Bailey Hanks in London Legally Blonde?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 9:21am

Excuse me if this has been posted already...I did a search and couldn't find anything.

Anyways, I was reading the Boston Herald's review of Legally Blonde and the author says "The winner, Bailey Hanks, was the last to appear as Elle in the Broadway production, which ended its 17-month run on Broadway last week; she returns when the show transfers to London’s West End early next year."

Has there been speculation about this previously on this board, or is the author not getting her facts straight? Here is a link to the review:

http://tinyurl.com/5f5ogs

[Kelly2]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 10:02am

I think the author got their facts wrong...

Updated On: 10/30/08 at 10:02 AM

[Glory]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 10:53am

If that is true then that is awesome on Baileys half! She must be so excited and I'm happy that she's gonna be doing some other shows (HSM at Papermill)

[bwaylover86]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 12:11pm

She is doing High School Musical at the Papermill Playhouse in Milburn, NJ next. I am not sure when that ends but I don't think it has even started yet. So IMO it seems a bit fast to go from that to LB in London by early next year, although I guess that depends on what they mean by "early".

Correction: HSM runs between Nov 5- Dec 7. I thought it would be a longer run but they have the Nutcracker coming in for the holidays. So good for her if she is going to London!

Updated On: 10/30/08 at 12:11 PM

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 12:18pm

I have auditions coming up for Legally Blonde UK (the auditions have been moved around so much since the opening keeps getting put back), the show is due to open in April/May next year (At the moment) but that could change.

On the audition submissions that were sent out the role of Elle Woods was also one of the parts they were auditioning for.On top of that there has been a lot of whispers that a channel here in the UK may audition for that role via Reality Show.

I very very much doubt that Baily will come with the show, no one here has a clue who she is, i mean she was not even the original lead she was replacement.

Legally Blonde UK biggest problem right now is finding a home, it came close with the Dominion when it looked like We Will Rock You would close down and also looked in to the Piccadilly theatre but its to small, all the theatres that are becoming free are also to small.
The only large theatre that would hold Blonde which is coming free is the Palladium when sound of music shuts up shop but that theatre looks like it could go to Sister Act (Rumor) or Little Mermaid (Rumor)

[lisaatje009]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 12:18pm

Too bad, I was hoping that Laura Bell Bundy would come to London to do the show there. But whatever, I´m already glad that the show is coming to London at all..

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 12:22pm

If this is true, then I say good for Bailey!

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 12:32pm

I think that the producers of the show should listen to what someone said on a thread about why the show closed. They didn't need to do a huge production in a huge theatre like the Palace. If they possibly did a smaller version of the show in a smaller theatre, maybe the show could have stayed open longer.

I don't want to jynx it or anything, but in the case of the show in London, I will quote Madame Morrible from Wicked: "My opinion is that [it does] not have what it takes. I hope [it] prove me wrong

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 12:50pm

We'll if this is true, then Laura Bell turned it down. There was an interview floating around when she was leaving that she said something along the lines of "I don't think I'm done with Elle yet." So who knows. Maybe she's attached to something new so they did offer it to Bailey.

[iwearshoes]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 12:57pm

Laura Bell is rumored to be doing LB @ the pantages in LA

[Azuah.]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 2:22pm

what.

Do you mean for the tour!!?

Man, I kinda wanted there to be a chance for Lauren Zakrin to possibly go on as Elle when they hit LA

[iwearshoes]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 2:36pm

She would just be doing it at the pantages. a chance to be "seen" i am sure. But nothing has been confirmed.

It is going to be at the orange county performing arts center as well...so you might get the chance to see lauren there?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 4:09pm

I thought they wanted Kerry Ellis for the London Legally Blonde...

[legally_wicked]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 4:18pm

A few of Kerry Ellis' fans wanted her for Elle and it kind of snowballed from there.

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 4:33pm

Wouldn't that mean ...

going on a plane?

I could just see it. "I'm just a little Southern girl from a terrible little South Carolina school, and I have no real talent, but somehow, I managed to get on Broadway and now frickin' ENGLAND anyway. I've never been outside South Carolina except for one I did my little Broadway show, but I'm so excited to go to ENGLAND! I've never been on a plane before, so this is huge."

No

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 4:33pm

Ahhh, ok. I thought there was some credibility to the rumors. Thanks for clearing it up.

[sayokay]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 4:47pm

Wait! Is any of this true??

Laura Bell in LA or London?!

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 4:53pm

I could see Kerry more as a Vivienne, not an Elle. I mean either could work, but that's just my opinion.

[Broadwaynerd101]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:02pm

"I'm just a little Southern girl from a terrible little South Carolina school, and I have no real talent, but somehow, I managed to get on Broadway and now frickin' ENGLAND anyway. I've never been outside South Carolina except for one I did my little Broadway show, but I'm so excited to go to ENGLAND! I've never been on a plane before, so this is huge."



Apparently she has more talent then Emma Zaks does.

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:14pm

Emma Zaks is AMAZINGLY talented. Emma managed to get in a show that's actually selling. Plus, Emma's in her SECOND Broadway show now, when Bailey did ONE for 3 MONTHS!

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:16pm

The show isn't selling, Patti LuPone is. Emma has yet to go on in "a show" she is now in so calling her "AMAZINGLY talented" is a little overboard, actually a lot overboard.

[Weez]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:17pm

I give more props to Bailey. After all, Bailey is significantly younger, and she actually *earned* her way into her first Broadway show. Plus, y'know, she played the LEAD. ^_^

[Weez]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:18pm

Double post OF DOOM.

Updated On: 10/30/08 at 05:18 PM

[toanythingtaboo 2]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:27pm

I'm a big Kerry fan, but she is way more suited to Paulette than Elle/Vivienne in LB.

Actually, I think it would be a good move for her to do it - still in the spotlight belting out, but not too much that it strains her voice and gives her a chance to 'relax' a bit.

Bailey - seems great, but as its been said, she isn't 'anyone' here (the UK) and I get the impression that LB will need at least some form of 'name' to keep tickets selling.

I'd love for LBB to headline LB in London, maybe for the first 6 months - then get the role taken over. Seems like a good solution.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:45pm

"Emma Zaks is AMAZINGLY talented. Emma managed to get in a show that's actually selling. Plus, Emma's in her SECOND Broadway show now, when Bailey did ONE for 3 MONTHS!"

So? Emma Zaks is also older than Bailey, so I wouldn't try to imply like it is a good thing that she is more experienced because she has had one more Broadway credit than Bailey (and it is not even a lead role - at least Bailey had the lead). If she is AMAZINGLY talented, how come she hasn't gotten more roles for someone her age? For someone so young, it is pretty impressive that Bailey earned the role, even though the way she earned it was a bit unconventional.

Stop drooling over Emma Zaks. I don't know what your strange obsession is. I'm sure she is talented, but you act like she is God's gift to theatre.