Legally Blonde: The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods | |
---|---|
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 8 |
Production | |
Running time | 44 |
Production companies | MGM Television MTV |
Original release | |
Network | MTV |
Release | June 2 – July 21, 2008 |
Legally Blonde: The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods is an MTV program created in order to cast an actress to replace Laura Bell Bundy in the role of Elle Woods in the Broadway production of Legally Blonde: The Musical . The show debuted on June 2, 2008.
The winner of the show, Bailey Hanks, in addition to being cast in the role, was given the opportunity to record her own single of the musical's first-act closer, "So Much Better". The show concluded on July 21, 2008. Autumn Hurlbert was the runner up. She served as Hanks' understudy and performed in the ensemble of the show (replacing Becky Gulsvig who left to join the tour). Bundy's last performance in the musical was on July 20, 2008. Hanks began performances on July 23, 2008, and remained with the show until it closed on October 19, 2008. [1]
Two other show finalists, Rhiannon Hansen and Lauren Zakrin, performed in the "Legally Blonde" national tour. Hansen played Margot, and Zakrin performed in the ensemble as well serving as understudy to Becky Gulsvig as Elle Woods. [2]
The show began with 15 contestants. All except the winner were eliminated over nine episodes, in which they performed songs and faced other challenges. A three-judge panel made the elimination decisions. Most episodes involved a small prize for the winner of the challenge.
Name | Age 1 | Hometown | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Bailey Hanks | 20 | Anderson, South Carolina | Winner |
Autumn Hurlbert | 28 | Mesa, Arizona | 2nd Place |
Rhiannon Hansen | 19 | Logan, Utah | 3rd Place |
Lauren Zakrin | 18 | Rochester, Michigan | Eliminated 7th |
Natalie Lander | 25 | Malibu, California | Eliminated 6th |
Emma Zaks | 26 | Bronx, New York | Eliminated 5th |
Cassie Silva | 19 | Los Angeles, California | Eliminated 3rd |
Celina Carvajal [3] | 28 | San Francisco, California | |
Lindsey Ridgway | 24 | Chicago, Illinois | Eliminated 2nd |
Cassie Okenka | 22 | Toledo, Ohio | Eliminated 1st |
This article needs additional citations for verification .(July 2008) |
In each episode, the contestants met different cast members from the Broadway cast of Legally Blonde: The Musical . They also studied a song from the show and faced various tests and challenges that were evaluated by the panel of judges. Most weeks, a challenge winner received a special prize to help them for the upcoming audition.
50 contestants traveled to New York hoping to star as the next Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical. An initial dance audition ensued, and the field was narrowed down to 15 girls. The 15 girls learned the song "So Much Better,” and a dance. Later on, the girls auditioned for the judges. Five girls were eliminated as the judges were not satisfied with their singing, and dancing, leaving 10 remaining contestants. The 10 girls were moved to a penthouse to stay for the next 8 weeks for their upcoming auditions.
Episode 2 was focused on acting. Scene partner Nikki Snelson (who played Brooke Wyndham in the musical) purposely drops a line during the contestants' auditions to see how the contestants react if their scene partner forgets a line. The girls also learned the song, "Delta Nu Nu Nu". The challenge winner, Bailey Hanks, won personal time with Nikki Snelson. She shared the prize with Ridgway.
After a grueling vocal workshop on spin bikes to test the contestants' stamina, Cassie S. isolates herself from the other girls by complaining to the judges that the other contestants failed to give their all during her rehearsals. The episode also focused on the song "Omigod You Guys". The prize was a manicure and pedicure with Orfeh (who played Paulette in the musical), won by Zakrin and shared with Silva.
The top eight contestants experience illness and nerves, while learning the song "Serious" and performing a challenging comedic scene. The prize was a date with Richard H. Blake (who played Warner Huntington III in the musical), won by Hurlbert and shared with Carvajal.
The six contestants test their dancing skills on the cobblestoned streets of Brooklyn and face a Hip-Hop dancing challenge ("Shake Your Junk" dance sequence). The song for the episode was "Positive". Lander won a yoga lesson with Kate Shindle (who played Vivienne Kensington in the musical), which she shared with Hansen.
The final five girls were given makeovers and performed the ballad "Legally Blonde." The episode's challenge involved modeling. The song was "Legally Blonde". Lander won a lunch date with Andy Karl (who played Kyle The UPS Guy and understudied Emmett in the musical).
Four finalists audition with a challenging number that tests singing, acting and dance. Their costume change skills were also tested, as was their stamina. The song featured was "What You Want". All the girls won dinner at the loft and Legally Blonde-style Tiffany necklaces.
Autumn and Bailey performed three Legally Blonde numbers live at the Palace Theatre on Broadway, and Bailey was declared the winner. The three songs were "Omigod You Guys", "Positive" and "So Much Better". In addition to winning a contract to perform the role of Elle Woods on Broadway for at least three months, Hanks was given the opportunity to record her own single of the musical's first-act closer, "So Much Better". [2] [4] [5] Hurlbert, as the runner up, will act as Hanks' understudy and perform in the ensemble of the show. Zakrin, the third runner up, will understudy the tour's Elle Woods, Becky Gulsvig, and will also be a member of the ensemble. And, Hansen, the second runner up, will play the role of Margot, Elle's best friend, on tour, as well as understudying Elle. [2]
In each episode, the girls meet a cast member from Legally Blonde: The Musical. Usually, these opportunities were awarded as prizes.
These were the following auditions or workshops for each episode. These are similar to "challenges" on other reality shows.
These were the musical numbers from the Broadway show that the contestants were taught during each episode.
During the course of the auditions, the three judges determine which girls to eliminate and which ones to continue in the competition. After the judges figure out who will go and who will stay they write the names down, in order by best audition, on "the list" similar to the one referred to during the song So Much Better. Haylie Duff is then given the list and announces the list in order. The remaining girls who are not on the list must immediately head to the building's casting office where the three judges will determine the eliminated contestant.
Number | List | Episodes | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||||
01 | Autumn | Bailey | Bailey | Autumn | Rhiannon | Natalie 1 | Autumn | Autumn | Autumn | Bailey | |
02 | Bailey | Lindsey | Lauren | Bailey | Emma | Bailey | Lauren | Bailey | Bailey | Autumn | |
03 | Cassie O. | Cassie O. | Emma | Natalie | Lauren | Lauren | Bailey | Rhiannon 3 | Rhiannon 4 | ||
04 | Cassie S. | Autumn | Natalie | Rhiannon | Bailey | Rhiannon | Rhiannon | Lauren 2 | |||
05 | Celina | Natalie | Rhiannon | Cassie S. | Natalie | Autumn | Natalie | ||||
06 | Chloe | Celina | Autumn | Emma | Autumn | Emma | |||||
07 | Emma | Emma | Celina | Celina | Cassie S. | ||||||
08 | Lauren | Cassie S. | Lindsey | Lauren | Celina | ||||||
09 | Libby | Lauren | Cassie S. | Lindsey | |||||||
10 | Lindsey | Rhiannon | Cassie O. | ||||||||
11 | Mara | Rachel | |||||||||
12 | Mary | Mara | |||||||||
13 | Natalie | Mary | |||||||||
14 | Rachel | Libby | |||||||||
15 | Rhiannon | Chloe |
Hanks was chosen as the winner by Jerry Mitchell during her final audition at the Palace Theatre. [2]
Autumn Hurlbert was declared the runner-up and served as Hanks' understudy while also performing in the ensemble. [2]
Finalists Rhiannon Hansen (3rd place) and Lauren Zakrin (4th place) participated in the musical's first national tour, respectively, as Margot and as the understudy for Elle. [2] Zakrin later starred in the first National Tour of Wicked in the ensemble and as an understudy for Glinda. Zakrin also closed the Broadway company of Rock of Ages as Sherrie Christian. Zakrin was in the ensemble and an understudy for Natasha in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 on Broadway, and was with the show in its two previous iterations Off-Broadway. She originated the role of Kathryn Merteuil in Cruel Intentions: The Musical . She most recently was in the ensemble of Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.
Natalie Lander Lives in Los Angeles and has prominent recurring guest star roles on ABC's The Middle, TV Land's Lopez with George Lopez, and TNT's Major Crimes. She was also a series regular on the Disney Junior show Goldie & Bear where she played the lead voice of "Goldie." Natalie has over 80 credits on IMDb that include TV, film, animation, and video game roles. Her father was David L. Lander, who played Squiggy on Laverne & Shirley.
Cassie Silva originated the role of Mrs. Wormwood on the first National Tour of Matilda after originally appearing in the Broadway company. She joined the Broadway company of Six as an alternate in 2022. In 2024, she performed as Anne Boleyn in the Six national tour. [7]
Celina Carvajal now goes by a shorter version of her name, Lena Hall. She has gone on to originate the role of Nicola in Kinky Boots and has also performed as Yitzak in the 2014 revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch with Neil Patrick Harris. [8] The role of Yitzak earned her a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2014. [9] Hall is also the lead singer of the band The Deafening. [10]
Emma Zaks, daughter to Tony-Winning Director Jerry Zaks, went on to perform in the Broadway revival of Hair. [11]
Cassie Okenka performed as Dorothy Gale in the national tour of The Wizard of Oz , was the understudy to Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde on Broadway and recently performed in the 1st National Tour of Wicked in the ensemble and as an understudy for Glinda. Okenka appeared in School of Rock on Broadway where she understudied Patty.
Rachel Potter performed in the ensemble of the second National Tour of Wicked and as an understudy for Glinda from August 2010 to February 2011, as Wednesday in The Addams Family on Broadway from March 2011 to December 2011 and played The Mistress in the first Broadway revival of Evita in 2012. Potter competed on the 3rd season of The X Factor singing competition show in 2013, and was eliminated during the third live show.
Libby Servais performed as an original cast member of the second National Tour of Wicked from March 2009 to February 2010 in the ensemble and as an understudy for Glinda. [12] She became the standby for Glinda in the San Francisco company of the show from February 2010 to September 2010, when the production closed. She was a standby for several roles in the original Broadway musical Lysistrata Jones .
In 2018, several contestants participated in a reunion concert. [13]
On April 11, 2020 YouTuber Tim Murray livestreamed a reunion of all the cast members. The girls talk about the unseen parts of being on the show and all the fabricated drama. They also mention where they are now and how the show affected them.
Robert Mills is an Australian actor, television host and singer-songwriter. He was one of the finalists from the first season of Australian Idol in 2003. He co-hosted the late-night quiz show The Mint with his childhood idol, J-Dawg, the two would go on to star in the hit show Young Talent Time, and was a regular singer on the game show The Singing Bee both on the Nine Network. Mills took part in the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars, and appeared on Celebrity Apprentice. In 2008, Mills won the lead male role of Fiyero in a production of Wicked, and continued the role when it moved around Australia. He has since starred in a number of popular large scale musical theatre productions. In 2012, Mills was announced as the host of Network Ten's revamped Young Talent Time. He played teacher Finn Kelly on Neighbours from 2017 until 2022. He is engaged to Georgie Tunny from The Project.
Elle Woods is the protagonist of Amanda Brown's 2001 novel Legally Blonde and the 2001 film of the same name as well as the 2003 sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde. Woods is also the protagonist of the 2007 Broadway adaptation of the film. Woods is also the basis of a series of young adult fiction novels by Natalie Standiford. The character is mentioned but not seen in the 2009 direct-to-video sequel, Legally Blondes, which portrays the adventures of her twin British cousins. In 2018, Ariana Grande referenced Elle in several scenes of her "Thank U, Next" music video.
Siobhan Patricia Dillon is an English actress and singer, who rose to fame when she performed in the British talent show-themed television series How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? on BBC One in 2006. Since then, Dillon has performed in the West End, playing the roles of Sandy in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre, Vivienne Kensington in Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Molly in Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre, Ellen in Miss Saigon, and Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard with the English National Opera. Siobhan reprised this role at the Palace Theatre in New York City.
Legally Blonde is a 2007 musical with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin and a book by Heather Hach. It is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name.
LaKisha Ann Jones is an American singer. She placed fourth on the sixth season of American Idol.
Susan McFadden is an Irish actress and singer. She is best known for playing the roles of Sandy in Grease and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical in London's West End and being a member of Celtic Woman from 2012 to 2018.
Lucy Durack is an Australian actress, singer and television personality who played Glinda in the Australian production of Wicked, and Elle Woods in the Australian production of Legally Blonde: The Musical. She starred as Tugger in Australian television drama Doctor Doctor in 2016 and as Roxy Karibas in Sisters in 2017.
Bailey Noel Hanks Weidman is an American singer, actress, and dancer best known for winning MTV's Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods. She performed on Broadway as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical in 2008.
Autumn Marie Hurlbert is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Hurlbert is best known as the runner-up on the reality competition series Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods. After taping the competition, Hurlbert served as a member of the Broadway cast in Legally Blonde: The Musical until its closing on Oct 19, 2008. She also understudied the parts of Elle and Margot on Broadway. Ultimately, Hurlbert did headline as Elle Woods in an October 2012 version of the production, directed by Denis Jones in North Carolina.
Erin Ashley Mackey is an American stage actress and singer, known for playing the role of Glinda in the Chicago, Los Angeles, Broadway, and Second National Tour productions of the musical Wicked. She was also a double in 1998's The Parent Trap.
Nikki Snelson is an American actress, who works mainly in stage musicals.
Caroline Keiff is a British theatre performer, best known for her portrayal of Nessarose in Wicked. She was member of the original London cast and performed on the show's opening night of 27 September 2006. She performed in the ensemble and understudied the role of Nessarose. From July 2007, she began to understudy Glinda. She then replaced Katie Rowley Jones in the lead role of Nessarose on 9 June 2008, while continuing to understudy Glinda. She departed on 9 May 2009, after almost three years in the show, and was succeeded by Natalie Anderson.
Lucie Bethan Jones is a Welsh singer, musical theatre actress, and model. Jones first came to prominence while competing on series 6 of The X Factor UK in 2009, where she finished eighth. She represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 with the song "Never Give Up on You", finishing with 111 points in 15th place.
Lauren Ashley Zakrin is an American musical theatre actress. She was a finalist in MTV's Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods, coming in fourth place overall. She has appeared on Broadway, as well as in national tours and regional theatre.
Nicole "Nikki" Christine Bohne is an American singer, stage actress, and dancer.
Celina Consuela Gabriella Carvajal, known professionally as Lena Hall, is an American actress and singer. She originated the role of Nicola in the Broadway musical Kinky Boots and won the Tony Award for her performance as Yitzhak in the 2014 revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which also earned her a Grammy nomination for the musical's official album. She made history by becoming the first person to play both Hedwig and Yitzhak in the same production during the national tour of the musical in 2016. Her other Broadway credits include Cats, 42nd Street, Dracula, the Musical and Tarzan, the Musical. Hall has also starred in Off-Broadway productions such as Radiant Baby, Bedbugs!!!, Rooms: A Rock Romance, The Toxic Avenger, Prometheus Bound, Chix6, Little Shop of Horrors, and the 2017 original play How to Transcend a Happy Marriage.
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Legally Blonde is an American media franchise created by Amanda Brown. It consists of American comedy films, a Broadway musical, a reality television series, and an upcoming television series. The films include two theatrical releases, one musical television film, one straight-to-home video release, and a third theatrical film in development. The installments follow the comical adventures of Elle Woods, portrayed by actress Reese Witherspoon in the films, a blonde California University of Los Angeles sorority president, who enrolls in law school.
Caroline Brickley St. Louis, known as Carrie St. Louis, is an American actress who has performed in Broadway musicals, including playing Glinda in Wicked.