From the halls of Harvard Law to the stage at Diamond Head Theater, Legally Blonde the Musical is ready to prove that its not just about the bend and snap. This musical follows the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls at Harvard Law School to win back her ex-boyfriends. However, along the way, she discovers her true potential as a brilliant lawyer and shatters stereotypes. ‘Iolani’s Musical Theater 3, under direction of Mr. Andrew Sakaguchi, has worked long and hard for many weeks to bring this beloved musical comedy to the stage, showcasing their hard work and dedication to the art. After going through the many steps to produce a well run musical, Legally Blonde the Musical takes the stage on May 3rd at Diamond Head Theater.
The process of putting on a production in such a short time is no small feat. It all starts with the students in the class coming up with a shortlist of about five potential shows. Subcommittees are then formed in order to research each show, and then their findings are presented to the class in order for them to make a group decision. Once the class takes a final vote and determines what production will come to life, it is time to cast.
Because of the students’ experience and skill level, auditions have higher expectations. Mr. Sakaguchi, one of the class advisors and directors of the production, expresses, “In level three, which is our most advanced level, the students need to prepare their auditions as if they were auditioning for a community or professional production.” As a part of the audition panel, he looks for acting ability, the capacity to take direction, and a natural affinity for the characters. However, some roles are more skill demanding than others. Mr. Sakaguchi explains, “The lead role of Elle Woods needs to have quite an extensive range and an ability to sing in her chest voice and her belt voice.” For the audition, students prepare a short, one minute song to perform. Ellis Honma ’24, who played Elle Woods, shares her audition experience, “It was very easy… I practiced the song and my acting choices for it to prepare.”
After casting is complete, it is crunch time to prepare and polish the production. With opening night just around the corner, the fine details need to be set and memorized. “We staged it very quickly because there’s just a lot to do in this show,” Mr. Sakaguchi notes. “Everything has been set, but we need a lot of repetition at this point to get it performance ready.” Besides the director, there is also a lot of stress and challenges for the student actors. Ellis explains a challenge she faced, “[having] the vocal stamina to get through the entire show.” Another actor, Jace Furuto ’24, who played Professor Callahan adds another challenge, “Memorization. I’m really bad at it. I have so many songs and lines to know and it’s so hard.”
However, the hard work is all in service of a powerful message ready to be delivered to the ‘Iolani community. “The show has a great message of female empowerment and also an emphasis on brains and intelligence,” the director says. “It goes against trends and norms of physical appearance and expectations of women. It’s an empowering message for everybody because it’s so female-positive.” This powerful image of a woman who is both feminine and fierce is part of why the role of Elle Woods was so appealing to Ellis. She explains, “she’s honestly an icon and such a powerful female character with great style.” In addition to her vocal skill, Ellis’s passion for her character contributes to the quality of her portrayal of such an iconic character.
Regardless of the chosen production, students in musical theater all share a passion for the class and the art of performing. Jace expresses his love and passion for musical theater: “I really just like sharing and presenting on stage. It just makes me really happy when I see people smiling and laughing.” It is clear that the students of Musical Theater 3 have a lot of love and passion to fuel their hard work as opening night approaches. Ellis adds, “I hope people feel the positivity that this show gives off, and take to heart the message of uplifting everyone and believing in your dreams.”
While many will enjoy the beauty and laughter of the final product, knowing the hard work and long process to the final show is not to be ignored. The ‘Iolani community can expect a lively, funny, and energetic show with an important and uplifting message.
