Legally Blonde

Legally Blonde is a musical with a book by Heather Hach and music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, based on the Amanda Brown novel and the 2001 film of the same name.

Legally Blonde had its pre-Broadway tryout at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco beginning in previews on January 23, 2007, and playing its final performance in San Fransisco on February 24, 2007. After some changes to the score and minor adjustments to the book, the show opened for previews on April 3, 2007. The Broadway production, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, opened on April 29, 2007 at the Palace Theatre to mostly positive reviews.

During the week ending June 24, 2007, Legally Blonde: The Musical hit a milestone by joining the millionaires' club for the weekly Broadway grosses, by grossing $1,003,282.

The musical was filmed for television on September 18, 2007 and will be broadcast on the MTV network starting on October 13, 2007 with subsequent air dates.


ACT I

The screaming, hyper-caffeinated girls of sorority Delta Nu, led by Serena, Margot, and Pilar, celebrate the imminent engagement of Warner Huntington the Third, to their blonde sorority president, Elle Woods ("Omigod You Guys"). The girls send Elle off to dinner with Warner, where he tells Elle that he needs someone more serious and breaks up with her ("Serious"). Elle is devastated but soon comes up with a plan to win back Warner ("What You Want"). She decides to chase Warner to Harvard, to show him that she can be serious. With help from Delta Nu sister, Kate, Elle studies for the LSAT's, missing all spring semester parties in the name of love. In place of writing a personal essay, Elle bursts into the Harvard admission offices with the entire UCLA marching band to prove that she is Harvard material. She is then accepted to Harvard.

Elle's snobby classmates disapprove of her attire, and the only person who is willing to help her out is the law technical assistant, Emmett Forrest ("The Harvard Variations"). However, he can not protect her in class with the blood-thirsty Professor Callahan ("Blood in the Water"). Elle, being under-prepared, gets kicked out of class by Vivienne Kensington, who happens to be Warner's new girlfriend. This tragedy summons the sisters of Delta Nu, who, acting as a greek chorus, tell her to be positive ("Positive"). Elle, deciding that being blonde is a problem, heads to the Hair Affair. She meets beautician Paulette, who tells Elle that when she is down, she puts on her favorite CD, and dreams of Ireland ("Ireland"). At the Hair Affair, Vivienne gives Elle a surprise invitation to a "costume party." Paulette sends Elle off with a costume for the party, her positivity and blonde hair still intact ("Ireland Reprise").

Walking into the party as a Playboy bunny, Elle realizes that she has been tricked by Vivienne into thinking it was a costume party, but, with courage, Elle seeks out Warner in an effort to win him back ("Serious Reprise"). Warner still does not take Elle seriously. Elle runs away from the party, only to run into Emmett. Emmett is un-moved by Elle's love problems, due to the fact that he has had a difficult, self-run life. He tells her that she has to buckle down and study. He slowly gets Elle to reexamine her priorities until Elle defeats Warner in a classroom discussion ("Chip on My Shoulder"). Warner and Vivienne win two of Callahan's coveted internship positions, and Warner proposes on the spot in front of Elle. Before Elle's heart can break, Emmett shows her the internship list. Below the names of Vivienne, Warner, and Enid is the name "Elle Woods" ("So Much Better").


ACT II

Callahan, Emmett, and the four interns are studying the jump rope workout video of their newest client, fitness mogul Brooke Wyndham ("Whipped into Shape"). Brooke's step-daughter, Chutney, is accusing Brooke of murdering Brooke's much older husband. Callahan and the interns visit Brooke in jail, but are unable to extract an alibi from her, until she is alone with Elle. Elle recognizes Brooke as a former Delta Nu member. Swearing Elle to secrecy, Brooke reveals her alibi: she was getting liposuction the day of the murder. Not willing to betray her Delta Nu trust, she asks Callahan to trust her when she says that she is innocent. Callahan then releases his rage on Emmett. Emmett begs Elle to break her promise. Elle refuses, but then offers to help impress Callahan in a different way by taking Emmet to a department store ("Take It Like a Man"). The results impress both of them.

Back at the Hair Affair, Elle is getting a manicure when in walks the sexy new UPS man, Kyle. Paulette is nothing short of stunned, but she is too shy to talk to him, believing that she has nothing to offer. As she bends down to pick up the package, however, the Greek chorus is summoned by Paulette's amazing 'bend and snap' ("Bend and Snap"). The sorority girls tell Paulette that she can impress Kyle, but when Kyle comes back, Paulette does the bend and snap and breaks Kyle's nose.

In the third day of Brooke's trial, Brooke's pool boy, Nikos, shocks the court by claiming to have an affair with Brooke. Brooke denies it, and Elle believes her. Elle tries the bend and snap in front of Nikos and gets no response. Elle concludes that he is gay ("There! Right There!"). Callahan, however, believes him to be simply European. It is revealed by Carlos, Nikos boyfriend, that Nikos is gay and European.

Later that night in Callahan's office, the interns celebrate Elle's skill. However, after dismissing Emmett and the other interns, Callahan tries to kiss Elle, and it is revealed that Callahan only hired Elle to be 'blonde arm candy.' Elle slaps Callahan, and he fires Elle. As Elle leaves Callahan's office, Elle bumps into Warner and Vivienne, who both saw the kiss, and now believe that she is sleeping her way to the top. Elle gives up on law school and love, and prepares to go home against Emmett asking her to stay ("Legally Blonde").

Elle heads to the Hair Affair to say good-bye to Paulette, but, before she can leave, Vivienne shows up and convinces Elle otherwise ("Legally Blonde Remix"). Confident again, she leads a parade back to the courtroom, picking up her parents, and the sorority sisters. The last person they pick up is Kyle, who takes a liking to Paulette. Back at the trial, Brooke fires Callahan and hires Elle. Emmett, being a licensed lawyer, supervises Elle. Then, Chutney goes to the witness stand. Her testimony is damning, but Elle triumphs by revealing Chutney's lie with her knowledge of hair. Chutney confesses that she was the one who killed her father. Chutney thought that Brooke was walking through the door when she shot the gun off, but it ended up being her father. Chutney hated having a mother that was younger than her. Elle's victory is so great, that Warner proposes to her, having been dumped by Vivienne. Elle kindly refuses, claiming to have been changed ("Find My Way").

Three years later, Elle ends up as the valedictorian of her class. Paulette tells the audience that Enid practices family law, Vivienne's training for the peace corps, and Warner quits law school to pursue a modeling career. Callahan ran for governor but was defeated, and his wife hired Emmett to handle their messy divorce. Paulette married Kyle, had two kids, and is pregnant with a third. At the end of the graduation ceremony, Elle proposes to Emmett, and Emmett accepts.

**wikipedia.org