How you can become Legally Blonde – by joining York’s newest theatre company
Hold on to your highlights, law books and chihuahuas, Elle Woods is back in town! A brand new theatre company is set to whip up a production of this beloved musical.
Take a trip to Harvard this spring at the Joseph Rowntree theatre to catch Legally Blonde, the feel-good musical comedy with enormous heart. A tale of strong women, smashing stereotypes and spectacular musical numbers such as “What You Want”, “So Much Better” and “Bend And Snap” this show is a delight for all ages.
Royal Circle Productions is a brand new theatre company based in York. Founded by Katie McManus, the company is set to put on a production of Legally Blonde in April 2020 at Joseph Rowntree Theatre. Auditions are at the end of this month and are open to everyone 16+ of all levels of ability and experience.
Katie McManus has a large variety of amateur and professional theatre credits to her name, including working backstage at Mamma Mia! at the Novello Thetare in London’s West End. She is delighted to be bringing a new musical theatre company to York and putting on her dream production of Legally Blonde.
After growing up singing and dancing on stage, her love for working backstage and bringing a show to life was ignited by being a part of the Musical Production Society (MPS) at York St. John University.
After being a member while at university Katie kept returning to continue helping MPS (to everyone’s great relief!) with everything from lighting to set to props and working backstage on show week. This is what inspired Katie to want to start her own theatre company, particularly after working with MPS’s 2017 production of Legally Blonde.
“Legally Blonde quickly became a favourite. I really relate to the show, of being blonde myself” Katie jokes. “I love the story, and the story of someone being able to prove themselves and that they’re more than what’s just on the outside. I feel like that’s what I’m doing myself now with this theatre company. And I love dogs,” Katie adds. “Pink, dogs, and trying to prove yourself. Put those all together and you have Legally Blonde.”
“Years ago I had the dream of doing something like this,” Katie tells me. “After leaving MPS I missed arranging things and with friends’ encouragement, I just thought this is the year to prove to myself that I can do it.”
Something Katie loves about York is the vast arts scene and the amateur theatre scene, and the support and camaraderie for amateur theatre groups and performances. Katie tells me, “I’d like to think that my target audience is for young adults between 18-30, I don’t think that there’s anything specifically for them at the minute. I think there is a lot around for children, there’s lots of theatre groups aimed at them. There’s a few that are aimed at older adults as well, and I know that there is a few more that are aimed at everybody but I’d like to think that young adults have been my primary target audience. I’ve been to a few where I’ve been the youngest and there’s been people up to their 60s or 70s there, I mean you can mix and make friends but I’ve sometimes felt out of place.”
A long term aim for Royal Circle Productions is to expand by “putting on classes and still being a theatre company but also becoming a stage school, like an extra curricular type thing and growing still within the arts industry.”
But for now? “My aim for this year and for Legally Blonde is to get a really good cast and for it to look as professional as possible but for people to have fun doing it as well. I want people to engage and think ‘I’m really looking forward to coming back next week.’”
The creative team for Legally Blonde is made up of Katie McManus (Director/Producer), Adam Parrish (Musical Director), Siobhan Allen (Choreographer), Sophie Cunningham (Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain), Sally Langan (Assistant Director), Lisa Skelton (Creative Assistant), Rachel Wilson (Creative Assistant), Dan Breeze (Creative Assistant), and Jordan Malthouse (Marketing/Publicity).
Initial auditions are August 31st with recall auditions the next day, both will be at York Dance Space. Rehearsals are due to start September 5th, and will be twice a week every Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon. (Rehearsal space to be confirmed).
Show Dates:
Thursday, 23rd April @ 7:30pm
Friday, 24th April @ 7:30pm
Saturday, 25th April @ 2:30pm and 7:30pm
For more information about how to get involved visit the Royal Circle Productions website, Facebook or email [email protected]