Orange Theatre Company will perform Legally Blonde the Musical, which is based on the book by Heather Hach and more widely known as the movie starring Reece Witherspoon. 

It will be Hannah Wisse taking on Witherspoon’s role of Elle Woods, a Delta Nu sorority president who is dumped by her boyfriend Warner and follows him to Harvard Law School to win him back. 

Elle struggles with stereotypes and snobbery from her peers, professors and Warner until she meets Paulette, a dog-loving hairdresser, and Emmett, her law professor’s nemesis played by CAT Award nominee Alan Moxey.

They accept her for who she is and ultimately help her to thrive. 

“It’s my favourite show because you can’t help but smile the whole way through,” Wisse said.

Asked how the plot fit into a musical setting, Wisse and Moxey said the story was made for it.

“The Bend and Snap [the comical demonstration of a flirting technique] in the movie is almost a song because it’s choreographed so it doesn’t take much to turn it into a song,” Wisse said. 

Moxey said the songs provided a greater insight into the characters.

“There’s a song for Emmett called Chip On Your Shoulder, which takes you into his background and his motivations,” he said. 

But adaptation from screen to stage does not mean Elle’s beloved dog Bruiser will not make an appearance – two dogs will appear in the show.

Wisse said she would be dyeing her brunette tresses blonde. 

“There are some really good wigs, but Elle really throws her head up and down and the dancing is really full-on – I want to be completely in it,” she said.

Blake Thomas will make his directing debut for the company and said he was already impressed with the cast of 30 following a high standard of auditions in November. 

He said the show was energy-packed with a variety of dance, music and colour.

“It shows a lot of challenges that people find in day-to-day life,” he said.  

“We put them on the spot [with the piano during a read-through before Christmas] and I was extremely surprised by the sound that came from the cast.”

Legally Blonde the Musical runs from May 11-20.

Tickets are on sale now through the Ticketek box office and online at http://premier.ticketek.com.au.

Adults are $52, concession is $47, juniors are $30, while a family of four is $150.

Civic theatre subscribers can purchase their ticket for $42.50.