Well, here I am in Fayetteville prepping
for our fundraising cabaret tonight and getting ready to kick off the last week
of Legally Blonde! I have had such an amazing time at Cape Fear Regional
Theatre, and the thought of departing from this awesome experience is
something I have been pushing out of my consciousness to avoid what we have
been calling "Showpression" (aka post-show depression). The
twist and turns of events that has led me to this job opportunity has
been beyond crazy! When I got the call, I could barely believe my ears. I was a
week away from graduating college, and I was offered to play one of my favorite
roles, in one of my favorite musicals at a theatre across the country. I
understand this is not how most post-college actors begin their career. I
am most certain most job opportunities for young actors come from
months and months of auditioning and attending cattle calls. However, by a very
small glimpse of fate, here I am! And I haven't stopped smiling since!
One of my favorite parts about what I do
is the opportunity to travel, see cities, and meet people that I
would never get normally experience had I chose a more steady career path.
It's no secret it can be difficult find work as an actor, so it's very common
to make home wherever you can find work. Regardless of where I am or
what show is being put up, stepping into a theatre or a rehearsal room brings
an overwhelming sense of comfort and inspiration. Here, we all collaborate as a
family, one single unit, that has come together for one task; to entertain,
teach, or enlighten an audience, to open minds and inspire them to feel. I
cannot think of a more fulfilling lifestyle.
Legally Blonde is a show I hold very close to my heart.
The original novel and movie teaches the importance of friendship, self
worth, having faith in others, and most importantly having faith in yourself.
The musical holds true to the same morals, however I feel the addition of
music, dance, and live actors enhances the overall effectiveness. Elle Woods is
an extraordinarily intelligent blonde with a huge heart and sense of
compassion. In the beginning of the show, she is living a sheltered life
of luxury at UCLA that becomes shattered after the unexpected break up with
Warner Huntington the III. Here we see that she has flaws, one of them being
the ability to attach her self worth to the approval of men. Harvard law is a
rude awakening for her and through the unexpected friendships of Paulette,
Emmett and the other law students, she discovers law school is NOT about
looking smart and winning love, but actually about helping the underdog,
justice for all, and eventually saving a innocent friend’s life. By the end of
the show, she is still the blonde and kind Elle Woods, with and entirely new
perspective. Elle Woods is an iconic hero to our generation, and the
opportunity to portray a character so strong six times a week for two and a
half hours each night inspires me as well!
In Legally Blonde, Elle closes some
chapters in her life and opens new ones, while never forgetting about her true
friends, family, and where she came from. I couldn’t have chosen a better time
in my life to be a part of this show. I didn’t walk in my own college
graduation, but standing on that stage and graduating from Harvard every night is
incredibly symbolic to own life. Leaving the comfort of school, facing the
challenges of the real world and beginning a career as an artist is an
incredibly terrifying and exhilarating chapter to open, but if I think with my
heart, have faith in others, and more importantly, have faith in myself, I
think things will turn out just fine. :)
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Legally Blonde, The Musical runs through February 17th
