I am extremely proud of this cast and crew after not having a musical production at Palm Springs High School in the last five years. This is my tenth year at the high school and I couldn’t be more proud of everyone involved with this production. From my amazing co-workers, to the cast and crew members of Legally Blonde, to their parents and supporters, this group of theatre lovers has dedicated large amounts of their time to make sure each production is their best. I am so proud of the students in this show because they have spent countless hours rehearsing and practicing their roles in order to make this show a success. I chose this production because it screams positivity and female empowerment, something I think our world needs a little more of right now. I feel that the musical has a great message for anyone who is told that they can’t do something and defies everyone’s expectations while staying true to themselves. Legally Blonde premiered on Broadway in April of 2007. Jerry Mitchell directed and choreographed the original production. The original cast starred Laura Bell Bundy as Elle, Christian Borle as Emmett, and Richard H. Blake as Warner. It received seven Tony nominations and ten Drama Desk nominations. The West End production opened in January of 2010 at the Savoy Theatre. The West End production was nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards and won three, including the Best New Musical award. The musical was recorded in September of 2007 and aired on MTV in October of that same year. Following this, a reality television program aired showing the audition process for the next person to play Elle Woods on Broadway. The winner was Bailey Hanks, who played the role from July 23, 2008, until the production closed on October 19, 2008. The runner-up, Autumn Hurlbert, was Hanks's understudy. The quality of our cast and production crew members in this show is truly outstanding. What makes this production successful is not only what is presented on stage, but the cooperation, mutual respect, level of commitment, and the teamwork that has been demonstrated by everyone involved in this production. I would personally like to thank a few people who have truly made an impact on this production.
Kyle – Thank you for your constant support, I honestly could not have done this without you. You have been my rock through all of this and I love you so much for letting me do what I love most ~ bringing stories to life on stage.
Kris and Scott – Thank you for being the best supportive parents any daughter could ask for. You two are always there to help whenever I ask for it. Thank you for also being amazing grandparents and caregivers to Kaleb.
Jan and Rocky – Thank you for helping me with my son and taking care of our home while I have spent many hours preparing for this production, I could not have done this without your love and support.
Jason – Thank you for helping out as producer, musical director (vocals), and playing in the pit band this year, it has been a great experience working with you and you have always taken a lot of stress off of my back by stepping up and helping me out whenever I needed it.
Matt – Thank you so much for your time and dedication to this production, the students have learned so much from you. Thank you for working as hard as you have on this production and going above and beyond to make sure this production was a success.
Chelsea – Thank you for giving up so much time in order to create these wonderful dances. The show truly came alive through your choreography and it has been a pleasure to work with you on such a great production. You have truly shown how talented you are, being a new mom and taking on some challenging dance numbers before leaving on maternity leave.
Donnie, John, and Kim - Thank you for taking your time in helping with the headshots for the playbill. The photos came out amazing! Thank you for also putting together such a touching documentary on our rehearsal process. I couldn't not have done this without your help.
Michael and Steven – Without your support and belief in our performing arts department, we never would be able to perform Legally Blonde. I can’t thank you both enough for helping us throughout this production and giving us so much of what we needed to make this show a success.
Hellena – Thank you for always being there for me every step of the way and always offering your assistance. This show would not have been as successful without your unique talents and thoughtful input with the production and during
every rehearsal. I don’t know what I would do without you by my side. You were always there to step up as a leader when I needed you to be and never said no once.
Ari and Yerika – Thank you for your dedication to this long and productive rehearsal process. You guys are my eyes and ears backstage and this show would not run as smoothly as it does without you there to make it happen. Thank you for filling in as actors when I needed you to be.
Rory – Thank you for your countless hours of labor that you have put into this show in building these sets. I couldn’t have asked for a better design partner, you always say yes to anything I ask for and I truly appreciate it.
Lastly, I would like to dedicate this show to my son Kaleb, this has been my first musical production since becoming a mother and it gets hard sometimes spending so much time away from him. I hope that when you are older you will be proud of your mother and all that I have accomplished, you are my pride and joy and I love you so much!
Allyson Boylan ~ Department Chair for the Performing Arts / Theatre Director ~ Palm Springs High School
