Open Forum

  • 1.  Legally Blonde in High School?

    Posted 04-16-2014 20:49
    I read on EdTA where Legally Blonde made the list of top ten musicals most done this year.  I love this musical.  Is there a version I am unaware of or are there a lot of very liberal schools?  Aren't some of those lyrics inappropriate?

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    Linda Button
    Springdale AR
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  • 2.  RE:Legally Blonde in High School?

    Posted 04-17-2014 19:45
    We just chose this for our show next year. Will probably change a few lines, but will keep everything pretty much the same.

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    Carolyn Little
    High School English Teacher
    Toms River Board of Education
    Beachwood NJ
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  • 3.  RE:Legally Blonde in High School?

    Posted 04-18-2014 23:30
    This show was done at festival last year, a line or two may have been changed, but for the most part, the show seemed the same as what I have watched online. 

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    Katie Siegel
    ITO Chair
    Huntsville AL
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  • 4.  RE:Legally Blonde in High School?

    Posted 04-21-2014 08:41

    I directed Legally Blonde three years ago and my students are still singing the songs and loved doing it.  Yes - I kept in the "Gay or European" number. I did get one negative comment about using the Lord's name in vain in the first number "OMG" and contemplated changing the words to Oh my Gosh - but my music director said the S sound would make the song sound horrible. The only thing I changed was the lyric "as you pull her hair and call her whore" my actress had a different phrase every night "as you chase her through a grocery store" was my favorite. My thought is that the movie is out on Netflix and people can preview the show for content and plot line. I think the show has a strong anti bullying message and other important messages like working hard on one's education brings success, getting the boy doesn't buy happiness, etc.  The show was a lot of fun!
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    Marla Blasko
    Theatre Arts Director
    Columbia MD
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  • 5.  RE:Legally Blonde in High School?

    Posted 04-17-2014 11:30
    It depends on the district. I tried to get permission to do it (and Spamalot School Edition) and was denied all the way at the top. My students love the music and tend to use it when auditioning but other than that... it's a no for us.

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
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  • 6.  RE:Legally Blonde in High School?

    Posted 04-18-2014 08:19
    I just did this show in February. It was fabulously successful. We didn't change a thing. What i did do is in all the publicity, posters, announcements I made sure to note that the show, like the movie, was rated PG 13. Gay or European brought the house down. Didn't receive a single complaint. Additionally, we have three divisions on campus with grades running from Pre-K to 12. My show schedule is published to the calendar and the descriptions reflect which shows are appropriate for all and which are edgier.

    We are a relatively conservative independent private school. I have found that if you communicate with the audience and let them know what to expect if they go, and give them the option to skip it, you avoid problems.

    In Florida, our Thespian chapters use the asterisk to indicate if things like language or sexual content are in a piece. Before the performance, we remind the audience of the content with a curtain announcement. Ours said: "Legally blonde contains adult language, sexual content, and prejudice. If any of these might offend you, please take this opportunity to leave the theatre."

    Most of our shows are free and open to the public, so refunds aren't an issue, however if we charged, we would refund. We have never had anyone leave.

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    William Eyerly
    Performing Arts Director
    Oak Hall School
    Gainesville FL
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  • 7.  RE:Legally Blonde in High School?

    Posted 04-18-2014 12:19
    We just completed our run of Legally Blonde.  I made sure to meet with my principal to go over all potentially offensive or questionable language, lyrics, and story lines.  She was completely supportive and we received no complaints. We did make sure we put "PG-13" on all the promotional materials.

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    Susan Manst
    Drama Teacher
    Academy School District 20
    USAFA CO
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  • 8.  RE: Legally Blonde in High School?

    Posted 06-03-2014 11:55
    My school did Legally Blonde at Nationals last year! The show is exactly the same when you purchase the rights, but we changed some lines every now and then. However, we are from a small Suburb type town, and although we made some changes, or directors received a lot go complaints about how the show wasn't family appropriate because of the song Gay or European. We knew with our area some people would be upset by the song, but cutting it really affected the story and it was just too funny not to keep. So maybe it depends on the area? 

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    Rachel Gatewood
    McKinney TX
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  • 9.  RE: Legally Blonde in High School?

    Posted 06-04-2014 07:19
    I think the girl power aspects of LEGALLY BLONDE wash away the envelope-pushing content. Little girls and their mothers will knock your door down to see the show. They already know the story mostly because TBS seems to have the movie on regular rotation.

    We did not change a word of LEGALLY BLONDE when we produced it in 2012. (You're not supposed to change a word, of course). I was worried about the content of "Blood in the Water" but no one complained.

    "Gay or European" is too funny to be a problem at least in my community.

    I was approached by an alumni at intermission who complained about the use of the words "slut" and "skank." 

    The parent of a cast member wrote letters of complaint to my principal and I don't know who else about "taking the Lord's name in vain" in "Omigod You Guys."

    It is probably not for every community, but mine accepted the content and people still talk about how much they enjoyed it. LEGALLY BLONDE was a very big seller at our school--one of the biggest.

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    Mark A Zimmerman
    Theatre Director
    Akron School for the Arts
    Akron Public Schools
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