Ogunquit Tails: Legally Blonde "Goes to the Dogs!"

Where do you turn when you need a dog for a stage performance? Well today it is common knowledge that you call Bill Berloni, the leading trainer for stage animals. However, in 1976 when Bill Berloni was a 19 year old apprentice at the Goodspeed Opera House, he asked himself that very same question when he was faced with the challenge of finding and training a dog for a show. And what seemed at the time to be a short-term fluke, ended up being the experience of a lifetime, one that changed the path of his life and career forever.

Bill Berloni could not have foreseen the change his life was going to take when the producer from the Goodspeed Opera House offered him a part in his upcoming musical and his Equity card in exchange for finding a dog and training it to play Sandy in the pre-Broadway production of Annie – all without spending any money! At the time Bill’s ambition was to perform as an actor and he was eagerly seeking his Equity card. He thought the producer selected him for this task because he recognized a talent Bill had yet to recognize in himself, but the truth of the matter was that everyone else who had been approached refused, thinking it was impossible. Bill on the other hand, had never trained a dog before and did not know anything about training a performing dog, but, he wanted his Equity card and he wanted to be in the show, so he accepted the challenge.

The budget was another challenge. He was given $35 for the dog and all food it would need for the summer. He set off searching for the perfect dog in animal shelters. He was horrified to see the conditions stray dogs and cats were living under and vowed to only adopt abandoned animals in the future and began a life-long commitment to bringing attention to the needs for adopting shelter animals. After a lengthy search Bill found his Sandy,

The first time I saw him, he was sitting in the shadows, not barking or jumping. … When I stopped and knelt down, he slowly turned his head over his shoulder and looked at me with the biggest, saddest brown eyes I had ever seen. The card on the front of the cage said simply: 1½ YEARS OLD, MALE, STRAY, NO NAME. I stuck out my hand and called, “It’s okay, boy. Come here . . . come here.” He looked at me with those sad eyes for what seemed like the longest time. Then he crept over to me, lay down on the floor, and let me pet him. I smiled and told him everything was going to be okay.*

Bill bought Sandy for $7. Sandy became theatre’s most famous dog.

Since animals had been trained for television and film for decades, Bill thought training Sandy for the stage would be easy. He soon realized that animals trained for movies or tv had many chances to get a scene right. Animals on stage, just like the actors, could not rely on multiple takes to perfect a performance, they had to do it eight shows a week, and in addition, had to be trained to ignore the many distractions on stage and from an audience. This had never been done before. So, Bill spent the summer using positive reinforcement and conditioning while teaching the dog the theatre was his home and the cast his family. Through this first experience Bill Berloni developed his revolutionary humane training techniques. Annie went on to become a huge success on Broadway and Sandy “the longest running dog on Broadway,” never missing a performance in seven years. Bill Berloni has since trained about 200 animals and each one has been a rescue or shelter dog.

For the Ogunquit Playhouse production of Legally Blonde, Chloe the bulldog and Frankie the Chihuahua have been cast as Rufus and Bruiser. Chloe was in the original Broadway production of Legally Blonde. Frankie toured with Becki Gulsvig in the Broadway tour and is reunited with her for the Ogunquit production. Becky claimed that she and Frankie have a special bond and requested him for the role he will reprise!

Today Bill Berloni, in addition to being the go-to guy for performing animals, is recognized as an animal behavior expert who always rescues animals from shelters for Broadway, television, film and commercials. When the animals retire, they live on Bill’s Connecticut farm. Bill is the Director of Animal Behavior for the Humane Society of New York, author of the book “Broadway Tails: Heartfelt Stories of Rescued Dogs Who Became Showbiz Superstars” and received a Special Tony this past June for Excellence in Theatre.

*Excerpt from the book, Broadway Tails: Heartfelt Stories of Rescued Dogs Who Became Showbiz Superstars

BECKY GULSVIG (Elle) is thrilled to be back in pink! She starred as Elle Woods for 2 years in the 1st National Tour of Legally Blonde and received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for her work. She represented the show on the 63rd Annual Tony Awards, singing “So Much Better.” Broadway: Legally Blonde (Original Cast, Leilani, u/s Elle/Serena/Margot), Hairspray (Amber Von Tussle). Regional and tour include: Peter Pan (Wendy), …Forum (Philia), the world premiere of Baby Case (Ginger Rogers/Studio Sister), Grease, (Patty Simcox), and Lovers Lawyers and Lunatics (Eve Bursteter). TV includes “All My Children” (Jeannie Campion) and a national Verizon commercial. Becky’s most recent role is Mom!

MICHAEL RUPERT (Callahan) originated the role of Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde on Broadway (as well as the MTV Presentation). Other Broadway credits include Ragtime, Falsettos (Tony nomination/LA Ovation Award), City of Angels, Mail, Sweet Charity (Tony Award, Drama Desk Award), Shakespeare’s Cabaret, Pippin, The Happy Time (Tony nomination, Theater World Award). Off-Broadway and Regional credits include Dangerous Beauty, Elegies, Putting It Together, Falsettoland, March of the Falsettos, Baby, Adrift in Macao, A New Brain (Helen Hayes nomination), Golden Boy, Don’t Stop the Carnival (Carbonell nomination), Merchant of Venice, Leonard Bernstein’s Mass. For TV & Film check him out on IMDB. As a composer: Mail (LA Drama Critic’s nomination), 3 Guys Naked From the Waist Down (Drama Desk nomination), and the up-coming Holiday in Havana.

SALLY STRUTHERS (Paulette) is a two-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner for her performance in the groundbreaking series “All in the Family.” She starred in the Fox television series “9 to 5” and her own CBS series “Gloria.” Her recurring roles include the CBS comedy “Still Standing” and the CW’s highly acclaimed “Gilmore Girls.” Sally was “heard” as the voice of the teenage dinosaur Charlene Sinclair in the ABC prime-time series “Dinosaurs.” She is the voice of Pebbles Flintstone on the “Pebbles and Bam-Bam” cartoon series and the lead female character on the popular Disney cartoon “Tailspin.” Sally co-starred in two legendary motion pictures in the 70s: “Five Easy Pieces” with Jack Nicholson and “The Getaway” with Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. She was featured in two independent films: “Out of the Black” and “A Month of Sundays” with Rod Steiger. Sally made a cameo appearance for actor/writer/producer Mario Van Peebles in the Sony feature “Baadassss!” Sally’s first two Broadway forays were in Wally’s Café with Rita Moreno and Jimmy Coco and in Neil Simon’s female version of The Odd Couple with Brenda Vaccaro. For three years she starred as Miss Mamie Lynch on Broadway and on tour in the Tommy Tune production of Grease. In the 20th Anniversary National Tour of Annie, Sally played the coveted role of Miss Hannigan. She was named Best Actress by the Los Angeles Artistic Director Theatre Awards for her role as Louise Seger in the musical, Always...Patsy Cline. She won the 2033 and 2010 Ovation Awards as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performances as Agnes Gooch in Mame and Fairy Godmother in Cinderella respectively. She has starred in regional productions of Hello, Dolly!, Anything Goes, The Fifth of July, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, All Shook Up, The Full Monty, Fiddler on the Roof, Drowsy Chaperone and Curtains. For thirty years, Struthers has worked to help hungry and uneducated children everywhere visiting these children in the United States and many Third World countries. She's filmed numerous public service announcements and documentaries on their behalf. Her favorite child is her daughter Sam.

BARRY ANDERSON (Emmett) Barry Anderson is excited to be making his Ogunquit Playhouse debut. Broadway: Legally Blonde The Musical (Aaron Schultz). National Tour: Legally Blonde The Musical, My Fair Lady. Regional: Where’s Charley? (Charley); Bye Bye Birdie (Albert); Honk! (The Cat); Crazy For You (Bobby); The Civil War. Most recently, Barry appeared as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees at Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. T.V./Film: “30 Rock,” “As The Word Turns,” Forming a Guise. Barry is a music graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and proud member of Actors' Equity. Thanks to the family, Rusty, Marc, and Lisa. www.myspace.com/barryandersonmusic.

LAURA D’ANDRE (Vivienne) is, like, thrilled to be doing Legally Blonde The Musical and making her Ogunquit debut! Credits include: Rizzo in the Broadway National Tour of GREASE! with "American Idol" Taylor Hicks, Petra in A Little Night Music (White Plains), Eponine in Les Miserables (San Diego). She is a California native and UC Irvine graduate with a B.A. in Drama. When she is not doing theatre, you can find her singing jazz at Swing 46 on Restaurant Row in NYC. Thanks to the MINE, family and friends, and the parents. OMG You Guys! lauradandre@gmail.com

MATTHEW RAGAS (Warner) Matthew isa proud native of New Orleans, LA, a bayou boy from the deep south! But is super excited to be doing Legally Blonde The Musical up north in such a beautiful place! Matthew has been on tour for the past 4 years as Warner in Legally Blonde The Musical, Link Larkin in Hairspray and as the Swing in The Wedding Singer! This show is for all my friends and family that believed in me, you are my light, my strength and I love all of you to the very core of my soul! I AM!!!!!!!!

COLEEN SEXTON (Brooke 8/24-9/10) is so thrilled to be making her debut at The Ogunquit Playhouse in Legally Blonde!! A Jersey girl and proud of it! She is best known for her portrayal of Lucy in the Broadway production of Jekyll and Hyde at 20 years old and played opposite 8 different Jekyll’s including Jack Wagner and Sebastian Bach. You can also see her on the DVD version of Jekyll and Hyde starring opposite David Hasselhoff. Most recently, she played the role of Lady of the Lake in Spamalot at Gateway Playhouse, Brooke Wyndham for 2 years in the national tour of Legally Blonde. Coleen also toured with Wicked where she stood by for Elphaba, getting to perform in the role over 100 times! At the age of 16 she was cast in a band called 5NYand lived in Frankfurt, Germany on and off for 3 years... making an album and shooting a TV pilot. Other TV credits include “Law and Order,” “Third Watch,” “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light.” Favorite roles...Florence in Chess, Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and last but not least ....huge fan of the NY Yankees!!

JOHN ANTONY (Dad / Winthrop) Broadway & Broadway Tours: Irving Berlin's White Christmas; Stephen Sondheim's Passion; 42nd St.; Titanic; Sunset Blvd.; Annie Get Your Gun; Pal JoeyEncores! National Tours: Dirty Dancing; High School Musical. Off Broadway & Regional: Dangerous Beauty (world premiere); Mata Hari; Prairie (with Patrick Swayze & Melissa Gilbert); Chicago (New Hampshire best actor award 2005); notes to Marianne; Hurricane; Aida; Footloose; Sweet Charity; Funny Girl; Songs From The Tall Grass; Annie; The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg; Chess. Cast recordings: Breakfast At Tiffany's; Out Of This World; Pal Joey; Mata Hari. Film & Television: Nothing In Common (with Tom Hanks & Jackie Gleason); Night Eyes; Leo & Loree; “General Hospital;” “As The World Turns;” “Dynasty;” “Dallas;” “One Day At A Time;” “Fame;” “Joanie Loves Chachi;” “Chips.”

KEN ARPINO (Nikos / Padamadan) is ecstatic to be making his Ogunquit Playhouse debut with Legally Blonde The Musical! National/International tours: Legally Blonde The Musical! andHairspray. Favorite credits: Hedwig the Angry Inch, Hair, The Wild Party, West Side Story, Grease and 1776. Boston area native. Emerson College graduate. He wants to thank Marc and Rusty for these amazing experiences, his incredible Mom and Dad who have never missed a show, and his fantastic family and friends for all their continued love and support.

NICOLE BRANCUCCI (Kate / Chutney) is tickled pink to be making her Ogunquit Debut in Legally Blonde: The Musical as Kate/Chutney/Ensemble, the role she recently portrayed on the Legally Blonde: The Musical National Tour! Other Tour: Fiddler on the Roof (Chava). New York: Tess: a new rock opera (Retty). Regional: High School Musical (Gabriella Montez), Showboat (Kim Ravenal), Hairspray (Tammy), All Shook Up (Featured Dancer), RENT, Les Miserables, among others. She thanks Jayme, Marc, Rusty and everyone at the Ogunquit Playhouse for this wonderful opportunity and her family and friends for being the best support system in the world! A special thanks to my one and only Robert <3

CAROLINE CUSEO (D.A. Joyce Riley (9/11-9/17)) holds a degree in musical theatre from Coastal Carolina University and is ecstatic to be making her Ogunquit debut. She most recently finished the Broadway National Tour of Legally Blonde, The Musical as their female swing. Regional Credits include: A Chorus Line (Sheila/ u/s Cassie), HELLO DOLLY! (starring Cady Huffman), PROOF (Katherine), Company (Joanne), Sweet Charity (Charity), and CHICAGO (Velma Kelly). All my love and appreciation to Mom, Dad, Uncle Larry-- and Patrick.

KATRINA ROSE DIDERIKSEN (Veronica / Enid) Broadway/1st Nat’l/Vegas: Hairspray (Tracy). Off-Broadway: Bloodsong Of Love (Ars Nova); Things To Ruin (Les Poisson Rouge/Second Stage). Jerry Springer The Opera at Carnagie Hall (Shawntel). Regional Productions: RENT (Mimi); Grease (Rizzo); Hairspray (Tracy). Select Readings/Workshops: Carrie; Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion (Heather Mooney); BARE (Nadia); Clueless (lead vocals/female reader); Welcome to My Life (Amber). Katrina can be heard on various recordings which can be purchased online including Things To Ruin:The Songs of Joe Iconis (Ghostlight/Sh-k-boom records) & upcoming The Rock & Roll Jamboree. She dedicates much of her time singing with up and coming composers in the New York area, particularly as part of “The Family” with Joe Iconis. “Thanks to the continued support of my agents at The Mine, my family and my Husky!” Proud Actors Equity member. http://facebook.com/katrinarosedid.

TIFFANY ENGEN (Serena) played Serena in the National Tour of Legally Blonde The Musical after performing in Legally Blonde The Musical on Broadway. From Film, Television, Broadway, Commercials, Music Videos to Tours, if it involves making people laugh, she is on board! She plays Noreen (with twin sister, Brooke, as Doreen) in the Hairspray movie. Other credits: Hairspray (Shelley), Awesome 80’s Prom, 42nd Street, Drop Dead Gorgeous, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” and Naked Brother’s Band. As well as, appearances on “The Today Show,” “Oprah,” “Rachel Ray,” “The View,” and “Showest.” Special thanks to Rusty and Marc! Check out her web series Cooter County (cootercounty.com) www.tiffanyengen.com

AUSTIN HOHNKE (Aaron / Guard) Austin Hohnke is thrilled to be working in Ogunquit, Maine as it is the first town he’s been to on the East Coast outside of New York City. Recently graduated from NYU’s CAP21 musical theatre program, Austin has been seen as Hugo Peabody in Bye Bye Birdy, Sparky in Forever Plaid, and Dad in Steve Martin’s WASP. He plays the mandolin and finds ironing therapeutic. Austin would like to thank Congress for the shiny, new debt ceiling and thank Maine for its lovely lack of billboards.

ADAM JEPSEN (Kiki) hails from Chicago and is thrilled to be making his Ogunquit debut! He is currently a senior at Penn State University training to get his BFA in Musical Theatre. National Tour: Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow). Regional: Rent (Angel), Bubble Boy the Musical (Slim), How Can You Run… (Jackson), Standardized Testing the Musical (Darryl), Peter Pan. Many thanks to my family and friends, especially my mom and dad for their love and support!

BETH KUHN (Mom / Whitney) is thrilled to be performing Legally Blonde The Musical again in beautiful Maine! National Tours: Legally Blonde The Musical (Mom/Whitney/u/s Paulette/Vivienne) New York: Highway Blue (Manhattan Shakespeare Project), Uncle Pirate (Vital Theatre Company) Regional: Pump Boys And Dinettes (Prudie Cupp), Urinetown (Soupy Sue), Oklahoma (Gertie) and Big (Miss Watson). Thanks to her kooky family and friends. BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan…GO BLUE!

DAN LOBUONO (Kyle / Dewey) Broadway: Hello, Dolly! (w/ Carol Channing), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Original Cast), CHICAGO (Fred Casely). National Tours: The Full Monty (Keno) and CHICAGO (Billy Flynn u/s). Also, “Dancing with the Stars” w/ Lisa Rinna and Ann-Margret’s “Intimate Tour”. Thrilled to be out of his CHICAGO “blacks” and into his Legally Blonde The Musical “browns”! Ogunquit Playhouse debut and is tickled “pink” to be a part of this production! OMG!

CHRISTOPHER MESSINA (Carlos) is thrilled to be making his Ogunquit Playhouse Debut in Legally Blonde. Elsewhere: Tarzan (Terk @ North Shore Music Theatre), Hairspray (Paper Mill Playhouse and The Cape Playhouse), Pirates! (The Huntington Theatre), High School Musical (Paper Mill Playhouse). He’d like to thank Christopher and Jamie at CTG. A huge thanks to Marc and Rusty. Last but not least, thank you to my incredible parents for being there unconditionally as his support system.

AURELIA MICHAEL (Judge / Store Manager) was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Her dance training began at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and continued throughout college at the University of Maryland, College Park. She was a member of Culture Shock Dance Troupe DC for four years, and was granted the opportunity to perform with the world renowned Cirque Du Soleil. She is a recent graduate from the Broadway Dance Center Internship program and Motivating Excellence Program under the direction of Rhapsody James. She is beyond excited to join such an amazing cast for her musical theater debut!

MICHAEL MILTON (Bailiff / Grandmaster Chad) did the most recent National Tour of Legally Blonde the Musical, and he is excited to be going BLONDE again here at Ogunquit Playhouse! T.V.-“Gossip Girl” (Julian), Workshops- Frank Wildhorn’s Wonderland and Havanna, Cruise Ships-Regent Seven Seas (Dancer)/Norwegian (Singer/Dancer), Other Theatre- Hey Mr. Producer (Michael, Enjolras), Oklahoma (Curly), Grease (Danny), All My Sons (Chris Keller), I Hate Hamlet (John Barrymore). Theatre degree from Chipola College, and BTP alumnus. Thanks to my loving Parents and Grandparents for their constant support of me and the arts!

ROCHELE SMITH (Stenographer) is thrilled to be joining the Ogunquit Playhouse family! Most recently, Rochelle played the Stenographer on tour with Legally Blonde The Musical. Some favorite credits include A Little Night Music (Anne), The Fantasticks (Luisa), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Desdemona; A Play About a Handkerchief (Desdemona), The Secret Gardern (Mary), and Peter Pan (Wendy). A Pennsylvania native, she is a graduate of Penn State with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. Special thanks to Jan Neuberger, and love to Jake and Coco!

MAGGIE TAYLOR (Margot) is so excited for another experience with Legally Blonde The Musical and for her Ogunquit Playhouse debut. Nat’l tour: Legally Blonde The Musical (Margot, u/s Elle Woods). Recent regional: Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), Sweet Charity (Charity), Urinetown (Hope). BA Miami University 2010. Thanks Jayme, Marc & Rusty for this opportunity, & family, friends & all the Blondie’s for the love and support! Love to Chico and Roxy, Frankie and I miss you!

KASEY WALKER (D.A. Joyce Riley (8/24-9/10) Brooke (9/11-9/17)) is thrilled to be making her debut at Ogunquit Playhouse! National Tours: Ensemble/Brooke/Serena u/s in Legally Blonde the Musical. Regional: 42nd Street, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Who’s Tommy at Lyric Theatre OKC; The Sound of Music and Peter Pan at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis, IN. B.F.A. from The University of Oklahoma.

BRIT WEST (Pilar) originally from Dallas, Texas, is super psyched to be making her Ogunquit Playhouse debut! National Tours: Legally Blonde The Musical (Pilar), Nickelodeon’s “Storytime Live!” Regional: RENT (Joanne), Hairspray (Dynamite), HAIR (Ronny), Will Roger’s Follies, My Fair Lady, A Chorus Line, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. BA from SUNY Purchase. She would like to thank the West Family Mafia and the lovelies of New York for their unwavering love and support.

MARC BRUNI (Director) continues his relationship with Legally Blonde which began as the Associate Director on Broadway and continued in London, US Tours, and MTV’s “Search for Elle Woods.” Directing credits include Fanny (City Center Encores!), Ordinary Days (Roundabout Underground), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Papermill/Philadelphia Theatre Company), In the Mood (Berkshire Theatre Festival), 5 shows for St. Louis MUNY: The Music Man (Kevin Kline Award Nomination), Sound of Music (Kevin Kline Award Nomination), Legally Blonde, My One and Only, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Such Good Friends (NYMF Directing Award), High Spirits (York), Glimpses of the Moon (Oak Room). He has been associated with Walter Bobbie, Kathleen Marshall, Jerry Mitchell, and Jerry Zaks on fourteen Broadway shows including this year’s Tony winning revival of Anything Goes. Upcoming projects include Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Papermill) and Pipe Dream (City Center Encores!)

RUSTY MOWERY (Choreographer) is so thrilled to be bringing Legally Blonde The Musical to the Oqunquit Playhouse. Rusty has been part of Legally Blonde since its original workshop production in New York. He is the Associate Choreographer for both the London and UK National Tour productions of Legally Blonde. He was the Production Supervisor for the Broadway, US 1st National Tour and Toronto companies of Hairspray. His most recent work has been choreographing Legally Blonde at the Muny in St Louis this summer and working with Jerry Mitchell as his Associate Director/Choreographer for Hairspray at the Hollywood Bowl starring Harvey Fierstein, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Drew Carey, Nick Jonas and John Stamos. Rusty has danced on Broadway in the casts of Legally Blonde The Musical, Hairspray, Seussical, Ragtime and Cats.

ALAN J. PLADO (Music Director) is ecstatic to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse! Broadway: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Lunt-Fontanne). Off-Broadway: We’re Still Hot, Altar Boyz, Vineyard Theater, Sage Theater. National tours: Legally Blonde The Musical (Associate conductor), Menopause The Musical. Internationally, he was the music director and arranger for Menopause The Musical on the West End, London (Shaw Theater) and in Dublin, Ireland (Tivoli Theater). Regional credits: Chaps, Crazy for You (PCPA/CA), Striking 12 (Capital Repertory), Best Little Whorehouse... (Phoenix Theater); Gypsy, Cats, Footloose (Arizona Broadway), as well as appearances at Laguna Playhouse, Alabama Shakespeare, Milwaukee Repertory, and Geva Theater. www.alanplado.com

WILLIAM BERLONI (Animal Trainer) 2011 Recipient of a Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre. BDWY: Joe Turner’s Come And Gone (LCT), Legally Blonde The Musical, Annie (original and all revivals), Camelot, The First, Alice In Wonderland, Oliver!, Anything Goes (LCT), Nick And Nora, La Bete, The Wiz, (20th Anniversary revival and City Center 2009) The Wizard Of Oz, Dinner At Eight (LCT), Double Feature (NYCB), Chitty Chity Bang Bang, The Woman In White, Awake And Sing (LCT) and The Lieutenant Of Inishmore. Hundreds of Off-Broadway and regional theatre productions, tours, movies and television shows. Author of BROADWAY TAILS. Currently the Director of Animal Behavior at the Humane Society of New York. www.theatricalanimals.com.

JASON A. QUINN (Production Stage Manager) Broadway: A Tale of Two Cities, Cabaret, Phantom of the Opera, Urban Cowboy, Candide with the NY Philharmonic, pre-Broadway engagements of The Normal Heart, Annie Get Your Gun, and In My Life. National Tour: Tommy Tune’s Dr. Dolittle. Off-Broadway: Striking 12, Criss Angel Mindfreak, Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding, Rooms: A Rock Romance, Stomp, Roundabout’s Howard Katz, Beyond Glory, The Overwhelming. For Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS; Broadway Bares, Easter Bonnet, Broadway on Broadway, for The Actor’s Fund; Nothing Like A Dame, The Normal Heart. Also, productions for Lincoln Center, Chicago’s Second City, industrials include the re-opening of the Statue of Liberty, GLAAD Media Awards, US Open, Clinton Global Initiative; events for Miller Light, VH1’s Save the Music, The New Yorker, the NY Yankees, and the NFL. Jason is a credited contributor to several books on event management and has served as a professor and guest lecturer at several universities in the northeast.

TAYLOR MICHAEL (Assistant Stage Manager) is a New York based stage manager/ production manager. Some of his recent credits include: The Public Theaters Shakespeare in the Park, TRACES, An Error Of The Moon, Zero Hour, and the benefit production of The Normal Heart. Taylor would like to thank Terri, Hunter and Sammi for the constant support they have provided over the years. For more information about Taylor visit www.TaylorMichael.com

ROBERT ANDREW KOVACH (Scenic Designer) is thrilled to join the creative team of Ogunquit Playhouse. Off Broadway: Theatre Row: The Sphix Winx, New World Stages; White’s Lies & ImaginOcean (Drama Desk Nom.). National Tours: Non Eq. All Shook Up. Regional Designs: Theatre Under the Stars, Memphis Ballet, Walnut Street Theatre, Papermill Playhouse, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, and others. TV Designs: MTV’s Real World Chicago, CBS Weather Center, All In a Poker Game Show, & others. Corporate Designs: Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, GM, Cadillac, Morgan Stanley, & ConAgra Foods. Museum Designs: Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Kohl / McCormick Children’s Museum. Robert would like to thank Brad, Mark, and the entire talented Ogunquit team. Robert is a pound member of, United Scenic Artists (USA 829). www.KovachDesigns.com

BRENT M. BRUIN (Costume Design Coordinator) is pleased to be back at the Playhouse for his second season. He originally hails from Indiana where he received his B.A. in theatre technology for Indiana-Purdue University. He began his career at the Utah Shakespeare Festival where he worked alongside former Barbara Matera drapers. Currently he is working on his master’s degree at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts for Costume Technology. Brent would like to thank Brad and Jayme for the wonderful opportunity they have given him here at the Playhouse.

RICHARD LATTA (Lighting Designer) Recent credits: Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, The Devils’ Music, Meshugganuns. Projection Design team for: The People in the Picture and Thurgood (Broadway); Moby Dick (Dallas, San Diego, Sydney, San Francisco Operas) Visual research for the film “The Magic of Heineken,” Mazeppa (Met Opera NYC) Distracted (Mark Taper LA) Artistic and Technical Consultant for American Ballet Theatre. Ogunquit Playhouse employee since 1985.

JEREMY OLEKSA (Sound Designer) is really excited to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse. His Ogunquit Playhouse design credits include The Sound of Music and Sunset Boulevard. He has designed popular shows like Jekyll and Hyde, and Nunsense, and has engineered many others, Nunsense! 25th Anniversary Tour, National Tour of Peter Pan, and 75th Anniversary of Porgy and Bess. He also has worked on Anything Goes at Musical Theatre West and Arizona Broadway Theatre, Brigadoon, Man of La Mancha, as well as all of the 2009 season for the Ogunquit Playhouse. He would like to thank his friends and family and the Ogunquit Playhouse staff including Becky Shelton for all of their support.

EMILIA MARTIN (Hair & Makeup Designer) is happy to be returning to the Ogunquit Playhouse for her 5th season. Previous designs include Sunset Boulevard, Chicago, My Fair Lady and The Producers. Recent New York credits include, Broadway: Jerusalem, La Bete, God of Carnage, Off-BWay: 2nd Stages Vera Stark, Vanities, and The Spoon River Project with 22Q Productions. While not running a show Emilia is adjunct faculty for Wagner College, and this past spring at the Juilliard School. She is also a proud member of IATSE 798 as a Hair stylist. Emilia would like to thank Brad and Jayme, for making the Ogunquit Playhouse one of her favorite places to be!

GEOF DOLAN (Technical Director) returns for his fifth season supervising the wonderful sets that grace the Ogunquit Playhouse stage. In addition to his management skills, Geof brings a hands-on knowledge of the workings of stage scenery and mechanics, carpentry and welding, and is now taking on some design and re-design credits, most particularly with last season’s Chicago. Geof also serves as the Technical Supervisor for our Children’s Theatre shows. For the past four winters he has been the Assistant Technical Director at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre in Florida. Having grown up in a theatrical family (his mother a Theater educator, his father a professional actor/director) he continues the tradition here. His wife, Cheryl, is the Charge Scenic Artist and his daughter Ashlynn is an active participant in the Children’s Theatre.

HEATHER HACH (Book) received 2007 Tony and Drama Desk nominations for her work on Legally Blonde. Graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, School of Journalism. Worked at The New York Times Denver Bureau as a research assistant and Sports and Fitness Publishing in Boulder, Colorado, as a magazine editor. Member of Denver’s Comedy Sports improv comedy troupe. Worked on the TV shows “Caroline in the City” and “Dilbert.” Won Walt Disney Screenwriting Fellowship in 1999. Credits include Disney’s film Freaky Friday and multiple film projects, including an upcoming Reese Witherspoon project. She is currently at work as head writer on an untitled Broadway project for producers Joan Stein and Susan Rose. Also writing a semisequel to the young-adult novel Freaky Friday with Mary Rodgers, to be published by Harper Collins in 2009. Much love to friends and family, especially the ridiculously lovely Jason and Harper.

LAURENCE O'KEEFE (Music and Lyrics) received 2007 Tony and Drama Desk nominations for his work on Legally Blonde. Larry thanks all Blonde producers and creative team. He won the Ed Kleban Award, the ASCAP Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award and a Jonathan Larson award for his music and lyrics. Off-Broadway credits: Bat Boy: The Musical (Lucille Lortel, Richard Rodgers, Outer Critics’ Circle awards), which has received 100+ productions worldwide; music for Sarah, Plain and Tall, lyrics by Nell Benjamin (touring with TheatreWorksUSA). Co-author with Nell Benjamin of Cam Jansen (Drama Desk nomination) and The Mice. Larry is a product of his education with the Harvard Krokodiloes, the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, the Harvard Lampoon and the Actors’ Gang, but especially the incomparable Nell Benjamin.

NEIL BENJAMIN (Music and Lyrics) received 2007 Tony and Drama Desk nominations for her work on Legally Blonde. She is very grateful to her Blonde producers and collaborators. Their faith in her is the best credit she could list here. But for the record: Nell adapted Pirates of Penzance for Goodspeed Opera House, wrote Cam Jansen with Laurence O'Keefe, (produced by TheatreworksUSA), wrote lyrics for Sarah, Plain and Tall, and The Mice, won a Kleban Award and a Jonathan Larson Foundation grant, and is a member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild of America. She owes her parents more than she can possibly repay. Most importantly, she is married to a genius, which she highly recommends. Thank you, Larry.

MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (MTI) is one of the world’s leading dramatic licensing agencies, granting schools as well as amateur and professional theatres from around the world the rights to perform the largest selection of great musicals from Broadway and beyond. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these shows to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 60,000 theatrical organizations in the US and in over 60 countries worldwide.

Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the United States.Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence.

www.actorsequity.org

Fast, Fun and Frothy! Legally Blonde Starring Becky Gulsvig, Tony Winner Michael Rupert AND Sally Struthers to Open at Ogunquit Playhouse August 24!

For Immediate Release:

August 5, 2011

OMG, like, you totally have to see Legally Blonde the Musical, on stage August 24 through September 17! Get your pink on and join the Ogunquit Playhouse for this all singing, all dancing, feel-good musical comedy that is so much fun it shouldn't be legal!

This award-winning Broadway musical sensation is based on the hit movie of the same name and follows college sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods, played by Broadway’s Becky Gulsvig, as she puts down the credit card, hits the books and heads for Harvard Law School in pursuit of her boyfriend Warner, who just dumped her for someone more serious. There she encounters Professor Callahan played by the Tony Award winning actor Michael Rupert and proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style. Legally Blonde the Musical will take you from the social whirl of California campus life to Harvard's halls of justice with our heroine Elle, her Chihuahua, Bruiser and the bull-dog-toting-hairdresser Paulette, played by none other than Emmy Award winning Playhouse favorite Sally Struthers. Legally Blonde the Musical was nominated for 7 Tony Awards in 2007 and won the Olivier Award for Best Musical this past June in London.

Becky Gulsvig is reprising the role of Elle Woods after 2 years in the 1st National Tour of Legally Blonde, for which she received a Helen Hayes Award nomination. Becky was also a member of the original Broadway cast of Legally Blonde as (Leilani/understudy Elle/Serena/Margot) and starred in Hairspray as Amber Von Tussle. The Tony Award winning actor Michael Rupert joins the cast as professor Callahan, the role he originated on Broadway (as well as the MTV Presentation). Mr. Rupert’s other Broadway credits include Ragtime, Falsettos (Tony nomination/LA Ovation Award), City of Angels, Mail, Sweet Charity (Tony Award, Drama Desk Award), Shakespeare’s Cabaret, Pippin, The Happy Time (Tony nomination, Theater World Award).

Sally Struthers is best known for her comedic roles and is a highly acclaimed actress of stage, television and screen, winning two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for her performances in television’s groundbreaking series "All in the Family." She starred in the Fox television series 9 to 5, her own CBS series Gloria and had recurring roles in the CBS comedy "Still Standing" and the CW’s highly acclaimed "Gilmore Girls." Sally appeared last year at the Ogunquit Playhouse as Mama Morton in the hit production Chicago.

Director for the Ogunquit production is Marc Bruni whose relationship with Legally Blonde began as the Associate Director on Broadway, and then with the London and U.S. Tours and MTV’s “Search for Elle Woods.” In addition to his many directing credits in regional theatres across the county, he has been associated with Walter Bobbie, Kathleen Marshall, Jerry Mitchell and Jerry Zaks on fourteen Broadway shows including this year’s Tony winning revival of Anything Goes. Rusty Mowery joins the creative team as choreographer. Rusty has been part of Legally Blonde since its original workshop production in New York and is the Associate Choreographer for both the London and UK National Tour productions. In addition, Rusty has danced on Broadway in the casts of Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Seussical, Ragtimeand Cats.

Featured in the Ogunquit Playhouse production of Legally Blonde are two of Bill Berloni’s dogs, Frankie the Chihuahua and Chloe the Bulldog. Bill Berloni is the top recognized trainer for theatrical animals in the U.S. and was the 2011 recipient of a Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre, honoring his 30 years of rescuing shelter dogs and humanely training them for a career in the entertainment industry. Bill’s animals have appeared in hundreds of Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theatre productions, tours, movies and television shows all starting with Annie in 1977. Frankie will reprise his role as Bruiser after touring with Becky Gulsvig in the original Broadway tour. Chloe will return to the role of Rufus, the role she originated on Broadway.

The fall ushers in one of the most stunning Broadway blockbusters of all time, Miss Saigon, an epic love story that will touch your heart and haunt your memory, on stage September 21 through October 23. This compelling tale, a modern variation of Madame Butterfly by the creators of Les Misérables, shares the emotional story of an American GI and his love affair with a Vietnamese girl in a world torn apart by war. From the first sound of a helicopter flying as the sun rises over Saigon during the Overture, to the show's powerful ending, Miss Saigon will take you on a touching journey about unwavering love and self sacrifice. The emotionally powerful score features the show stopping “The Movie in My Mind,” “I Still Believe,” “Why God Why” and “The American Dream.”

Take advantage of Super Saver seats and new standard price rollbacks now available online or through the Box Office. Prices range from $49 to $76.50. The Ogunquit Playhouse is America’s Foremost Summer Theatre, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, producing the finest Broadway musicals each season, with performances Tuesday through Sunday until October 23, 2011. For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season, visit our website www.ogunquitplayhouse.org. Tickets on-line or by calling the local box office at 207-646-5511.

The overjoyed girls of UCLA's sorority Delta Nu, led by Margot, Serena, and Pilar, celebrate the engagement of Warner Huntington III to their perky, sweet, and strikingly blonde sorority president, Elle Woods, who is fretting over finding the perfect dress for the occasion ("Omigod You Guys"). Once she acquires her dream dress, Elle goes to dinner with Warner, where he tells her that he needs someone more serious ("Serious") and breaks up with her. Elle is devastated and sulks for twelve days but decides to chase Warner to Harvard Law School to show him that she can be serious. With help from Delta Nu sister Kate, Elle studies for the LSATs. Instead of writing a personal essay, Elle bursts into the Harvard admission offices backed by a squad of cheerleaders. She is accepted after revealing she is motivated by love ("What You Want").

Elle's snobby classmates disapprove of her attire, and the only person who is willing to help her is law teaching assistant, Emmett Forrest ("The Harvard Variations"). However, he cannot protect her in class from the blood-thirsty Professor Callahan ("Blood in the Water"). Callahan kicks the under-prepared Elle out of class at the suggestion of her classmate Vivienne Kensington, who happens to be Warner's new girlfriend. This "tragedy" summons the apparitions of the sisters of Delta Nu, who, acting as a Greek Chorus visible and audible only to Elle, tell her to stay positive ("Positive"). Elle, deciding that being blonde is the problem, decides to become a brunette. She heads to the Hair Affair salon where she meets the spunky beautician Paulette, who tells Elle that when she is down, she puts on her favorite CD, and dreams of Ireland ("Ireland"). At the salon, Vivienne gives Elle an unexpected invitation to a costume party. Paulette sends Elle off with a costume for the party, her positivity and blonde hair still intact ("Ireland (Reprise)").

Walking into the party as a Playboy Bunny, Elle soon realizes that she was tricked by Vivienne but courageously seeks Warner in an effort to win him back, leaving him unimpressed ("Serious (Reprise)"). Elle runs from the party, only to meet Emmett, who struggles to understand Elle's love problems. He has Elle assess her priorities until she realizes it is her obsession with Warner that keeps her from earning his respect ("Chip on My Shoulder"). Freed from her need to please Warner, she defeats him in a classroom debate. Elle then helps Paulette in a way that proves she is beginning to understand law. Warner and Vivienne win two of Callahan's coveted internship positions, and Warner proposes to Vivienne on the spot right in front of Elle. Vivienne accepts, with a kiss and a yes. Before Elle's heart can break, Emmett shows her the internship list. Below the names of Vivienne, Warner, and classmate Enid Hoopes is the name Elle Woods, at which she is ecstatic ("So Much Better").

Act II begins with fitness queen, Brooke Wyndham, and her fitness team's workout video, which is being viewed by Elle, Callahan, Emmett, Vivienne, Warner, and Enid ("Whipped Into Shape"). Callahan tells the legal team that Brooke is accused of murdering her billionaire husband. The "video" then turns into a scene from the jail, where Brooke leads the inmates into a fitness frenzy. Brooke then privately tells Elle her alibi, that she was getting liposuction, but makes Elle promise not to tell anyone ("Delta Nu Nu Nu"). Because of Elle's loyalty to her client and refusal to state the alibi, Elle and Emmett are shunned by the group. To cheer Emmett up and to increase his chances of impressing Callahan, Elle gives him a makeover ("Take It Like A Man").

Back at the Hair Affair, Elle is getting a manicure when Kyle, the sexy UPS guy, walks into the salon to deliver a package to Paulette. Paulette is in complete awe. When he leaves, Pilar, Serena, and Margot are summoned by Paulette's amazing "Bend and Snap" when picking up the UPS package. The sorority girls tell Paulette to use the "Bend and Snap" on Kyle, but when she does, she accidentally breaks his nose ("Bend and Snap").

In the courtroom, we see Nikos, Brooke's pool boy, being questioned by the D.A. about his "love affair" with Brooke. After doing the Bend and Snap in front of Nikos and getting no attention, Elle is convinced that Nikos is gay. Callahan and her teammates do not believe her, simply thinking that he is just European ("Gay or European!"). Emmett decides to question Nikos on the stand, and successfully makes Nikos slip and state his boyfriend's name Carlos. Niko quickly covers that he misunderstood the word "boyfriend" as "Best Friend." Carlos, Niko's Boyfriend, appears at the end of the courtroom, fed up with the closeted nature of his boyfriend, and proclaims Nikos's homosexuality. At the end of the song, Nikos confesses that he is indeed gay AND European.

Later that night in Callahan's office, the interns celebrate Elle's skill. Warner finds problems with calling a finely tuned awareness of homosexuality a legal victory. Callahan, annoyed with Warner's behavior, sends Warner out of the room to fetch a coffee. Callahan dismisses Emmett and the other interns but requests Elle to remain for a few moments. Callahan forcibly kisses Elle, who slaps him. In turn, Callahan fires her. Warner and Vivienne both saw the kiss through the door of the room. Warner turns away in anger, leaving Vivienne to be the only one to witness the slap. After Callahan leaves, Warner re-enters the office and mocks Elle, but Vivienne tells him to shut up and they both leave. A defeated Elle prepares to go home, even though Emmett asks her to stay, finally realizing that he is in love with her ("Legally Blonde").

Elle heads to the Hair Affair to say goodbye to Paulette, but before she can leave, Vivienne and Enid convince Elle otherwise ("Legally Blonde Remix"). Elle discards her lawyerly navy suits, dons a pink dress (or pink lawyer suit) and leads a parade back to the courtroom. They meet Kyle on the way, who takes a liking to Paulette, and reveals himself to be the Irish man of her dreams, prompting to Irish Dance amongst the ensemble. Back at the trial, Brooke fires Callahan and hires Elle. Brooke's stepdaughter Chutney goes to the witness stand and her testimony is damning, stating after she got out of the shower she saw Brook covered in her father's blood. After Chutney states she received a perm the day of the murder, Elle realizes a flaw in Chutney's alibi and suggests that the entire court should be moved to the scene of the crime - the bathroom where the murder took place ("Scene of the Crime"). As a demonstration, Elle asks Paulette to give Enid a perm, and asks Enid to step into the shower upon entering the crime scene. Relying on her knowledge of hair maintenance, Elle's demonstration is successful as Enid walks out of the shower with completely flattened hair—revealing that Chutney could not have possibly gotten a perm because her hair was still intact. Under Elle's intense questioning, Chutney accidentally confesses that she killed her father. Warner proposes to Elle, having been dumped by Vivienne. Elle gently refuses, claiming to have been changed by the experience ("Find My Way").

Three years later, Elle ends up as the valedictorian of her class. Paulette tells the audience that Elle is not one to brag about her valedictorian status, so she decided to allow Paulette to play "Where are they now" during her speech. Paulette says that Enid practices family law, Vivienne is training for the Peace Corps, and Warner dropped out and pursues a modeling career. Callahan ran for governor but was defeated, and his wife hired Emmett to handle their divorce. Paulette married Kyle, had two kids, and is pregnant with a third. They live in Worcester, Massachusetts and Paulette bought a new salon (the Worcester detail was taken from the London script, and replaced with the detail that a child of hers was named Seamus) At the end of the graduation, Elle proposes to Emmett, and Emmett accepts ("Finale").

-From Wikipedia