Musical brings ditzy blonde flair to DPAC

It's pink, it's blonde and it sings.

After making its impressive run on Broadway and even breaking the million-dollar mark for weekly grosses, Legally Blonde: The Musical will be storming the stage at the Durham Performing Arts Center this Tuesday, April 14.

Based on the 2001 blockbuster Legally Blonde starring Reese Witherspoon, the musical takes the perkiness, the energy and the fun to a whole new level. With original music by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe, the stage production follows the frivolous and charming Elle Woods as she proves herself to be more than a ditzy blonde by achieving success at Harvard Law School.

"The movie is one of those movies that when you watch it, it already feels like a musical," said Cortney Wolfson, the actress playing one of Elle's best friends in the show. "So it actually transfers to musicals really well, and the stage production feels seemless."

As anyone familiar with the film knows, the story is unabashedly pro-girl power. If it's even possible, the musical, with all its dancing and singing, magnifies the at-times cartoonish characters that made the film such a hit.

Jerry Mitchell, the choreographer of Broadway hits The Full Monty and Hairspray, makes his directorial debut with Legally Blonde: The Musical, and the lively character and pacing from his prior efforts can be clearly seen in this production. The playfully girly choreography infuses the stage version of Elle Woods (played by Becky Gulsvig in the off-Broadway tour) with a level of high-octane energy that is unavoidably infectious. Additionally, with a stage setup that would do Paris Hilton proud and 21 songs that are sure to get stuck in your head, Legally Blonde: The Musical has something new for even veteran Elle Woods fans.

"It's a really feel-good, uplifting show, which is good considering the current economy," said Rachel Gragg, assistant director of marketing and PR for DPAC. "I think the show's a great chance for people to just come and enjoy spending two hours being entertained."

Legally Blonde-: The Musical will be performed at the Durham Performing Arts Center from Tuesday, April 14 to Sunday, April 19. Tickets are from $25 to $65, with special discounts for groups of 15 or more. For more information, visit www.dpacnc.com.