LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL Comes to Portsmouth in Summer 2024

Prescott Park Arts Festival will return to its picturesque waterfront setting in downtown Portsmouth this summer with LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL as its signature musical theatre production, presented by Service Credit Union. The award-winning Broadway musical, never-before-seen in the park, was announced as the Festival's highly anticipated 2024 Summer Musical Production during its annual Reveal Event held last night at The View at Pepperrell Cove in Kittery Point. The Arts Festival will mount the fabulously fun musical based on the adored movie, premiering on the Wilcox Main Stage on Friday, June 21, and running each week, most Thursdays through Sundays until August 11. Audition submissions will be accepted starting in December through the end of January. 
 

Legally Blonde The Musical follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams, complete with action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances.
 

The Festival is excited to see Harvard's beloved blonde take the Wilcox Mainstage by glittery pink storm in this fun, upbeat story of self-discovery.

“As we gear up to celebrate 50 years in 2024, we knew we wanted to bring another energetic musical to the Seacoast for the summer and one that would truly help us celebrate the past and look forward to our future. We are also excited to bring a show that has never graced the mainstage before. Our production of Legally Blonde The Musical will focus on transformation through self-empowerment, delivering catchy music and featuring large, energetic dance numbers. And, it's a show with so many strong roles for women, elevating women's voices and stories - we are absolutely ecstatic to showcase the Seacoast's incredible talent with this story. It's going to be a real crowd-pleaser,” says Courtney Perkins, Executive Director of Prescott Park Arts Festival, “There is always such anticipation to return to our beautiful home in Prescott Park and our staff is working extra hard this year to put together a very special summer celebrating 50 years with our beloved community.” 

Next summer, as the Festival celebrates its 50th Anniversary, this high-energy production will fill the summer air with the show's instantly recognizable songs filled with humor, wit and sass — leaving everyone in the park seeing pink! Prescott Park Arts Festival remains committed to bringing a diverse and dynamic cast of theatre professionals for what the New York Times called a “non-stop sugar rush of a show”.
 

The Festival's production of Legally Blonde The Musical will be directed by Tom Alsip, Director of the Musical Theatre Program for the University of New Hampshire Theatre Department. This will be Alsip's third summer in the park and he will be joined by long-time Festival favorite, choreographer Mary Beth Marino. The Festival's beloved Music Director, Kathy Fink is retiring and so they will bring a new name to that role next summer. 

“It's great to be able to bring Tom back for his third season in the park. We have been so fortunate to work with Tom directing Footloose and Little Shop of Horrors for the past two summers and he continues to bring so much to our community through his work at UNH. We can't wait to see what he does with this fun musical with resilience, confidence, and expanding horizons at its heart,” shared Perkins. 

Alsip spent a decade in New York City working as an actor, director and educator and earning his BFA from New York University, where he later worked as an Adjunct Professor. He earned his MFA in Directing from the University of Alabama before spending two years at Oklahoma State University where he taught acting, directing and musical theatre courses, while overseeing the creation and implementation of the university's new musical theatre program.

“Legally Blonde is one of the most fun, exciting, high-energy musicals I have ever seen. I was lucky enough to be in the audience the night they filmed the show for MTV and the energy was contagious and electric,” shared Director, Tom Alsip, “Based on the famous 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon, the musical premiered in 2007 with music by Laurence O'Keefe and direction by Jerry Mitchell. Featuring exciting dance numbers, fantastic music, and memorable characters, Legally Blonde is the kind of show that everyone will love that makes it clear that being true to yourself never goes out of style.”

Audition submissions will be accepted starting in December. More information and the casting breakdown will be released soon, so please check back to the Arts Festival's website. www.PrescottPark.org/about/auditions
 

The Festival is grateful to welcome back Service Credit Union as the title sponsor of the musical this summer, continuing a wonderful partnership. 

“A longtime supporter of the Arts Festival, Service Credit Union has been a fantastic fit as the sponsor of our Signature Musical starting with Footloose in 2022 and Little Shop of Horrors in 2023,” shared Lee Frank, the Arts Festival's Director of Development, “ Service CU's support goes well beyond their financial commitment, it's truly a team effort and we can't wait to get them involved for Legally Blonde and helping to celebrate our 50th Anniversary Season. Sponsors like Service CU make it possible for the Festival to remain accessible to everyone in our community, and the enthusiasm of the entire Service Credit Union team is what makes it such a dream partnership.”

Service Credit Union's support of the Arts Festival goes back more than a decade. In past seasons they have served as the Movie Night sponsor, Platinum Road Race sponsors, Popcorn season sponsors, and have also sponsored the Festival's Community Showcase and Camp ENCORE! programs. In 2020 Service CU stepped up as lead sponsor of the Arts Festival's virtual winter show. In 2021 they held the Best Seat in the House sponsorship and took over the title sponsorship for the signature main stage musical in 2022. 
 

“We at Service CU believe in supporting the community through the arts and are excited to be back again as the title sponsor of this year's musical production,” said Jaime Yates, Community Relations Manager at Service CU, “Prescott Park Arts Festival brings so much joy to the Seacoast community and its visitors, we are proud to be a part of that and we can't wait to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2024.”
 

In addition to the Signature Musical, Prescott Park Arts Festival offers the River House Restaurant Concert Series, and the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Movie Night Series. Tables in The Kane Company VIP Seating Area can be reserved for all Festival performances, in addition to limited blanket reservations, in front of the Wilcox Main Stage. The Best Seat in the House, sponsored by Key Auto Group, is a special seating area at the front of the VIP section that is available for reservation as well.

Reservations for Legally Blonde The Musical will open in the Spring. 

2024 Season Passes are on sale now and available at 2023 prices through the end of the year. All Season Passholders gain early access to reservations for all of the Arts Festival's series, including the musical, and additional perks like 10% off all food and drink orders at The Prop, free t-shirt(s), and other great benefits depending on which level pass you purchase.

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