Local Theatre Company Bends And Snaps In Latest Musical

Photo credit Jen Gurniak

Readying their latest show, a local theatre company’s performance promises to be far from criminal.

Opening at E.J. Lajeunesse (600 E.C. Row Avenue) on Friday, November 1st, Cardinal Music Productions will debut their two-week run of Legally Blonde: The Musical. Based on the popular movie, their version of the equally popular play retains the comedic tone of the film while being presented to a different audience.

Coming at the end of Cardinal Music’s 2024 season, it felt like the right fit in a few ways.

“Legally Blonde was a great choice for us because it lends itself to a bigger cast with a lot of opportunities for actors to shine,” said musical director Bayleigh Cardinal. “We have done it before, so we knew it would be a lot of fun for both the performers and the audience. After taking on more serious shows throughout our season, something that is purely fun and uplifting seemed like the perfect note to end it on.”

Mirroring the movie, Legally Blonde: The Musical revolves around Elle’s journey from UCLA to Harvard. Getting dumped for not being serious enough, she follows her ex-boyfriend and enrols to prove him wrong. Eventually, Elle finds herself as a fish out of water on a path of self-empowerment, love and law.

Despite remaining true to the film, however, there are still some notable differences.

“The musical is very similar to the movie, keeping the iconic moments and many of the iconic lines,” said Cardinal. “It does take its own unique turns, adding elements that lend themselves to musical numbers. For example, in the musical, Elle has a Greek Chorus that helps her through her troubles and celebrates her triumphs as she takes her journey. They are just staged as being her inner voices though.”

Ensuring their cast had plenty of time to rehearse, auditions for Legally Blonde were held in late July. As a dance heavy show that relies on music with complicated harmonies, the theatre company needed strong dancers and singers.

Keeping that in mind, this early stage of development was planned out accordingly.

“For our July auditions, we had a singing and dance component,” said Cardinal. “Anyone trying out for a specific character had to perform that character’s song from the show. Everyone, regardless of what they were trying out for, was required to sing something from the show. Afterwards, one of our choreographers taught a section of dance, and we had everyone separate into groups to perform the dance.”

Beyond this, the amount of characters meant that some people would play multiple parts. As a result, 19 actors were cast, with several playing more than one role.

Drawing so many to audition, though, Cardinal was happy to see fresh and familiar faces alike.

“Because we’ve been around for many years, we have gotten to know most of the local actors in our community,” she said. “What is most impressive is the growth many of them have gone through over the years. We’re proud the company has been a vehicle for that growth. We also have several newcomers in this show and take pride in giving opportunities to all. Everyone in the show is great in their respective roles.”

Once casting was complete, rehearsals began by learning musical numbers and dance choreography. Always starting this way, the company doesn’t move on to blocking or putting pieces together until each element is mastered. Considering both to be the production’s foundation, dance in particular generally eats up the most rehearsal time. This is especially true with a play that focuses so heavily on physical numbers like Legally Blonde.

In the end, watching the fully formed production is what excites Cardinal most about the musical.

“The best quality of this musical is how upbeat and fun it is,” she said. “Every song is catchy and stays with you. The audience will be laughing, smiling and enjoying themselves the whole way through. But it also has a message of empowerment that is compelling. This is a show infused with energy. There are many standout moments throughout. I enjoy the songs that are transformative moments for the characters, such as Bend and Snap and Legally Blonde Remix. Plus, both are fabulous dance numbers to boot!”

Legally Blonde: The Musical will be performed at E.J. Lajeunesse on November 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th. Thursday, Friday and Saturday showtimes are 8:00pm while Sunday matinees are at 2:00pm. Tickets are $33.90 if purchased in advance at Cardinal Music Productions’ website or $35.00 at the door (cash only.)

In addition to supporting local theatre, there’s a good chance you’ll have fun in the process.

“We want audiences to leave smiling and this is a show that is built to do that,” said Cardinal. “It is fun, hilarious, family-friendly and heartwarming. What makes our production unique is the amount of talent we have in our company. We are lucky to work with so many great performers and as I mentioned, this show gives a lot of people a chance to shine. If you want to see a great show with a ton of local talent, this is the one to see.”