmett’s relationship is more featured and fleshed out. There’s lots of playful banter between them and they truly bring out the best in each other!”

Lindsay Kaul, the music director of Legally Blonde, is excited to be working on his favourite musical again (for the second time this year, after collaborating earlier with Gosford Musical Society). Having most recently music directed Curtain Bounce’s production of A Chorus Line, Lindsay comes to this show with substantial experience – an essential requirement, as one of the major changes from the movie to the musical is the added score.

“The orchestration is just gorgeous. You’d almost anticipate a show like this to be quite artificial in its arrangements, but there’s a depth and energy that’s created by this music that’s second to none.

“It’s renowned for changing key all the time (I believe the running count is 207), but it’s done that way so the melody follows speech patterns naturally,” Kaul explained.

 
“It’s a punchy, bold pop-rock score, with the occasional jazzy big-band and Celtic dance music interjected.

“This production is my seventh time playing the show and I’m still finding new things to love about it every time,” he said.

“It’s such an accessible show for everyone, for experienced theatregoers or first-timers. It’s a story that genuinely has something for everyone to connect and relate to.”

So, what benefit is there in seeing the musical over rewatching the movie? Tyler believes he has the answer.

“They are both meaningful, but in the musical, you are experiencing a moment as it’s happening in front of you.

“You can feel the heart of moments because you are a part of them in physical space.

“Every punchline, every tear, the tension, you can feel them in every sense because they are not captured by film, but by your actual senses.”

By Amy Stoakes

Legally Blonde The Musical will be playing at the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub from October 18 to November 2. Tickets are available online at bmms.org.au/book-tickets/, by calling 02 4723 5050 or in person at the venue. The cost for all shows is $49 for adults, $45 for concessions and $39 for children under 16. A 10% discount applies for groups of 15 or more. There is a special price for one night only, Friday October 24, when all tickets are just $39 each.