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Davison & Halfpenny Go Blonde with Final Casting

Peter Davison and Jill Halfpenny have joined the cast of the upcoming West End premiere of Broadway screen-to-stage musical Legally Blonde. The UK production - which is led by Sheridan Smith – starts previews on 5 December 2009 ahead of a gala opening on 13 January 2010.

Legally Blonde, which premiered on Broadway in April 2007, is based on the 2001 Hollywood comedy in which Reese Witherspoon played California sorority girl Elle Woods who follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School in an attempt to win him back.

As previously announced, ex-Blue pop star Duncan James co-stars as Elle’s heartbreaker college sweetheart Warner and Alex Gaumond as her new love interest Emmett, along with Aoife Mulholland as her first client Brook and Susan McFadden as her sorority sister Serena.

Peter Davison, the former Doctor Who whose musical credits include Spamalot and Chicago, will play Elle’s Harvard lecturer Callahan. Jill Halfpenny will play “Bend and Snap” beautician Paulette. The former EastEnder and 2004 Strictly Come Dancing victor is currently appearing in the West End in Calendar Girls.

The full cast also comprises: Emma Bateman (stenographer), Dan Burton (Padamadan, Nikos), Darren Carnall (Kiki), Chris Ellis-Stanton (Grandmaster Chad, Dewey, Kyle), Nadine Higgin (Judge, Saleswoman), Ibinabo Jack (Pilar), Caroline Keiff (Vivienne Kensington), Amy Lennox (Margot), Andy Mace (Dad, Winthrop, Reporter), Sorelle Marsh (Courtney, Mom, Whitney), Suzie McAdam (Enid), Matthew McKenna (Aaron), Sean Mulligan (Pforzheimer), Roxanne Palmer (Kate, Chutney), Sergio Priftis (Carlos), Tamara Wall (District Attorney) and Ed White (Lowell). They’re joined by Jane McMurtrie, Sherrie Pennington, Lucy Miller, Fabian Aloise and Francis Haugen as swings.

Legally Blonde is directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. It has a book by Heather Hach and music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe. Songs include “Ohmigod You Guys”, “Serious”, “The Harvard Variations”, “Whipped into Shape”, “Find My Way” and the title number.

The London production is designed by David Rockwell, with costumes by Gregg Barnes, lighting by Kenneth Posner and Paul Miller, sound by ACME Sound Partners and orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke. It's produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions, Robert G Bartner, Ambassador Theatre Group, Jamie Hendry Productions and Act Productions.

- by Terri Paddock

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