The musical \u201cLegally Blonde\u201d sold out its run at Cotuit Center for the Arts in the spring of 2024 and also at the College Light Opera Company later that summer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Audiences have another chance to see it performed locally, this time by the Falmouth High School Theatre Company from Friday to Sunday, May 15, 16 and 17 in the school\u2019s auditorium.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In addition to the show being hugely popular for both the students to perform and for the audience to see, artistic director Alyssa Guida said she chose the show because it has multiple supporting roles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI try to pick shows that have more than one star vehicle, because we have so much talent,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
For anyone unfamiliar with the plot, \u201cLegally Blonde\u201d features popular college senior Elle Woods, who is hoping to settle down with her beau after graduation and become Mrs. Warner Huntington, that is, until Warner breaks up with her and takes off for Harvard Law School. Unable to give up on love, Elle manages to get accepted at Harvard and after a bit of an adjustment period discovers she\u2019s got more to offer than being just another pretty face.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Since high school shows are always a learning experience for the students, one of the new challenges in this production is the fluidity of the set.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cThis is different than a lot of shows that we\u2019ve done where, at the end of a scene, there\u2019s a blackout and then you do a set change,\u201d Guida said. \u201cThis show has a lot of scene changes that happen within songs and scenes, so everything is in motion, there are a lot of moving parts.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In addition to the actors and the crew, Guida said, there\u2019s choreography for moving the set pieces around. \u201cIt\u2019s like directing traffic trying to figure it all out.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Sometimes the stop-and-go of a blackout can decrease the momentum of the show, Guida said. \u201cThis keeps you in it the whole time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The 33-member cast is supported by a 14-member crew led by Guida, Christopher Ricci as music director, Peter D. Cook as technical director and set coordination, and Sharon Chapman as costume designer. In addition to those interviewed, student crewmembers include Vinny Citrone, Octavia McCall, Ayla Brodet, Dorothy Linton, Naomi Shank, Jackson Citrone and Annalise Rogers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI’m grateful that our team has grown in the last couple of years,\u201d Guida said. \u201cYou never know how much it takes to put on a show until you experience it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The school recently acquired new lights for the auditorium\u2019s cyclorama, the fabric curtain that hangs upstage against the wall with either lights or images projected onto it during performances.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cVisually, things will look a little different than what we’ve been doing,\u201d Guida, said, adding, \u201cWe\u2019ve been trying to make improvements on the space this year and I think we’ve done a pretty good job.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The musical is based on the movie of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon. Rated PG-13 back in 2001, Guida suggested the same rating for the musical. \u201cThere\u2019s some language and suggestive dialogue. It\u2019s family-friendly for ages 13 and up,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cThe message of empowerment is really relevant,\u201d Guida said. \u201cI think the tagline is \u2018being true to yourself never goes out of style.\u2019 That definitely carries through the show with Elle in how she starts one way and ends another.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Several members of the cast and crew were on hand before rehearsal earlier this month to talk about their roles in the show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Adaline Birmingham will play the leaf role of Elle Woods. Adaline, a junior, has been involved in the high school\u2019s theater program since she was a freshman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Appearing in almost every scene and having multiple costume changes will be a challenge for Adaline, but it\u2019s a role she\u2019s been working toward by appearing as Scuttle in last year\u2019s \u201cLittle Mermaid\u201d and as Rizzo in 2024\u2019s \u201cGrease.\u201d Adaline also performed with College Light Opera Company in 2024\u2019s \u201cGypsy\u201d and last year in \u201cThe Sound of Music.\u201d She called playing Elle \u201ca dream role.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really excited to play Elle,\u201d Adaline said. \u201cShe\u2019s in so many scenes and she has a great track where she gets to sing, dance and act. She has a wonderful character arc where when the show starts you don\u2019t really expect much of her but as it goes on you discover she\u2019s this really powerful woman. For me, it\u2019s an inspiring story.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
While she\u2019s looking forward to the part, Adaline admitted the role is difficult: \u201cShe has so many challenging iconic songs, so it\u2019s strenuous for your voice.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Junior Ruthie Chapman is part of the ensemble for the production and also helped Guida with the show\u2019s choreography.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
No stranger to this show, Ruthie was a guest performer in College Light Opera Company\u2019s 2024 production.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Ruthie\u2019s dance background includes studying at both Turning Pointe Dance Studio in Falmouth and Harper Dance Center in Mashpee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Ruthie also helped with choreography for last year\u2019s \u201cLittle Mermaid.\u201d \u201cI really enjoy having the freedom to put in my own moves,\u201d she said.\u201d I\u2019m grateful that Ms. Guida lets me do this.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Ruthie said the biggest challenge to choreographing a number is keeping in mind that every performer is different. She said she tries to keep the moves simple enough for new dancers but difficult enough to challenge seasoned dancers. \u201cI’ve definitely gotten stuck a couple times,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
An interest in art propelled crewmember Heather Crowell to get involved. Last year, Heather created digital drawings and animations that served as background projections for the set of \u201cLittle Mermaid.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
This year, Heather said, the set is larger and helping out with the crew has meant \u201cmore hands-on building things.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Sophomore Dylan Kenny said she enjoys being part of the ensemble. \u201cYou can play multiple roles in the ensemble,\u201d she said, \u201cyou\u2019re not just playing one part and you don\u2019t have to stress that much about lines, especially if you have a lot of academic stuff going on.\u201d Dylan said she particularly enjoys being part of the Greek chorus. \u201cThey follow Elle everywhere and say some fun lines.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Stage manager Angie Coughlin, a senior, has been involved in several high school productions. Angie said being involved in a “leadership position\u201d is what made her gravitate toward the position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI liked the idea of being someone people in the crew could look up to,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
For Angie, leadership isn\u2019t something that comes naturally to her\u2014she\u2019s had to work at it. \u201cI\u2019ve definitely grown into the role,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Freshman Watson Domingos is part of the show\u2019s crew. Watson said he got involved because he \u201cwanted to spend more time with the people in the play.\u201d Watson said he was also interested in the architecture and the building of the sets and that he had \u201ca pretty big part in building at least half of the set.\u201d Watson was also involved in theater at the Lawrence School, where he learned about theater lighting. At Falmouth High School he\u2019s taken the school\u2019s Intro to Woodworking class.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The show will feature FHS student musicians under the direction of Christopher Ricci, including Nate Birmingham, Xavier Echeverri, Isabella Cabral, Aoife Cahill, Hannah McAuley, Avery Okon and Ethan Liam Souza. Adult members of the band are Brent Alger, Gordon Zemotel and Andrew Hellwig.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Rounding out the cast are Max Calderbank, Emma Racicot, Jaidon Gray, Sheldon Mapp, Avila Rudd, Gwendolyn Andrews, Marine Willcox, Naraeya Gray, Autumn Upton, Dan Sullivan, Rima Petrosyan, Jaylynne Tomascik, Emiliana Pachano, Caitlin Wells, Kate Partan, Cullen Ellia, Salem de Souza, Rhys Nagy, Collin Morrison, Kate Christian, Ari Pottle, Hannah Adelmann, Taryn Joyce, Ellie Benett, Brianna Anderson, Frankie Gallagher, Faith Kane, Lala Roman, Matt Roslansky and Angelina Wilbur.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cIt’s an energetic show and when people come and see it, they’re going to leave feeling good and feeling like empowered,\u201d Adaline Birmingham said. “A lot of people have probably seen the movie and this takes a lot from it. You have some of the same iconic lines and some of the same scenes that you remember from the movie played out\u2014maybe in songs. I think people who have seen the movie and maybe haven’t seen the show should come and see it come to life in this cool artistic way.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Heather Crowell encourages anyone who hasn\u2019t been to a show to come out for \u201cLegally Blonde.\u201d \u201cLive theater is a really good experience overall, even if you\u2019re not familiar with it or you think you won\u2019t like it. You can just walk out after it\u2019s over but at least you tried it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Performances of \u201cLegally Blonde\u201d will take place on May 15 at 7:30 PM, May 16 at 2 and 7:30 PM, and May 17 at 2 PM. Tickets can be purchased at the door as well as online through On The Stage ticketing.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.capenews.net \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The musical \u201cLegally Blonde\u201d sold out its run at Cotuit Center for the Arts in the spring of 2024 and also at the College Light Opera Company later that summer. Audiences have another chance to see it performed locally, this time by the Falmouth High School Theatre Company from Friday to Sunday, May 15, 16 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2404564,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[349474],"class_list":["post-2404563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-arts_and_entertainment"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/High-School-Readies-\u2018Legally-Blonde-For-Opening-Night-Arts.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2404563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2404563"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2404563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2404565,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2404563\/revisions\/2404565"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2404564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2404563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2404563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2404563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}