'Legally Blonde' to open at NMHS

NEW MILFORD, Conn. - Get ready because Elle Woods is coming to town. 

The character made popular in the 2001 movie “Legally Blonde” starring Reese Witherspoon and then again in the 2007 musical of the same name will soon take center stage at New Milford High School. 

New Milford High School Theatre will open its production of “Legally Blonde” March 14 at 7 p.m. The show will also be staged March 15 and 21 at 7 p.m., March 16 at 3 p.m., and March 22 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the 388 Danbury Road school. 

“It’s pretty faithful to the movie,” said school theater director Alessandro Amenta. “It still has some of the iconic lines from the movie.”

The musical tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl and fashion major who wants to win back her ex-boyfriend, Warner, so she enrolls where he is studying, Harvard Law School. She is accepted, and while there, discovers her knowledge of the law can help others.

Amenta said selecting “Legally Blonde” for the school’s spring production came from several factors, including the strength of students enrolled in the theater program. 

“We knew we had a lot of great senior girls – we look at who we have, who has been strong members of our programs that we can trust to take on these roles – and ‘Legally Blonde’ jumped out at us,” Amenta said, “The show features several great female parts. It’s a great show about female empowerment.”

Senior Jack Maloney, who has been in the school's theater production since she was a freshman, enthusiastically praised this year's pick for the spring production.

"My first thought when I heard 'Legally Blonde' is going to be the show is this is going to be the best senior year ever," she said. "It's the perfect high school sendoff."

Jack said she "couldn't wait to have the opportunity to audition for the role" because it's her "biggest dream role."

"I love Elle as a character," she said. "I think I’m very much like Elle. I'm optimistic. She's always uplifting others. I connect with her."

Jack related that all the love and positivity Elle shares with those around her comes back to her when she faces challenges.

The show features 51 students in the cast, 40 in the crew and 14 in the pit. Band Director Tim Polhemus oversees the pit.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Amenta said of the production. “And I enjoy doing a lot of these more modern shows…. I like doing something we haven’t done yet.”

The show boasts some challenges. Among them, 18 different outfit changes for the main character, several musical numbers that are 10 minutes long and few blackouts for scene changes.

“This show is especially one of most challenging shows for tech,” Amenta said. “There are so many locations, set pieces, a lot of things going on and off, and not a lot of blackouts.”

The director said one of the aspects he likes about “Legally Blonde” is the focus on costumers. Although there are many costumes for Elle, the ensemble also has some “great costumes” and showcases them in “an exciting kind of production number.”

The theater program has purchased numerous costumes throughout its history, mostly those that are able to be used repeatedly for various roles in productions. Unfortunately, the school fires damaged the majority of costumes that had been acquired, Amenta said.

“After the fire, we had to throw out most of our costumes,” he said. “We’re trying to rebuild our inventory.”

Some costumes are purchased, while other are assembled from pieces students may find at local thrift shops or have on hand at home. 

For this show, several costumes were purchased, the director said. 

“We try to push our production value so we can – we try – to make it look a little bit better, so people really remember the great show it is,” Amenta said. 

Putting on a production of this magnitude with such a large cast and ensemble, multiple sets, and a tight turnaround time from auditions in December to opening night in March requires a coordinated effort from students, parent and student volunteers, and 

“I tell students, it’s a lot of time and a lot of effort, a lot of work,” Amenta said. “It’s a short period of time to do all we have to do. It’s kind of chaotic. We put in a lot of hours…but before you know it, it’s over. But it’s really rewarding.”

The sets for school productions, including “Legally Blonde,” are built by students and parents. 

Jack praised the theater program, including its directors, musical directors, choreographers, and others who "are so kind and look for the best in us."

"They never fail to uplift us, make sure we’re on right track," she said. "I believe the theater and music students are some of the most academically well-rounded students....we’re such a tight knit group. We’re all there doing something we love and making a great production."

The senior is in the process of auditioning at musical theater schools.

"I feel like my time at NMHS theater has been so helpful in preparing me for these more real-world situations, auditioning for professional programs," she said, noting the program has given her the foundation she needs to be successful.

The cast is comprised of Jack Maloney (Elle Woods), Lurinz Serrano-Santiago (Emmett Forrest), Molly Coffey (Paulette Buonufuonte), Samuel Kent (Warner Huntington III), Meadow Hall (Vivienne Kensington), Scott Spinner (Professort Callahan), Melanie Mendoza (Margot), Mia Marchena (Serena), Carly Geier (Pilar), Phebe Seppa (Brooke Wyndham), Kyra Chandler (Enid Hoopes), Aiden Padros (Kyle B. O’Boyle), Himaani Pradeep (Kate), Jillian Sloane (Leilani), Addison Hernandez (Gaelan), Olivia Vanek (saleswoman), Chloe Desamito (store manager), Michah Curtis (grandmaster Chad), Brooke Buccieri (Elle’s mom), Curran Palancia (Elle’s dad), and Sebastian Berisha (Winthrop).

Also, Carter Pullen (Lowell), Sabatino di Laura (Lowell), Sabatino di Laura (Pforzheimer), Bryson Stevens (Jet Blue pilot), Richard Gergory (Aaron Schultz), Andreu Digiuseppi (Sundeep Padamadan), Nia Young (Whitney), Sophia Pinochet (salon cashier), Rowan Finney (Kiki the colorist), Poppi Crandell (bookish client), Sebastian Berisha (Dewey), Madison Fesh (Dana), Liam Cooley (prison guard), El Woodcock (judge), Peytynn Chhay (TV reporter), Amber Pedersen (stenographer), Cara Fergus (D.A. Joyce Riley), Joseph Digiuseppi (Nikos Argitakos), Joshua Violette (Carlos), and Ash Diaz (Chutney Wyndham). 

The ensemble is comprised of Sebastian Berisha, Ava Biondino, Cheyenne Brown, Leah Brunner, Brooke Buccieri, Peytynn Chhay, Liam Cooley, Poppi Crandell, Michah Curtis, Chloe Desamito, Andreu Diguiseppi, Josep Digiuseppi, Sabatino Di Laura, Ash Diaz, Cara Fergus, Madison Fesh, Rowan Finney, Lauren Gesualdi, Alyssa Gonch, Richard Gregory, Lindsay Haleks, Addison Hernandez, Brooke Buccieri, Lila Jelenffy, Emma Kavanagh, Thomas Neeb, Aiden Padros, Amber Pedersen, Sophia Pinochet, Haley Piper, Himaani Pradeep, Curran Palancia, Carter Pullen, Eduardo Quiroz, Bryson Stevens, Jillian Sloane, Olivia Vanak, Joshua Violette, Laura Williamson, El Woodcock, and Nia Young

Dance captains are Leah Brunner and Haley Piper.

Tickets for the show are $12/student and children and $15/adult. They can be purchased online at https://www.onthestage.tickets/new-milford-high-school.

Courtesy of NMHS Theatre/Rehearsals (without full costumes) are underway for New Milford High School's upcoming production of "Legally Blonde."

Courtesy of NMHS Theatre/Rehearsals are underway for New Milford High School's upcoming production of "Legally Blonde."

Courtesy of NMHS Theatre/Students construct the set for the school's upcoming show.

Courtesy of NMHS Theatre/Band members rehearse songs for the upcoming school production of "Legally Blonde."