Legally Blonde: Omigod – looks like the Lyric’s won the prize

Omigod, you guys! Look’s like the Lyric’s won the prize…

Producers Howard Panter and John Frost today announced that the hit musical Legally Blonde will open at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre on 4 October, 2012.

The much anticipated Australian Premiere of this award-winning Broadway and West End sensation was secured for Sydney with the assistance of the NSW Government through Destination NSW and the City of Sydney.

Howard Panter is the founder of The Ambassador Theatre Group, the largest theatre group in the West End and the UK (39 theatres), and producer in Australia of West Side Story, Guys and Dolls and The Rocky Horror Show.

“I’m very pleased to be bringing Legally Blonde to Australia with John Frost. After two years in the West End, this all singing, all dancing, feel good musical comedy continues to be a huge hit following its Broadway premiere season. I know Australia will fall in love with this wonderful musical and its heroine Elle Woods”, Panter said.

Legally Blonde will be the third show produced by John Frost to play at the Lyric Theatre in 2012. Annie (starring Anthony Warlow) opens in January and brand new musical An Officer And A Gentleman (starring Amanda Harrison and Ben Mingay) opens in May. This ‘hat trick’ show is what Frost calls ‘pure entertainment.

“Legally Blonde is 100% pure entertainment, and I know Sydney will fall in love with the show as much as I have. I’m delighted to be working with Howard Panter for the first time, and to be presenting my third major musical in 2012 at the beautiful Lyric Theatre, under the new ownership of Stephen Found.”

Theatre fans will have to wait until February for an official casting announcement for the show. The audition process has been long and thorough, with at least 4 Australian actresses flying to America to work with director and choreographer, Jerry Mitchell.

John Frost told AussieTheatre.com in an interview that the ‘Elle’ hopefuls were flown to the US, subject to Jerry Mitchell’s availability so he could “concentrate and work with the girls” to select the young lady who will originate the role of Elle Woods in Australia.  (see original article here)

NSW Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, George Souris is thrilled about the amount of theatre playing in Sydney in 2012: “Next year is shaping up to be a very big year for musical theatre on the NSW Events Calendar with the Australian premieres of Annie, Legally Blonde and the world premiere of An Officer and a Gentleman”, he said.

“The NSW Government through Destination NSW has worked hard on a musicals strategy to ensure Sydney is the number one city for first run musicals in Australia. Like many others, I’m looking forward to welcoming Legally Blonde to Australia’s leading tourism and events city”.

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). The musical takes you from the social whirl of California Campus life to Harvard’s Halls of Justice with musical theatre’s new stage heroine Elle (and of course, her Chihuahua, Bruiser).