Bundy Confirmed for Legally Blonde

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:28pm

Just recieved this email from the website for Legally Blonde:

"Laura Bell Bundy will be wielding girl power on Broadway.

Bundy will star as Elle Woods in a musical version of 'Legally Blonde,' based on the hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon and the novel by Amanda Brown. It will open April 29 at the Palace Theatre. Preview performances begin April 3.

San Francisco will see the musical first, with a five-week engagement at the Golden Gate Theatre, Jan. 23-Feb. 24.

The show, which has music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe and a book by Heather Hach, tells the story of a determined young woman who, when dumped by her boyfriend, goes to Harvard Law School, which her ex also attends.

The show will mark the Broadway directorial debut of Jerry Mitchell, who won a 2005 Tony Award for his choreography for the revival of 'La Cage aux Folles.'

Bundy has appeared on Broadway in such shows as 'Hairspray,' where she originated the role of Amber Von Tussle, and 'Wicked,' where she replaced Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda the good witch.

Associated Press"

Minus the error in reporting Bundy's credits (she did not replace Chenoweth but stood by for her,) it is good to see this finally announced (even though we've all known it for the past year.) Hopefully more casting news will follow..

Updated On: 10/4/06 at 06:28 PM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:30pm

Now...how about some casting we don't know?

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:31pm

horray for Laura

i love her so much

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:32pm

Seriously. Bring news of whether Christian Borle and Richard H. Blake are coming back. We all knew Laura was going to be Elle. She wasn't randomly showing up at a bunch of opening nights with Jerry Mitchell by chance.

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:32pm

Excuse my brainfart in Wicked=ology, but didn't she just understudy Cheno and JLT?

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:33pm

Bundy was the standby for Kristin Chenoweth and went on as Glinda fourty five times (or so says her website.) She left when Kristin did prior to Thompson joining the cast. She was going to replace Chenoweth, but... we won't get into that fiasco.

[MimiLovesRoger]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:33pm

yes, she did.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:34pm

Blah...even Blake isn't news.

It's widely known he's doing LEGALLY BLONDE.

I want some real news.

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:36pm

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quote:She was going to replace Chenoweth, but... we won't get into that fiasco.
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Oh, please do, I'm eager for a little juice. I've never heard what happened. Was it LuPone/Close-esque?
Updated On: 10/4/06 at 06:36 PM

[mateo]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:39pm

This was on BWW earlier- and then they pulled the article... why?

[MandaGurl]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:42pm

awesome! And yes I do believe she never actually replaced Kristin, she was just the standby for a while, but whatever...lol

-Amanda*

[threatXthree]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:46pm

Well, from what I heard:

If Bundy were to have stepped into the role of G(a)linda after Chenoweth, her contract would extremely limit what she could do outside the show (new musical readings, tv shows, such'n'such). Not really suprising for a show that had opened not even a year before and was about to replace one of its original star.

NONE OF THIS IS FACT, THIS IS JUST WHAT I HEARD!

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:49pm

Bundy would have been limited in outside projects yes, but that wasn't the main issue.

From what I have heard, they were paying her significantly less than Chenoweth (quite understandble considering the difference in celebrity) and not permitting her as many vacation days and excused leaves. She basically wanted equal pay to what Kristin had been getting, just as many vacation days and excused leaves for other projects, and the same amount of perks (chauffered car, etc.) The producers weren't willing to accommodate her demands, the offer was taken off the table, and she left all together without renewing her standby contract.

We'll never know what really happened for sure obviously, but that is the gist of what I have been told from a few people.

Updated On: 10/6/06 at 06:49 PM

[MandaGurl]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:50pm

hmmm well I dont really know what to say to that..LOL

-Amanda*

[mateo]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:51pm

She was awesome in Wicked!

I was first bummed out that I wouldn't get to see Kristin, but I had loved LBB from Hairspray, and she turned out to be so damn good!

I met her backstage and she was a doll. If she is indeed Elle- I am so happy for her, she deserves it.

I cant wait to see her!

[codyjo88]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 6:52pm

somethingwicked, how did you subscribe to that update list for Legally Blonde?

cody

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 7:02pm

"and 'Wicked,' where she replaced Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda the good witch. "

How reliable is this source?

[codyjo88]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 7:11pm

"How reliable is this source?"

Well it is directly from the production and the Associated Press, seems reliable. I thought it was strange to see the Golden Gate listed as the house in SF, I thought it was suppose to run at the Orpheum.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 7:13pm

It said she replaced Krisitn Chenoweth as Glinda. I guees they didn't do their research.

[Josephine2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 7:28pm

Cody, you can just go to the "Legally Blonde" website and subscribe for e-mail updates...

http://www.legallyblondemusical.com/

Cheers!

[BreeDaniel]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 7:39pm

First of all, it sounds more like "spin" than a mistake credit to me but moreover, I hope that story is more fiction than fact because LBB wouldn't be entitled to all the same contract perks as Chenoweth, so it would have been outlandish to even ask for the same things.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 7:49pm

LBB wanted more money than was offered, that is true, but of course she wasn't asking for anything near what Chenoweth, a Tony Award winning actress, received. That's absurd.

But the main reason the offer to replace Chenoweth was pulled from the table, was that LBB didn't alert the producers of WICKED that she was going to Los Angeles for a couple of days. As fate would have it, Chenoweth got sick, Bundy was called to show up at the theatre last minute - and she was on the other side of the country.

The producers were furious and decided to pull the offer to take over the role from the table. I'm sure she learned a huge lesson.
Updated On: 10/4/06 at 07:49 PM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 11:35pm

Somehow every thread ends up becoming all about WICKED.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 10/5/06 at 12:14am

the picture they posted on bwayworld and theatermania is quite adorable.

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/5/06 at 1:16am

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quote: Somehow every thread ends up becoming all about WICKED.
---------------------------------------------------

Truth! So what did everyone think of her in Hairspray?

Now now, keep your Wicked-acid-reflux down. I just didn't know the dish on the Ga-lindrama.