written by Asher Button (he/him)
In spring of 2022, SLT Academy put on a production of Legally Blonde Jr., directed by students Abigail Wilson and Logan Johnson. Students of all ages participated, from elementary schoolers to high schoolers. The show ran for one night only, on June 3. So much more went into this production than the audience knew. We started rehearsing on April 5th and we rehearsed for two months, which is a typical amount for a show here, but not all of it went smoothly.
A few weeks before the show, marketing and education director Eric Morelli decided to have some of the cast perform the opening number, “Omigod You Guys,” at a variety show here in the theater. The cast had minimal preparation, with no prior rehearsal on stage. Eric was in charge of sound, meaning he had to make sure all of the music was prepared and ready to play. Unfortunately, Eric had forgotten to download the second part of the soundtrack, leaving the cast on their own (Note from Eric: Ice cream was provided by way of apology).
The lead role, Elle Woods, was played by Madeline Roell. This was Madeline’s first lead. In preparation for the role, she often had to stay after rehearsals and had to have additional coaching to make sure her performance was perfect. All of her extra work paid off, because she killed it on stage.
The audience was awesome. They loved it. Sometimes you get an audience that doesn’t participate or is low energy, it happens with a ton of shows. It did not happen with this one. They laughed at every joke, stayed quiet, yet high-energy, and really received the show well.
Everybody in the cast was so amazing. They were all so talented and kind. My favorite memory of the show was when we all said what we loved about each other. We didn’t only compliment each other when Logan told us to, we uplifted each other all the time. We would watch our peers rehearse, and then tell them how well they did. I remember telling Jadenne Fofana how much I loved hearing her sing “Ireland” during rehearsal one day.
Everyone in the crew worked so hard to make sure we looked good on stage. I am so thankful for Abigail and Logan for being such wonderful directors. They really handled it well and a lot of our success as a cast can be attributed to them. Logan was such an amazing choreographer to work with, as he always made sure that you were successful. As much as I love slandering Eric, it’s all lighthearted. He really did an amazing job with the sound and I appreciate the fact that he put up with me rambling about my interests. Mara was always there for me and always helped me be my best. There are so many other people who helped out that I could praise, and a whole lot more who I’m probably not even aware of. I’m thankful for all of their talents and their help backstage.
Looking back, I am so glad I decided to participate in this show. After years of performing in musicals, I was tired. I felt like maybe the theater isn’t where I belong. I decided to do one last show just for the hell of it. A last hurrah, if you will. I was cast as Aaron Shultz, a Harvard student with few lines and little background information. I could do whatever I wanted with his character. My first few drafts were of this nerdy boy who likes Batman and listens to Weezer and Car Seat Headrest in his free time; but as time went on, I realized that I was too comfortable. I usually play low-key, awkward characters like him. I needed a change. For the first time, I played a frat boy! This experience made me feel like I do still belong here, I just needed a change of pace. I’m still planning on staying on stage, but I am also going to start to delve into the other things I love about theater, like character development and costuming. I am so insanely proud to say I worked on Legally Blonde Jr. It was truly an amazing experience and I had a wonderful time. I’m glad this isn’t the end of my time in the theater. This show played a big part in my life and it will always be special to me. So many people did so many special things to make it happen and I’m so happy it did.
About the Author
Asher Button has been in theater for as long as he can remember, writing and starring in shows he and his friends wrote themselves. He started in community productions when he was 9, his first show ever being Winnie The Pooh Kids (he is now 16, with 7 years and 15 shows worth of experience). From there his love for theater only grew, and It became a safe space for him to fully express himself. He felt comfortable enough to come out as transgender (female to male), and start playing male roles. Asher aspires to be a role model for other LGBTQ+ individuals in the community. He wants to show that there is not one set way to be queer and that you are capable of anything, no matter how you identify.