Musical actress Elaina O`Connor`s blonde hair and bubbly personality aren`t the only similarities she has with her legally blonde character Elle Woods, she also has an interest in studying law, though it`s not part of a plan to win back an old boyfriend. Based on the popular film of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon, the cheerful and energetic musical is a pink extravaganza, “Bend and Snap” that fits the plot of the film of an underrated ambitious blonde who excels at Harvard Law School while looking fabulous. “I`d like to do that (musical theater) for a while, but my name is kind of like a real Elle Woods, because before I found musical theater, I really wanted to study law in high school,” said O`Connor de Darch. Featuring other original performers, including Lloyd Hopkins, who plays legal conference assistant Emmett Forrest, the season also has other familiar faces from the musical theatre world, including Vincent Hooper and John O`Hara, who have returned to Perth due to the pandemic. Legally Blonde The Musical has shown that the future of performance in Western Australia is bright as local theatre companies continue to prove they have far more potential than it seems. The 21-year-old is slipping into Elle`s pink heels for the second time after hama productions` 2018 season and said she feels much better prepared for the role this time around. The pit was full of first-class musicians, conducted by Marty Pervan as conductor. Jake Goodsell, the façade operator, also deserved a special mention. Opening nights can sometimes be fraught with technical pitfalls, but there were very few clues lost and the band sounded fantastic, suggesting that more concerts will only sound more beautiful! “It was a low-risk idea in case I couldn`t perform anymore, given the extent to which you expose your body to performance. Unfortunately, something tells me that Law won`t be as much fun as he is portrayed in the series. Crown Theatre, Great Eastern Highway, Burswood, Perth.
“COVID-19 has made us all unsure of how things are going to go, but I think it looks good.” The Stage at crown theatre Perth will turn into a fabulous sea of pink energy as this entertaining production of Legally Blonde, presented by Hama Productions, travels to Perth next April. Legally Blonde The Musical exploded onto stage at the Crown Theatre last week with all the pink spark you`d expect from this pop culture favorite. Brimming with youthful energy, the cast was led by local darling Elaina O`Connor, who is a worthy headliner at just 21 years old. O`Connor is a captivating actress and a talented triple threat with an authentic sweetness that made her dominate the role of Elle Woods. “And when you`re on stage, the adrenaline really helps.” After surprising herself at the amount of script she remembered, O`Connor said her biggest challenge was less learning lines and more focused on her stamina, as it`s included in every song and dance number, including the amazing nine-minute What You Want. Perth has toured the world in the performance and events industry and is incredibly fortunate to be the home of Danielle Papa, whose avant-garde choreography has crossed all genres. The strength and technical prowess of the dance ensemble was impeccable and the creative team made good use of the stage. The staging sets were simple, but supported the story well and transported the audience through time and space in conjunction with four huge vertical LED screens. “I loved every second, but it was a lot of things I could record at the same time. Now I feel like I`ve finished my studies full-time (degree in musical theater at APAN Academy) and discover myself more as a performer to really better approach the role now. Thanks to Hama Productions and Lynne Burford Publicity, we need to win not one, but three double passes to the morning premiere of the show on Friday, April 16 at 1 p.m.
If you want to be one of the first fashionable in Perth to see this fabulous production, enter your dates below. Legally Blonde is full of high-quality rising stars, a large cast of dancers, singers and strong performers who fill the stage with relentless dynamism. Annie Aitken delivered an outstanding performance as Paulette Bonafonte, a New England beautician who clings to a hilarious fantasy of one day meeting an Irish lover. Aitken dominated the stage at every performance with his killer vocal belt and brilliant comic timing. His Irish dream turns out to be Kyle, “the ups guy, played by Vincent Hooper, who clearly had a ball that would hamster the role, which was reciprocated by a grateful audience. The pretty dimple face Lloyd Hopkins (Emmett Forrest) played the adorable and discreet hero who gets the girl. Among this powerful cast are two notable performers, Bella McSporran (Serena) and Charlotte Louise (Vivienne). At just 19 years old, McSporran has versatility, confidence and maturity beyond his years. Louise – chosen to play the role of Elle`s main antagonist (and her understudy!) – effortlessly broke a ridiculously wide range. Legally Blonde can be seen at the Crown Theatre Perth from 16 to 25 April. One wonders if you could find a larger crowd of dog lovers than Western Australians! Or maybe it was the majority young-female audience that breathed a collective sigh when the two canine actors were seen on stage. Admittedly, Elle`s furry baby, Bruiser (Bentley), and the bulldog crossed pug Rufus (Phoebe) with big French eyes were a damn sweet addition.
“I just can`t wait for everyone to be there,” O`Connor said. Based on the popular film of the same name, this life-affirming musical follows fashion and style lover Elle Woods` transformation after her life was turned upside down when her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, left her before leaving California to attend the prestigious Harvard Law School. Determined to bring him back, Elle Warner follows him to Massachusetts and brilliantly enchants at Harvard. But from that point on, things don`t go quite as planned. “The choreographer sent me videos of the choreography, so I did the movements at home and then everything she hadn`t given me, I jumped on the spot singing, so I get used to moving and singing again at the same time,” she said. Packed with action and exploding with unforgettable songs and dynamic dances, Legally Blonde is so much fun that it should be illegal! “When I first played there, I was very young, I was just coming out of high school, and I was still finding my feet in terms of performance,” she said. It can be hard to look beyond layers of pink glitter, high voices, and stereotypes, but this performance was based on hard work. Hama Productions` creative directors and producers, Marina Del Basso and Hamish McSporran, have assembled a high-quality production team and performers to ensure a satisfying experience for the audience.
We feature Elaina O`Connor as Elle, Annie Aitkin as her beautician friend Paulette, and Lloyd Hopkins as legal conference assistant Emmett Forrest. The stage will also star Greg Jarema as Warner and Charlotte Louise as his new lover Vivienne.
