A Study Guide for Teachers and Students - Legally Blonde: The ...

Legally Blonde: Introduction
LegaLLy BLONDe eDUCaTION PaCk
INTRODUCTION
CONTeNTs Page
1. INTRODUCINg LegaLLy BLONDe
A Message from the Director Jerry Mitchell
Synopsis
Definitions
Characters
2. BaCkgROUND
The Origins of the US Legal System
Key cases in US Legal History
Legal Terms
3. WOmeN IN The LaW
Overview of Women in the Law
Female Lawyers Case Studies
4. The aRT Of PeRsUasION
Thinking Like a Lawyer – Using Persuasive Language
Working for Change
5. eLLe ON sTage
Writing her Script – an interview with Heather Hach (book)
and Neil Benjamin (music)
Dressing her Up – an interview with Costume Designer Gregg Barnes
6. fURTheR ResOURCes
Introducing Legally Blonde: Director’s Message
a message fROm DIReCTOR
JeRRy mITCheLL
Behind every great musical, there lies a great director.
He or she is the person whose job it is to translate
the words and music of the writers into a living and
breathing moment that the audience gets to
experience along with the characters. In the case
of Legally Blonde, that task fell to the multi-talented
Jerry Mitchell. Jerry has a lengthy Broadway CV
as actor, dancer, and choreographer that includes
such hits as The Full Monty, Hairspray, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. With a
Tony award to his credit for his work on La Cage Aux Folles, Jerry makes his
Broadway debut as a director with Legally Blonde. But why this show?
Why would this talented and well-respected player in the Broadway scene
want to make his directorial debut with Legally Blonde? Here’s what Jerry
had to say...
When the producers of the show came to me and asked if I was interested, the
only thing I could say was YES! Why not? Elle Woods is a great character!
She’s a role model for us all because she is some-one who believes in
herself. She is a true modern hero. A hero is resilient. A hero is able to
forge forward, and not dwell on the past. That’s Elle Woods.
I love Elle for so many reasons, but I was drawn to this project because
in some ways, I feel a lot like Elle. I live a very positive life. Everyone has
successes and failures, but failures can be successes too, if you commit
yourself entirely to that event and learn from it - sometimes you learn
more from a failure than a success! She’s all about maintaining a positive
attitude about what you want to do with your life, and going after it. I also
thought that this story makes a perfect musical. When you have a character
who is larger than life, a character whose commitment to a goal or to
themselves is so strong – that is what makes them sing. They need passion
in order to justify songs that move the story along. Elle has passion.
Theatre – and especially musical theatre – has the power to communicate
a message to people on an emotional level, so that they really connect
with it. When people come and see Legally Blonde, I want them to be
entertained, and there is no question in my mind that this show is entertaining.
But I also want people to leave the show having learned this lesson: to thine
own self be true. When no one else is there to guide you and support
you, you have the power within yourself to accomplish your goals!
If you stay focused on what you want and who you are, it will lead you
to things you never dreamed you could achieve!
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