As you may or may not know, the school is putting on a play again this year (though how you wouldn’t know is beyond me). The play this year is based on both a novel by Heather Hach and movie of the same name, Legally Blonde. The play is basically about a girl who enrolls at Harvard Law School to get her boyfriend back. The musical version, however, includes songs (duh) as written by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin. I recently interviewed Mr. Marshall, who is the Assistant and Technical Director as well as the Pit Orchestra Director, about the play.

Me: What made you choose Legally Blonde as a play?

Marshall: Co-Director, Lennie Machado (Mr. Arcello is also a Co-Director and I am the Assistant and Technical Director as well as the Pit Orchestra Director) and I had wanted to produce “Legally Blonde: The Musical” since we had both heard the music and saw the musical. For educational purposes, we like to alternate traditional musicals and contemporary musicals for the subjects of our Spring Musicals. Since we produced “Fiddler on the Roof” last year, a more modern show was an obvious choice. We did want to do this show a few years ago, but chose to do “Little Shop of Horrors” that year since the rights for “Legally Blonde: The Musical” were not yet available. It was only this fall when the show became available from Music Theatre International. Due to the fact that it is so new, the SBRHS Drama Company will be the Massachusetts non-professional premiere of the show!

Me: How is production going?

Marshall: It is right on schedule. The orchestra is almost done with the first act, and the actors are working twice a week on both the acting and blocking elements on Wednesday’s and on music on Friday’s. My Music of the Theatre class is currently printing tickets and working on the program, posters and other publicity. Also, my Music Production and Engineering classes are starting to program the lighting scenes for the show and will soon start working on the sound design.

In the next few weeks, we will be announcing sign-ups for the various tech crews for the show which include: Spot Light Operators, Set Light Crews, Backstage Sound Crew, Lighting Techs, Costume / Wig Crew, Costume Dressers, Make-Up Crew, Prop Masters, Set Decorators and Art Crew, Set Construction, Ushers, Publicity, and Ticket Sales.

Me: What is the music like? Is it upbeat, sad, energetic, lively?

Marshall: It is very modern pop rock yet it is very difficult to perform. It varies from many different styles and brings you on a journey that evokes many emotions and feelings such as celebratory, energetic, danceable, exciting, to love ballads and laments.

Me: How was it adapting a movie to a musical, or was it already a musical?

Marshall: It was a movie first which is not new to the Broadway repertoire. Shows from “Hairspray” to “The Lion King” to “Beauty and the Beast” to “Mary Poppins” all started as movies. Musical numbers can really help develop characters further than just dialogue may be able to do. Those familiar with the movie will recognize the story, but will notice that it is a more developed story with many musical numbers that add to the plot of the show.

Me: What are the sets going to look like; what are they made out of? How’s the building of those props/sets going?

Marshall: Set building will start in a few weeks. We will once again use our orchestra pit ramp so that many of the scenes can come right out to the audience, which was an exciting feature that we added last year. We will also be building many different settings such as the Delta Nu Sorority House, Harvard Law School, a restaurant, a hair salon, a courtroom, and a correctional facility to name a few. Those sets will even make their way past the stage into the wings and out to the lobby….but we are not ready to give all of our secrets away just yet!

I’d like to thank Mr. Marshall for answering my questions and can personally not wait for the play to be performed.

P.S. I will review the play.