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Omigod!: Bundy to Step Into Tour of Legally Blonde for Six-Week Engagement
By Adam Hetrick
12 Jan 2009
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Laura Bell Bundy in Legally Blonde.
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| photo by Paul Kolnik | Tony nominee Laura Bell Bundy will return to the role of determined Harvard Law undergraduate Elle Woods in the national tour of Legally Blonde, which will next be seen at East Lansing's Wharton Center.
Bundy, a Best Actress in a Musical Tony nominee for creating the role of Elle Woods in the Broadway production of Legally Blonde, will step in for the tour's current star, Becky Gulsvig, who suffered a broken toe backstage Jan. 8 during Legally Blonde's engagement at the Kennedy Center.
During Gulsvig's recovery Bundy and understudy Lauren Zakrin will alternate in the role of Elle Woods for six weeks, beginning Jan. 13 in East Lansing, MI. Bundy is expected to remain with the tour through Feb. 22 when Legally Blonde ends its limited engagement in Houston, TX.
"It saddens us that Becky will be out of the show for 6 weeks. However, with proper rest and care, she will make a full recovery. Under these circumstances, we are extremely fortunate to have these two amazingly talented actresses, who know this role inside and out, ready at a moment's notice to hit the stage," said producer Mike Isaacson in a statement.
Bundy made her Broadway debut in the 2002 original cast of Hairspray as Amber Von Tussle and is known for her work in Wicked and Ruthless!, for which she earned Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nominations as Tina Denmark. On screen Bundy has been seen in "Dreamgirls," "Guiding Light," "Jumanji," "Life with Mikey," "Adventures of Huck Finn," "Home Improvement," "Strangers with Candy" and "Curtis Court." Bundy released her solo country debut recording "Longing for a Place Already Gone" last year. Prior to her Legally Blonde return, Bundy was living in Nashville, TN and working on a forthcoming album.
Tony Award-winning choreographer Jerry Mitchell, who made his directorial debut with the Broadway musical, also directs and choreographs the tour that launched in Providence, RI, last September.
The touring company of Legally Blonde also features D.B. Bonds as Emmett, Natalie Joy Johnson as Paulette, Jeff McLean as Warner, Megan Lewis as Vivienne, Coleen Sexton as Brooke, Ken Land as Professor Callahan, Cortney Wolfson as Serena, Rhiannon Hansen as Margot, Crystal Joy as Pilar and Gretchen Burghart as Enid.
The ensemble comprises Sara Andreas, Joshua James Campbell, Nick Dalton, Ven Daniel, Amber Efe, Alex Ellis, Jay Garcia, Spencer Howard, Paul Jackel, Sarah Marie Jenkins, Leslie McDonel, Brian Patrick Murphy, Mamie Parris, Tally Sessions, Josh Walden, Lauren Zakrin and Adam Zelasko.
Legally Blonde features a score by Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy: The Musical) and Nell Benjamin (Sarah, Plain and Tall), with a book by Heather Hach (the film "Freaky Friday").
James Sampliner serves as music director for Legally Blonde, with orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke. The production features scenic design by David Rockwell, costume design by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and Paul Miller and sound design by ACME Sound Partners.
The score includes "Omigod You Guys," "Serious," "What You Want," "Harvard Variations," "Blood in the Water," "Positive, "Ireland," "Chip on My Shoulder," "So Much Better," "Whipped into Shape," "Take It Like a Man," "Bend and Snap," "There! Right There!" "Legally Blonde," "Legally Blonde Remix" and "Find My Way/Finale."
Current tour dates for Legally Blonde include:
East Lansing, MI (Jan. 13-18 at the Wharton Center)
St. Louis, MO (Jan. 20-Feb. 1 at the Fox Theatre)
Austin, TX (Feb. 3-8 at the Bass Concert Hall)
Houston, TX (Feb. 10-22 at the Hobby Center)
Des Moines, IA (Feb. 24-March 1 at the Civic Center)
Memphis, TN (March 3-8 at the Orpheum)
Orlando, FL (March 10-15 at the Carr PAC)
West Palm Beach, FL (March 17-22 at the Kravis Center)
Greenville, SC (March 24-29 at the Peace Center)
Naples, FL (March 31-April 5 at the Philharmonic Center)
Clearwater, FL (April 7-12 at Ruth Eckerd Hall)
Durham, NC (April 14-19 at the Durham PAC)
Charlotte, NC (April 21-26 at Ovens Auditorium)
St. Paul, MN (April 29-May 10 at the Ordway Center)
Chicago, IL (May 12-June 7 at the Oriental Theatre)
Pittsburgh, PA (June 9-14 at the Benedum Center)
Dayton, OH (June 16-21 at the Schuster Center)
Nashville, TN (June 23-28 at Jackson Hall)
Kansas City, MO (June 30-July 5 at the Starlight Theatre)
Atlanta, GA (July 14-19)
Dallas, TX (July 21-Aug. 2 at the Music Hall at Fair Park)
Ft. Worth, TX (Aug. 4-9 at Bass Performance Hall)
Los Angeles, CA (Aug. 12-Sept. 6 at the Pantages Theatre)
Costa Mesa, CA (Sept. 8-20 at the Orange County PAC)
Hal Luftig, Fox Theatricals and Dori Berinstein produce the show on Broadway, in association with MGM Onstage, Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber.
For more information visit legallyblondethemusical.com.
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