Think pink at Legally Blonde: The Musical

Expect a lot of fun and, well, pink with Sudbury Secondary School's staging of “Legally Blonde: The Musical.”

The production, which runs April 25 to May 3 at the school's auditorium, is based on the 2001 movie “Legally Blonde,” starring Reese Witherspoon.

The story centres on Elle Woods, a pink-loving sorority girl who struggles to win back her ex-boyfriend by following him to law school.

In the end, though, Elle proves her smarts, graduating with honours, and being invited to work at one of Boston's best law firms.

The play's director, Sudbury Secondary drama teacher Line Roberge, said she thinks audiences will really enjoy the production, as it's fun and light, but also has an empowering message.

Grade 10 student Katie Harper, who plays Elle, explains that at the beginning of the play, everyone thinks Elle is a “typical dumb blonde.”

“She was from Malibu and lived in a sorority house,” she said. “But then she found herself and she really did prove to everyone that she was better than what everyone thought her to be.”

To prepare for the role, Harper said she tried to start thinking like Elle would, getting in shape, improving her posture and even speaking like the character.

Roberge said the 50 people involved in the production have been putting in long hours since January. Participating in school musicals is a lesson in perseverance for students, she said.

“If they get through this show, they can walk away feeling that they've really done something, and overcame things they didn't think, initially, that they could do,” Roberge said.

This is the first full-scale production Sudbury Secondary has staged in its revamped Sheridan Auditorium.

Although the renovations were done in September 2012, teachers' labour action during the last school year prevented the school from staging a full-scale production.

Roberge said she loves the revamped facility, as it has more room backstage, a loading dock, comfortable chairs for the audience and better wheelchair accessibility.

The play runs at 7:30 p.m. April 25-26 and May 1-3, with a 1 p.m. matinee April 27.

Tickets, which cost $12 for students and seniors and $16 for adults, are available for purchase at Sudbury Secondary's main office, Stage and Street and Jett Landry Music.

For more information, phone the school at 705-674-7551.