'Legally Blonde: The Musical' is a valentine of empowerment featuring canine co-stars

The Wirtz Center is adding a splash of pink to winter in Evanston. “Legally Blonde: The Musical,” which will run Feb. 14 to March 1 in the Ethel M. Barber Theater, tells the story of Elle Woods, a pink-clad blonde from Bel Air, who discovers her own intelligence and strength while at Harvard Law.

Northwestern University’s School of Communication has long been recognized for its strong musical theatre program and consistently appears on Playbill’s Top 10 list of schools represented on Broadway. The cast of “Legally Blonde" features many familiar faces from recent mainstage productions including “Fun Home,” “The Waa-Mu Show: For the Record” and “Guys and Dolls” among many others. 

Based on the popular 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon, this musical adaptation explodes with high energy musical numbers and humorous songs you’ll remember long after the show closes. Director Christopher Chase Carter says that “‘Legally Blonde’ is just as relevant today because it is all about breaking down stereotypes,” and that the color pink is a statement of Elle’s newfound strength in the show. Although Elle follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard in an attempt to win him back, she discovers that becoming a successful lawyer better fits her skillset.

Alexa Moster, a School of Communication junior playing Elle Woods, says people might read Elle's pink and blonde exterior as dumb, “but she's anything but that. Elle takes an incredible, dynamic journey during which she discovers her intellectual potential and her civic duty."

Along the way, Elle enlists the help of several canine companions. “Legally Blonde” features two campus canines: Atty, who plays Bruiser, Elle’s stylish Chihuahua and Shlomo, who plays Rufus, Elle’s manicurist and confidant’s dog. Bruiser’s pet parent is Caleb Whittaker, a Northwestern student, and Rufus’ pet parent is China Whitmire, house manager for the Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts.

View the special video interview with Atty the Chihuahua, a.k.a. “Bruiser.”

Opening on Valentine’s Day and running through March 1, tickets are available now (and selling quickly) on the Wirtz Center website, by phone at 847-491-7282 or in-person at the Wirtz Center box office, which is located in the lobby of the Ethel M. Barber Theater.  Come see this powerful romantic comedy with a partner, with family or as a celebration of self-love.