Legally Blonde to debut in Sydney

It was announced on Tuesday that Sydney has secured the Australian Premiere of the award-winning Broadway and West End sensation Legally Blonde.

It was announced on Tuesday that Sydney has secured the Australian Premiere of the award-winning Broadway and West End sensation Legally Blonde.

Producers Howard Panter and John Frost announced that Legally Blonde will open at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre in mid-2012 with the assistance of the NSW Government through Events NSW and the City of Sydney.

AussieTheatre.com first broke the news that the show was headed to Australia.

Howard Panter, founder of The Ambassador Theatre Group, the largest theatre group in the West End and the UK with 39 Theatres, said it would be a sensational run.

“I’m very pleased to be bringing Legally Blonde to Australia with John Frost,” he said.

“This all singing, all dancing, feel good musical comedy continues to be a huge hit in London following its Broadway premiere season. I know Australia will fall in love with this wonderful musical and its heroine Elle Woods. Following the success of Guys and Dolls, The Rocky Horror Show and West Side Story, I wanted to produce another musical in Australia and I’m excited that it will be Legally Blonde.”

Australian Co-producer John Frost said: “I saw Legally Blonde in the West End last year and immediately fell in love with it. It is 100% pure entertainment, and will fit beautifully into the Capitol Theatre, Sydney’s leading theatre venue.”

Frost is breaking new ground with his partnership with Panter.

“I’m delighted to be working with Howard Panter for the first time, and we are thrilled that the NSW Government NSW Government through Events NSW will assist us to bring Legally Blonde to Sydney, along with support from the City of Sydney,” Frost said.

“As Australia’s leading city, Sydney is fast becoming the home for musicals in Australia, with shows like Wicked doing huge business, and attracting the Premiere of the musical Doctor Zhivago in 2011.” 

Based on the hit movie of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blonde the Musical was created by a top-of-their-class creative team, led by Tony Award-winning director and Olivier Award-nominated choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray). Legally Blonde will take you from the social whirl of California Campus life to Harvard’s Halls of Justice with musical theatre’s new stage heroine (and of course, her Chihuahua, Bruiser).The verdict? This much fun shouldn’t be legal!

During its first year on Broadway in 2007, Legally Blonde earned seven Tony Award nominations, 10 Drama Desk Award nominations and an Outer Critics’ Circle Award. The show also ranked in the top 10 for the most requested Ticketmaster “Arts & Theatre Events” for 2007. Since it opened at London’s Savoy Theatre at the end of 2009, Legally Blonde has been a smash hit sell-out success.