It’s his first time as director and he’s handling the pressure.

“It was our first dress rehearsal on Sunday. I think we’re ahead of where I thought we would be,” he said.

With an experienced cast including Hannah Wisse as the star Elle, he says the production is on track.

“I’m enjoying it, it’s very exciting to see the show come together,” he said.

Mr Thomas works full-time in the theatre but on the technical side.

He said the cast started rehearsing in February and were now together three times a week ahead of opening night on May 11.

“They’re an experienced cast and they’re a hard-working cast,” he said.

Based on the Legally Blonde book and film the musical tells the story of a sorority girl who enrols at Harvard Law School to try to win back her ex-boyfriend.

The cast includes Lachie Wheeler as Warner, Danielle Cetinski as Vivienne, Katrina Kittler as Paulette, Graham Sattler as Professor Callahan and Alan Moxey as Emmett.

Panda the chihuahua will play Bruiser.

There will be eight performances over two weekends on May 11-13 and May 17-20 at the Orange Civic Theatre.

Tickets are available through Ticketek online or by calling the box office on 6393 8111.

Adults are $52.50, subscribers $42.50, concession $47, junior $30 and a family of four is $150.

The Orange Theatre Company’s production of Wicked won the top prize at the Canberra Area Theatre Awards [CAT] earlier this year.

The show, which had a successful season at the Orange Civic Theatre last year, shared the award for the Best Production of a Musical with a Wollongong production of Chicago at the award ceremony.

It was the first time since 2001 the company had won this award.