ACT 1
At the Delta Nu sorority house, word is out that Elle Woods is going to dinner to get engaged to her beau, Warner Huntington III ("Omigod You Guys"). Margot, Serena and Pilar lead the other Delta Nus to the mall, where Elle is having trouble choosing the right dress for the occasion. Later at dinner, just when Elle is sure Warner is going to propose, he breaks up with her, explaining that, with his departure for Harvard Law School, it's time to get serious ("Serious"). Devastated, Elle locks herself in her room. Twelve days later, the Delta Nus finally get Elle to emerge ("Daughter of Delta Nu"). Elle realizes the only solution to her heartache is to get into Harvard Law and prove to Warner she's serious enough for him ("What You Want"). Sorority sister, Kate, helps Elle study for the LSAT and, after several attempts and a lot of hard work, Elle's application comes before Harvard Admissions. Lowell, Winthrop and Pforzheimer, three Harvard admissions coordinators, decide to admit Elle after a very extravagant song and dance (which she submits in lieu of a personal essay), citing love as her main motivation.
On the first day of class, Elle meets her fellow first-year law classmates, Aaron, Padamadan and Enid, as well as Warner, who is shocked to see her on campus. Callahan (the most feared teacher at Harvard) kicks Elle out of class for being unprepared at the suggestion of classmate, Vivienne Kensington ("Blood in the Water). Callahan's TA, Emmett, tries to console Elle, but her mood only worsens when Warner confesses to Elle that Vivienne is his new girlfriend. Frustrated, Elle's Delta Nu sisters appear as a Greek Chorus to encourage Elle to stay positive, despite the situation in which she finds herself ("Positive"). Soo after, Elle finds the nearest salon and meets Paulette, who commiserates with her situation ("Ireland").
Afterward, Elle runs into Vivienne, who invites her to a costume party. Elle attends, hoping to see Warner, but is dismayed to discover she is the only one who wore a costume – much to Vivienne's delight. On the way home, Elle meets Emmett, who tells Elle how hard he's worked to get where he is and encourages her to do the same ("Chip on My Shoulder").
Time is passing quickly at law school, and Elle is working harder than ever, eventually winning her first court case in class and receiving a recommendation to apply for Callahan's internship. With her newfound confidence, Elle helps Paulette win her dog back from her estranged boyfriend, Dewey.
Back at Harvard, Warner and Vivienne win two of Callahan's coveted internship positions, and Warner proposes to Vivienne on the spot, right in front of Elle. Before her heart can break, Emmett shows her the internship list, and Elle is ecstatic to discover her name is on it as well ("So Much Better").
