Forget blue and red - Belmont's turning pink this weekend with “Legally Blonde” hitting the stage.
“Legally Blonde the Musical,” a song-filled reimagination of the 2001 cult classic will take over the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts from Thursday to Sunday.
Belmont, known for its excellence in golden age musical theatre, takes a step out of its comfort zone with the hyper-modern tale that “Legally Blonde” tells. Tackling themes of self-discovery, perseverance and the toppling of societal expectations the musical delves into the atrocities and repercussions of corporate sexism.
“It's such a contemporary show and Belmont has not done something with such mature content. I am excited we're able to do something a little different and something that is just so iconic,” said senior musical theatre major Emma Teixeira, who plays Elle the titular blonde.
For the men of the cast the importance of the female centric show is not lost on them.
"I think so often women are put into boxes from a patriarchal view. Like this woman cares too much about her work or this woman is too devoted to their work. I think Legally Blonde is important because it breaks these stereotypes and shows that these boxes made by men are not right,” said junior Musical Theatre major Dylan Pearson, who plays professor Callahan.
While many think the show is nothing more than glitz glamour and spectacle Teixeira emphasizes the importance of the messaging underlying the fun light hearted nature of the show.
“I'm really excited for people to kind of get a window into Elle’s heart. I think this is a show that has so much heart and this deep, rich tune of desiring to lead with love and take risks,” said Teixeira.
The message of leading with love extends into the rehearsal process with performers explaining how the weeks leading up mean as much as an opening night.
“Getting to spend time with really talented and fun people doing a bunch of high energy yet meaningful scenes and numbers is the best part of this process by far,” said junior musical theatre major, Kathryn Crandall who plays the iconic hair dresser Paulette.
“It's about women supporting women, and I love that.”
Legally Blonde will spread its message of self-acceptance, self-love and self-confidence beginning Thursday through Sunday.
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This article was written by Zach Watkins