Actors' Equity Association Goes Pink With First ACCA Award

Legally Blonde won the first annual Actors' Equity Association Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) Award for Outstanding Chorus.  This is the first industry award of its type to honor the distinctive talents and contributions made by a chorus. 

The winners of the ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus, all of whom were part of the chorus on Legally Blonde, The Musical's opening night, are:  April Berry, Paul Canaan, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Beth Curry, Tracy Jai Edwards, Amber Efé, Gaelen Gilliland, Jason Gillman, Becky Gulsvig, Rod Harrelson, Manuel Herrera, Andy Karl, Nick Kenkel, Michelle Kittrell, Rusty Mowery, Kevin Pariseau, Matthew Risch, Jason Patrick Sands, Noah Weisberg, and Kate Wetherhead.

"Legally Blonde, which stars Laura Bell Bundy, opened on Broadway on April 29, 2007 and is based on the popular MGM movie.  The story follows sorority star Elle Woods who won't take "no" for an answer.  So when her boyfriend dumps her for someone more 'serious,' Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law.  Along the way, Elle proves that being true to oneself never goes out of style," explain press notes.  At the helm of the creative team us Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell, who directs and choreographs.  Music and lyrics are by both Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, and the book is by Heather Hach.

Actors' Equity Association, founded in 1913, represents more than 46,000 professional stage actors and stage managers nationwide.  Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society.   

front row, left to right: Equity President Mark Zimmerman with Legally Blonde chorus members April Berry, Beth Curry, Amber Efe, Gaelen Gilliland, Kate Wetherhead, Michelle Kittrell and Legally Blonde Associate Producer Marc Bruni; back row, left to right: Legally Blonde chorus members Kevin Pariseau, Paul Canaan, Andy Karl, Matt Risch, Jason Patrick Sands, Rod Harrelson, Legally Blonde Producer Hal Luftig and Equity Second Vice President and ACCA Chair Jean-Paul Richard