Cast of Legally Blonde The Musical announced by Rochdale Musical Theatre Company after hosting virtual auditions

Rochdale Musical Theatre Company has named its main cast for its upcoming production of Legally Blonde The Musical after hosting virtual auditions during lockdown.

After licensing the production earlier this year, Rochdale Musical Theatre Company faced a difficult decision to keep going or cancel the show, deciding to host virtual auditions to cast its show.

With 52 auditions sent in, and a call-back to chairman Dan Killeen’s house with an X-Factor style follow-up, the main cast was revealed on 17 July.

The story of Legally Blonde follows sorority girl Elle Woods, who ditches her fashion degree to enrol at Harvard Law School – all to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner Huntington III by becoming more serious and gaining a law degree.

Despite not being your typical law student, pink-loving Elle is one of the students chosen to help Professor Callahan with a celebrity case, and ends up defending one of her role models, Brooke Wyndham, a fitness instructor accused of murdering her husband.

 

 

Leonie Richardson will star as Elle Woods, joined by Zac McIntyre as Emmett Forrest, Steven Cheeseman as Warner Huntington III, Kyanna Cronshaw as Vivienne Kensington, Cesca Astley as Paulette Bonafonte, Terry Banham as Professor Callahan, Maria Markland as Brooke Wyndham, Katie Glover as Margot, Annabelle Taylor as Pilar, Michelle Barker as Kate and Jenya Robinson as Serena.

The audition process, singing, dancing and acting all took place via recorded video and Microsoft Teams.

Legally Blonde The Musical was written in 2007, based on both the 2001 film of the same name, starring Reese Witherspoon, and the original novel by Amanda Brown.

The show is set to be performed at the 4D state of the art immersive theatre at Matthew Moss High School in March 2021.

 

 

A day to cast the chorus, ensemble, backstage, front of house and any additional roles will be held at Legacy Dance Studio, whose principal Nikki Wilkinson is choreographing Legally Blonde The Musical, in 10-minute slots.

This will take place on Sunday 9 August: anyone who is interested should email their details, introducing themselves and what they want to do, to auditions@rochdalemtc.co.uk.

You will be given a 10-minute slot of when to arrive.

Founded in 1898 as Rochdale Amateur Operatic Society, Rochdale Musical Theatre Company originally performed Light Operettas and then Gilbert & Sullivan. 

It has a virtually unbroken history of performances since its inception with the exception of a short break at the end of World War One, and a longer break during World War Two.

Having played for many years at the Theatre Royal and then the Hippodrome in Rochdale, the society moved to a temporary home at the ABC cinema before moving to The Gracie Fields Theatre in 1977. 

In 2015 the society changed its name to Rochdale Musical Theatre Company as, in more modern times, productions have been musical theatre rather than of an operatic nature.