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Legally Blonde: Introduction
INTRODUCTION
This teacher’s guide has
been developed as a tea
who are bringing their ching tool to assist tea
students to see the sho chers
w.
This guide is based on Cam
p Broadway’s StageNOTE
Broadway musical adapta S, conceived for the orig
tion of Amanda Brown’s inal
that same year, and has 2001 novel and the film rele
been adapted by Sarah Dic ased
kinson for use within the
UK.
The UK Education Pack
is intended to offer som
and focuses on some of e pathways into the pro
the topics covered in Leg duction,
students and teachers. ally Blonde which may inte
It is not an exhaustive rest
production, but instead analysis of the musical
aims to offer a variety of or the
and practical exploration stimuli for debate, discus
. sion
It is anticipated that the
Education Pack will be
students have seen the bes sedd after a group of
production with their tea t utilise
informed discussion bas cher, andnd can engage in an
ed on a sound awarenes
the information provided s of the muusi
siccal
al.. We hope that
here will both enhance
provide readers with info the live theeat
atre
re experience and
rmation they may not oth
erwise have been able to
access.
Legally Blonde is an upl
ifting, energising, feel-go
we hope this pack wil od show and with that in
l be enjoyed through mind
enjoyable practical wo equally energising and
rk in the classroom and
drama studioo..
ii 1
Legally Blonde: Introduction Introducing Legally Blonde: Director’s Message
2 3
Introducing Legally Blonde: Synopsis Introducing Legally Blonde: Synopsis
4 5
Introducing Legally Blonde: Synopsis Introducing Legally Blonde: Definitions
where
cession arrives at court, DEFINITIONS
n mo re imp res sed wh en Elle saves The pro Cal lah an and hire s Elle Sororities and Fraternitie
s, single-sex
eve Brooke fires
t the District as her counsel. Elle calls
student societies. Sororit
ies are women-
the day: She notices tha e and Em me tt UNIVERSITY OF CALIFOR
NIA LOS
claims to hav hter only (the name means
sisterhood –
Attorney’s witness–who frizzy-haired step-daug ANGELES (UCLA)
impervious Brooke’s sta nd. Chu tne y claims Fraternities are the ma
le equivalent)
been Brooke’s lover––is y to the Founded in 1919, the
and realises Chutne University of and most universities hav
e a number
to her Bend and Snap, t had her hair permed and California Los Angeles (kn
be gay . Em me tt tric ks him into she has jus her father own as UCLA) of them. Early in each academic yea
he must wa s in the shower when in the second oldest of the Sor orit r
ts that they ten campuses ies host events for new stu
dents
outing himself in court. was killed. Elle reques that make up the University
the scene of of California. in a week called “rush week”, enablin
g
the tea m re-convene the court at It is attended by around
26,000
Ba ck at the off ice , wh ere she dem onstrates newcomers to get a feel
for the different
, and Cal lahan the shower, she had
undergraduates and 11,0 sor orit ies
celebrate s the vic tory y’s alib i: if 00 graduate and their members (the
re
t when they the flaw in Chutne students every year. It
is located in are mo re tha n 60 Fra ter niti es and
congratulates Elle. Bu sho we red str aight after her perm, Westward, a neighbour
a pass at her ruined hood of Sororities at the real UCL
A). If a student
are left alone, he makes tment would have been Los Angeles. It is consist
ent
fire s her wh en she rejects him. the trea r wo uld now be stra ight. subsequently decides
to apply her
and Emmett and her hai
highly in league tables for ly ranked application
she d, and alth oug h dow n and con fes ses universities will be judged and voted
Elle is cru tney breaks to
in the US. Amongst its Alu on by
is determined Chu sho t her father in an attempt
mni it boasts existing members. If suc
cessful
tries to stop her, she tha t she nobel winners, import
to leave the course and a return to oke , and the judg e immediately ant politicians she will be admitted into the sororit
y
shoot Bro and lawyers, plus notabl
Los Angeles. e. e names such through an initiation ceremony.
dismisses Brooke’s cas as Francis Ford Coppol
a (director of Alongside the core value
the Godfather), Tom An of a support
The next day, Paulette in the trial, derson network, sorority memb
ership comes
Seeing Elle’s success (founder of MySpace)
, Jack Black wit h other benefits includ
and KylKy e’s romance r rea lize s too late that Elle ing
Warne (actor) and Nancy Car
twright (the accommodation in the sor
is blooming when e bee n per fec t for him. ority house,
would hav she
voice of Bart Simpson) financial support through
Elle arrives to rry him , and scholarships
He asks her to ma and networking with exis
say goodbye. cts him . ting and former
reje sorority sisters. The nam
But Viv V ienne is there es of sororities
are often represented by
and ack a nowledges arrives. Greek letters,
Elle’s graduation day which link to their mottos
that she was wrong clu des her valedictory speech . As seen in
She con Legally Blonde, sorority
abo
ab ut Elle, urging mett, and the women are
her
h to stay. with a proposal to Em often parodied, being rep
s are fina lly abl e to reprise resented as
Elle
E agrees, but Delta Nu airheaded and stupid – yet
ir acclam atio n of Ell e’s on to prove, in reality sist
, as Elle goes
on her own terms. the ing ma rria ge. ers are often
imp end highly intelligent young
Sh e ret urn s to women who
go on to excel in their cho
the trial in a pink sen fields.
Delta Nu is a fictionalis
dress with her ed sorority
at UCLA.
dog Bruiser
und
un er her arm,
ta SORORITY HARVARD LAW SCHOO
L
accompanied by the Del
Nus, the Salon o folks, Elle’s own If you drive through any Founded in 1817, Harvar
d Law School
students in American is now the oldest continu
parents, and her fellow University Campus you
are likely to ously operating
a grand par ade . see houses with signs
on the door
law school in the U.S. Con
sidered the
displaying Greek letters wo rld ’s pre mie r cen tre
. These are for leg al
the houses belonging education and research,
to the Harvard Law
is home to the world’s larg
est academic
6 7
Introducing Legally Blonde: Definitions Introducing Legally Blonde: Definitions
8 9
Introducing Legally Blonde: Characters Background: US Legal System
10 11
Background: US Legal System Background: Key Cases Timeline
n, and mob
- the highest selfishness, superstitio GROUNDBREAKING Congress may not prohib
States Supreme Court se it; but it also attests it slavery in
No oth er court or mentality to abu federal territories. Dre
court in the lan d. ght of the COURT CASES IN US d Scott was
its dec isions and to the ing eni ous for esi
power can ove rru le who designed
a slave who had lived in
the free state
re guide the Constitution’s creators, LEGAL HISTORY of Illinois and the free
the decisions made the icia l sys tem to ada pt to territory of
king the laws the jud Wisconsin before ret
lower courts and those ma e soc ial and technological urning to the
rpr eta tion of the unimaginabl 1692–Salem, Massachu
setts slave state of Missouri. He
throug h the ir inte e. had appealed
er por tion of the changes over tim The Salem Witchcraft
Trials to the Supreme Court in
Constitution. The low hope of being
a few of the An atmosphere of hyster
ia pervaded
granted his freedom. Com
monly referred
timeline below shows DID YOU KNOW?
Supreme Salem Village during the
summer of
to as The Dred Scott Dec
ision, it fuels
landmark decisions in is the old est
tory. The U.S . Co nst itut ion 1692, during which ove
r 150 people
the flames leading to
the American
Court his effe ct in the wo rld! Its authors
charter in and
were accused of witchc Civ il Wa r. (Th e 13t h and
14t h
tem of che cks raft and brought
ively cre ate d a sys into court presumed gui
lty. The court
Am end me nts exp lici tly
ove rtu rn
In the US today courts act rna te bal anc es tha t hav e effectively kept Dre d Sc ott .)
e Alte allowed torture to extrac
t confessions
enc our age and ove rse fro m gai nin g too
R), in the form any one bra nch and testimony that inc
luded dreams
Dispute Resolution (AD much pow er. Mo st importantly, they
tion, which and apparitions. After
19 executions,
1886 - Chicago, IL
of mediation and arbitra for allowed for the doc ument’s own very 1 dea th as a res ult of The
sa e time and expense
can sav r time. tor tur e, and Haymarket Riot Trial eru
pted when
t parties involved and
both the measured evolution ove the dea ths of sev era
l pri son ers , a bomb was thrown at
Governor Phips finally an otherwise
g ernment.
the gov Kingdom has disallowed peaceful workers’ pro
test against
ve theless, the US is a
Never In contrast, the United “spectral evidence” and
created a police violence and in
utio nal document. 8-h
support of an
ou ly litigious society, and
famous no single constit superior court to hear the
remaining our wo rkd ay. Eight anarch
es mo ve The UK is oft en sai d to hav e an cases, all of which were
us nds of cas
thousa constitution – dismissed. convicted of inciting vio ists were
lence during
thr
th oug h the sta te and ‘unwritten’ or de facto The eve nts of the se tria
ls we re the rio t. A fre nzy of ant
mo st of the UK constitution dramatized in Arthur i-la bor and
federal courts. Only a tiny although tte n forms of Miller anti-immigrant fears in
the populace
does exist in the wri res ulted
fraction of those in
play The Crucible drawin ’s 1953
g parallels in an unjust trial; although the
tem wil l eve r sta tutes, cou rt jud gments and treaties with the contemporary
either sys s. witch hunts prosecution produced no
evidence that
rt, as we ll as in unw ritt en sou rce of McCarthyism.
reach the Supreme Cou Pa rlia me nta ry
the accused men had ma
de or thrown
ory The doc trin e of
but throughout U.S. hist the bomb that detonated
during the riot,
local cases have capture
d sovereignty is the foundation of the 1803 7 of the 8 were sentenced
stit utio n, and so the to death
the nation’s attention and Bri tish con Marbury v. Madison dec by hanging.
on stit utio n can be cha nge d by lares a law
focused debate con passed by Congress unc
Parliam ent by passing new Acts. onstitutional
1896
issues foremost in the sometimes
(contradictory to the
constitution).
nci
Today this pri ple is
minds of the populace. to the UK
As a result The Supreme
Court’s power Plessy v. Ferguson
questioned, however, due of Judicial Review is est
the ers hip of the Eur ope an Union, ablished and In 1892 Homer Plessy del
Some of the cases in me mb the “checks and balanc iberately
cha ngi ng att itud es of the es” of US entered a railway carriag
timeline, on the page and the government defined. e designated
o no lon ger automatically for white passengers onl
opposite, are landmark judiciary, wh y. He had been
Sup rem e see Act s of Par liam ent as sacrosanct. born free and was one
decisions in US 1857 and seven-eights white,
eighth black
and yet
Court history. Dred Scott v. Sanford
rules that under the law of Lousia
African-Americans, wh na was still
t ether freemen considered black. When Plessy refused
t eline reveals the fac
The tim or slaves, are not U.S
. citizens, not to leave the white only carriage and
t US sys tem oft en
that the protected by the constit
s of ution and that moved to one for coloureds, he was
w the wo rst tendencie
allo ws arrested. In court Plessy
humana nat ure suc h as argues that
12 13
Background: Key Cases Timeline Background: Key Cases Timeline
14 15
Background: Legal Terms Background: Legal Terms
16 17
Women in the Law: An overview Women in the Law: An overview
18 19
Women in the Law: An overview Women in the Law: An overview
20 21
Women in the Law: An overview Women in the Law: An overview
22 23
Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies
24 25
Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies
26 27
Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies
28 29
Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies
ding
ed passages, practise rea 2
n
the entry into the number
FROM THE SCRIPT
• Onc e you ’ve split up A, then 1 from B, the
approach – passage 1 from of
them aloud in a ping/pong on. You ma y wis h to redivide up the pieces (Meet Kate, Delta Nu’s
B and so Scholastic Chair.)
from A and then 2 from KATE
ether.
text so they flow well tog Harvard Law School?
of it. ELLE
formance and the shape I have a 4.0 average.
think about the end per mid dle and the end? How
• As you’re practising ? Ho w is it in the KATE
beginning Yeah, in fashion merch
What is the mood at the ce feels finished for the andising. What makes
final moment of the pie you can do this? you think
might you ensure that the
audience? ELLE LOVE!
h the class. I’M DOING THIS FOR LOV
E,
• Share your piece wit
AND LOVE WILL SEE ME
paring THROUGH;
EXERCISE PART 5: Com the
e time thinking about YES, WITH LOVE ON MY
SIDE I
en eve ryo ne has sha red their texts spend som ver sio n of eac h of the
Wh one
ters you cre ate d. The re should be more than Wh at differe nt par ts of CAN’T LOSE,
charac en them?
re the differences betwe is no right or wrong
female lawyers. What we em ber the re AND HARVARD CAN’T
REFUSE
highlighted? Rem torical
their personalities were s create stories from his A LOVE SO PURE AND
sio n of any cha rac ter here. When writer sev era l asp ect s) of that TRUE...
ver drawn to an aspect (or
ter s the y are alw ays ona nt. DON’T LAWYERS FEEL
charac ing or res LOVE TOO?
y find interesting, intrigu KATE
character’s life that the EVEN IF THEY DO;
g Scenes WHAT YOU WANT, SW
EETHEART,
EXERCISE PART 6: Creatin that your lawyer has to
rs ret urn to the original obstacle
• Back in your pai tise the action. IS NO EASY THING.
are going to drama
overcome. This time you IF YOU’RE GOING TO SW
ws ING IT
ne between them that sho
ters create a short sce IT WILL WRECK YOUR
• Using your two charac act, rather than tells it.
what happens and its imp SENIOR SPRING.
try to
the situation itself either YEAH, IT’S TRUE:
ter was not involved in day
• If your second charac lude them, or think of another moment in the
to FIRST YOU’LL NEED AN
amend your scene to inc It might be an unsupportive relative reacting
eg. LSAT SCORE
where they are involved t has on the law yer telling
tha OF MORE THAN ONE SEV
ident – and the impact conflict between your two ENTY FOUR,
being told about an inc where there is a clear
and find a situ atio n
them. Try
characters.
l at
do your characters fee
ore thin k abo ut the mood of the scene. How the mo st pow er in the
• As bef o has
changed at the end? Wh
the beginning? What has the end ?
shifted at all by
scene? Has the power
the group.
and play them back to
• Rehearse your scenes
beginning.
sheets you made at the
shared consider your roll racter thinks/ feels?
• When everyone has cha
to them about how your
Is there anything to add
30 31
The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer
32 33
The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer
34 35
The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer The Art of Persuasion: Working For Change
36 37
The Art of Persuasion: Working For Change The Art of Persuasion: Working For Change
38 39
Elle on Stage: Writing her Script Elle on Stage: Writing her Script
40 41
Elle on Stage: Writing her Script Elle on Stage: Writing her Script
with a smile
she wants HH: I hope people leave FROM THE SCRIPT
NB: Elle goes after what and hop e in their step!
or usi ng other in their heart
WITHOU T hur ting be a little bit more ELLE
som eone smart, I hope they want to JUST LAUGH IT OFF, LIK
people. It’s rare to find Wo ods ... E I’VE ALWAYS DONE.
o still thinks like Elle - LORD KNOWS THEY’V
pretty and ambitious wh E ALL LAUGHED AT ME
re than about you real? BEFORE.
about other people mo EXERCISE: What makes SHOULDN’T SURPRISE
She doe sn’ t jud ge people by s in the
ME MUCH ANYMORE
herself. of the cha rac ter
ns. She pro ves that you • Many ”
SHOULDN’T STILL HURT
first impressio a “ha ppy end ing BUT IT DOES.
being nice and play have
can succeed while still o they are,
is an idealist. because they accept wh EXERCISE: Status
generous to people. Elle are funny
es in thin gs like sisterhood, sometimes in ways that Legally Blonde displays
She bel iev n sur pris ing . how our status is informe
lov e. A rea list might or eve ourselves and how it is con d by how we feel about
friendship and aknesses
ferred upon us by others
gs to be we and treat us. At UCLA Elle through how they percei
ve
consider those thin k of people ’s status is high, living in
s tha t hol d you bac k, but they • Ask students to thin women who treat her wo a supportive community
of
-th ing are nderfully. It takes a knock
creates a whom they admire who but she overcomes this. when WARNER rejects
her
drive Elle forward. Elle sfu l and hav e fou nd a way At Harvard, though, her
nds (like Pau lette, Emmett succes work hard to raise herself status sinks low – and she ,
network of frie of wh at ma kes them up amongst her peers – has to
om she hel ps and to keep hold esteem. Her relationship and to build her own self
-
and Brooke) wh or s with EMMET and PAU
where she real. What challenges GREEK CHORUS) are imp LETTE (as well as her SO
RORITY
who, in turn, help her get dent’s ortant in helping her do
this.
obstacles has each stu
wants to be. had to face and how did s/he
person 1. Ask half the group to
se diffi cul ties ? observe quietly as the
gest overcome tho group is the first round audience. The other hal
f of the
What has been the big of players.
llen ge in tell ing this story?
cha e that they
ges t cha llenge is • Ask students to imagin 2. Each player receives
NB: For me, the big rke ting exe cut ives organizing a playing card that s/h
She’s a pretty, are ma to her/his forehead fac e cannot look at, but hol
making Elle an underdog. pai gn and they can ing out. From the highes ds up
wh o’s the a “Be Real” cam on the totem pole” – a Two t – an Ace – to the “lowe
sm art , ric h, thin , blo nde g in any sta rs they want to – the cards create a hie st
ive sorori ty. brin rarchy among the studen
president of an exclus service ts.
jealous of her, create a series of public 3. Give the players a set
My first reaction is to be cem ent s. Ask stu dents to ting, such as a supermark
But hopefully announ et or a school dance. Ask
not to listen to her story. of wh at the ir favorite to interact with each oth
er in players
ause in spite write a script card they are holding, and such a way that they can try to figure out what
she wins people over bec ’s per son mig ht say . If time allows, ask they also want to give the
for her, she scripts for hints as to what cards
they have. other players subtle
of all that she has going students to perform their
or snobby.
not catty, or conceited each oth er.
. She wants 4. After a few minutes,
She’s a really nice person pause the game and ask
the players to try to arr
to be you r frie nd. range of themselves from lowest
to highest (point out wh ange
• Remind students of the ere
ple the y mig ht fea ture in their who is 2 to stand, where
ple take away peo the Ace should stand). The you want the person
What do you hope peo ors , ath lete s, aut hors, they have been given and
the
y can only use the clues
Legally Blonde? PSA’s: act standing out of order. Onc y can’t “fix” other players if they see they are
from their experience at edu cat ors , musicians, newscasters- e an order has been det
ng smart is to put their cards out of
sight for a moment.
ermined, ask the player
s
NB: The feeling that bei the list goes on and on.
ng gorgeous
just as important as bei
that everyone that it is
5. Ask them how it felt to
and well-dressed, and • The form of a PSA is
play the activity, what clu
(ev en peo ple you might sweet”. Students can
other players, how did the es they received from the
in the world “sh ort and y feel about being watch
e they’re e in on one some of the behavior tha ed? Ask the audience abo
ut
dismiss on sight becaus use the exercise to hom t they observed. Was the
re anything going on tha
something to tha t is esp eci ally important maybe the players weren t
different from you) has issu e ’t aware of? Ask the player
r, and som eth ing to teach you. and the ir cha rac ter. and see what they had. s to take out their cards
offe to them How close did they get to
achieving the “right” ord
Where there any discrep
ancies and why? Again, er?
ask the audience for inp
ut.
42 43
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up
44 45
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up
46 47
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up
is your own
We are always is in cool pinks. What different cities and contex
fit all of [those elements]. show? ts in
thin gs up until favorite costume in the As aud ien ces , as in life America. Main Activity: Buzz Groups
adjusting a lot of re’s a dre ss – I don ’t want to say , we are
The incredibly sensitive to the In this exercise, studen
the opening. ept that it’s a way people ts will explore
too much about it, exc look and as a result, get both extemporary speaki
dre ss tha t she wears ting the right ng – a skill
then we had trick – it’s the costume for characters that Elle develops and use
We drew it, painted it and wh en Wa rne r dum ps her. My friend at a specific
Legally Blonde – and
s throughout
their designs r, han d-
point is an important par
t of storytelling. the themes
it bid [the designers take 26 yea rs, Jef f Be nde
to assess how for dre ss. It’s a ver y simple
In our lives how we dre
ss is often
explored in the warm-up
theatrically.
to all the costume shops painte d the
it will take to be ma de] . You it’s han d-p ain ted. I love
controlled by the culture
s in which we
much to cost. slip dress, but
how mu ch it’s goi ng ing the sto ry, and grow up and work. So how
does fashion
1. Break the students into
discussion
determine the role it has in tell
made, half of ere nt people’s roles in it,
cha nge and how is it
aff ect ed by
groups of 3 or 4. Ask the
m to
For this show, half of it is all the diff
all over New Bell’s.
historical events and cul
tural contexts?
number off 1, 2, 3, 4. 1 wil
l speak
it is purchased. We went Jeff’s, Jerry’s, and Laura first, then 2, etc.
City , cou ture bou tiqu es in NYC,
York
Woodbury e outfit?
The following set of exe
Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, What is your own favorit
rcises explore 2. Intr
thin gs tog ether. ssed up!
fashion, clothing and app
earance and
oduce and model the disc
ussion:
Commons, mixing d to be dre
purchased. If I work too har its impact on who we are
from a
“As I ask questions I
would like
Usually if it’s modern, it’s tha t, I hav e a uni for m and it’s not you to share your tho
y get number of different sta
ndpoints. ughts with
it’s historical, it’s made. The ar sneakers,
impressive (laughs). I we your group. 1 will spe
ak first.
but you make your own. and a shi rt un- tuc ked. I won
jeans EXERCISE 1: Changing
Fashions/
Please allow each person
to speak
r, and I had to wear a - withou
for your a Tony last yea Fashioning Change t interruption - until I clap
my
What else inspired you s so har d! I spend han
? tuxedo and that wa Warm-Up ds (or use another sound
device).
designs in Legally Blonde my life dre ssin g other people up, and Then 2 will have his/her
s you – that’s ). Write the below three chance to
When the actor inspire est mess in the room (laughs quotes from speak, etc. (On the second
t wa y. Orf eh, the act res s playing I’m the bigg cul t. The hou rs are lon g, Legally Blonde on the question
the bes ry job is diffi board or 2 will begin first, etc.).”
, was a rocker Eve I love all the large posters. Ask studen
ts
Paulette [on Broadway] wh at she I work 7 days a week, .
I ask ed her I get to do with people
for two minute on Post-It to write
not
in the 1980’s – so inte rac ting • What fashion style wa
s appropriate
ed me by her ar unc om fort able sho es, I make responses to the three quo es their
wore then. She inspir I don’t we tes. In pairs, for your parents when
they
y tender, but wear those. (laughs)
ask students to share the
audition outfit. She’s ver and roll, other people
ir responses, were young? What did
they wear
gh edg e, ver y roc k and then share out. Stu to sch
with a rou dents may also ool, to important occass
ions,
bought a pair post their quotes on the
but in a playful way. We g from the Outside In boards to aid during their free time?
h-h eel sneakers, Lookin the next activity.
of vintage platform hig Elle Woods and her
, first thing In Legally Blonde
florescent green for her m to sor orit y sis ter s at college dress and • What are the most pop
ular clothing
wed the ‘Dye hair brunette to be
we found! When we sho the ir hai r in a certain style that is serious.” styles for young people
today?
nd, from when wear
Orfeh, she knew the bra very importa nt to the m. Costume design, What happens if someon
e wants
y didn’t make gral element “ ‘Casual Friday’ is not
they were popular! The is in Callahan’s to go against this style?
How are
d. I had seen as we have seen, an inte nde .
Blo vocabulary and you hav
the cut, but they inspire ) in a of the mu sic al Leg ally e to they treated? Why mig
ht a person
plays Elle part if you want to get ahe dress the
Laura Bell Bundy (who expresses both her ad.” choose a different fashio
n style?
w last year The character Elle
full workshop of the sho emotions and per son ality in her clothing
it’s useful to [Emmett tries on new clo • What influences how
– and watched her, and bot h celebrated thing:] styles change
son. Elle wears choices, and is “Think of the guy you wa and adapt?
know what suits the per it’s her and der ide d for her faith in her nt to be.
act, as
a lot of pink in the first ll own app ear anc e.
Laura Be • Discuss a fashion sty
signature color, and so le in history
earsal to get tumes for
wore a lot of pink to reh (anything not current) tha
t appeals
When designing the cos
into character. ally Blo nde , Gre gg Barnes spent to you or that you questio
n.
Leg
king closely at the
what shade of a lot of time loo • How do male fashio
From that, I could see ys tha t people dress in n styles differ
. So the show different wa from females?
pink looked good on her
48 49
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up
50 51
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up
Exercise 3 - Stereotypes
e Writing
Main Activity: Persuasiv
pre sen t the following:
rt
FROM THE SCRIPT
On a large cha
SALESWOMAN (evil)
School Uniforms Oh, blondes make com
mission SO much fun.
(The SALESWOMAN sw
oops down on ELLE, car
rying a dress.)
Pros Cons SALESWOMAN (cont.)
each Excuse me, have you see
ts go around the circle, n this? It just came in;
into a circle. Have studen r or vol unt eer charts it’s perfect for a blonde
Ask students to gather the tea che .
school uniforms, as ELLE
stating a pro or con to Right, with a half-loop stit
the ir com me nts . SALESWOMAN ch on china silk?
Uh huh.
und the circle. ELLE
Number off 1, 2, 1, 2 aro But the thing is, you can
’t use a half-loop stitch
will write a Con piece. china silk. It’ll pucker. And on
an informal debate, 2s you didn’t just get this in
1s write a Pro piece for because I saw it in last
month’s “Vogue.”
DELTA NUS (Sotto Voce,
delighted) OH MY GO
Sharing an ELLE:
D. OMIGOD YOU GUYS.
e and there is time, hold
volunteers to share their pieces. If appropriat ir pieces “in-ro le” I am not about to buy last
Ask for senting the year’s dress at this year’s
price.
ssroom with students pre DELTA NUS
informal debate in the cla rs.
…ELLE SAW RIGHT THR
er spe ake ELLE
OUGH THAT SALES GIRL’S
LIES.
as attorneys or oth It may not be perfect for
a blonde, but I’m not THA
“Legally Blonde” has ma T blonde.
ny characters who have
each other, and much of pre-conceived notions
the comedy of the show about
expectation of where eac builds
h character may be com on the audience’s own
work in three smaller gro ing from. Ask students
ups for brainstorming and to
their responses using ma discussion and to record
rkers and large chart pap
er.
Each group will select a
piece of paper at random
paper is written one of the . On each of the three pie
three pairings listed below ces of
, though the pages are fac
e-
• UCLA & Harvard
• Blonde & Brunette
• Someone who is a “Se
llout” & Someone “Repre
senting”
The topics remain a sec
ret to the other groups
Each group is asked to until the end of the exe
discuss and list the attr rcise.
ibutes and characteristi
cs of
each item in the pairing.
Responses may be entirel
students are being ask y subjective and impressio
ed for nistic;
Once all three groups hav associations and not necessarily concrete fac
e reached a natural bre ts.
to announce their topics aking place, ask the gro
and to post their respon ups
quietly to see each pos ses. Ask the groups to
ting and to reserve com travel
if they have any questio ments until the end. Ask
ns about what they see students
Do they agree or disagr posted and seek clarific
ee with any of the points ation.
made by other groups?
Is there
52 53
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Legally Blonde: Further Resources
54 55
Legally Blonde: Further Resources Legally Blonde: Further Resources
Design
LEGALLY BLONDE – Johnson, Donald Clay
Main Activity: Costume large- and Helen
the musical in either a
h the stu den ts the two quotes from Bra dle y Fos ter. Dre ss
Se nse :
1. Discuss wit
FURTHER RESOURCES
small groups. Emotional and Sensory
Experiences
group discussion, or in FILMS: of the Body and Clothe
s.
Legally Blonde, direct Berg Publishers, 2007.
gs: ed by Robert
Elle’s friend Margot sin Luketic, starring Reese
Witherspoon.
TE IN CLOTHES! Released by MGM, 200
1.
Lawrence, Jerome and
GOT SUCH GREAT TAS Lee, Robert E.
“CAUSE YOU’VE BOTH Inherit the Wind. Mass
Market, 2005
Legally Blonde II: Red
POSE!!!” , White and
OF COURSE HE WILL PRO Blonde, directed by Cha
rles Herman-
Lucia, Cynthia. Framing Fem
ale Lawyers:
Women on Trial in Film
ate his wardrobe: Wurmfeld, starring Reese
Witherspoon. . University of
after she helps him upd Texas Press, 2005
Later, Elle tells Emmett, Released by MGM, 200
3.
Valley Girl, directed by Lynch, Annette and Mit
“THE OUTSIDE IS NEW Martha chell
Changing Fashion: A Critical Strauss.
,
Coolidge, starring Nichol
as Cage and Intr
WHAT’S ALREADY IN YOU Deborah Foreman. Rel to Trend Analysis and Cul oduction
tural
BUT NOW IT REFLECTS eased by
MGM, 1983. Meaning. Berg Publish
ers, 2007.
T IF I WANTED TO.”
COULDN’T CHANGE THA Unzipped, directed by Dou Miller, Arthur. The Crucib
glas Keene, le. Penguin
Modern Classics 2000
re their thoughts. starring Isaac Mizrahi.
Released by
• Ask students to sha Miramax, 1995.
design
rent elements of costume Mossman, Mary Jane.
to brainstorm what the diffe cho ice s, colors , plot point/ The First
2. In pairs, ask students Women Lawyers: A Com
– eac h pai r sho uld identify at least three (fabric (if you hav e acc ess BOOKS AND PLAYS: parative
are boa rd. Study of Gender, Law And
Write these criteria on the visu al prompts).
Editors of Phaidon Press. the Legal
event, mood, theme, etc.). might be use ful as Professions. Hart Pub,
e design these The Fashion Book. Phaido
n Press, 1998. 2006.
to any pictures of costum
wing
themselves, through dra Adler, Sue. Baroness Pat Normanton, Helena. Eve
ryday Law
No w ask stu den ts to act as costume designers ing pro mp ts: ricia Scotland
3. ow QC: Peer, Barrister, Jun for Women. Nicholson
and
three outfits with the foll ior Minister
or sketching their own (Black Profiles). Tamarin Watson,1932
d Books 2001
able for you now.
1) An outfit that is comfort Brown, Amanda. Legally
Blonde.
Philips, James. The Rub
enstein Kiss,
yourself in the future. Time Warner Paperback Methuen Modern Plays,
2006
am of... or how you see s, 2003.
2) An outfit that you dre
Russell, Willy. Educating
riate for a job interview.
Brown, Amanda. Elle Wo
ods: Blonde Rita:
3) An outfit that is approp Love (Legally Elle Woods).
Hyperion, 2007.
A Comedy. A&C Black,
2001.
n three, Watson, Linda. 20th Cen
Sharing and Discussio t’s favorite sketch (or all
Brown, Amanda. Elle Wo
ods: Vote tury
ting the ass ignment, hang each studen y” format around the 100 Years of Style by Dec Fashion:
ade and
After comple ss) in a “ga ller Blonde. Hyperion, 2006.
and individual cla rk. Designer, in Associatio
depending on the space observe each other’s wo n with Vogue.
ts on a “gallery walk” to Gregory, Mollie. Wome
n Who Run
Firefly Books, 2004.
classroom. Guide studen
? the Show: How a Brillia
ilarities did you notice nt and
sio n que stio ns pos t-gallery walk: What sim municate through our Creative New Generation Wollstonecraft, Mary. A
Vindication
Discus we com of Women
differences? What do a style Stormed Hollywood. St. of the Rights of Women.
Where there any/many clo thin g cho ices? If someone choose Martin’s
oug h our vie we d? Is conformity Griffin, 2003. Penguin Classics 2004
choice of color? Thr is tha t
mon, not the norm, how
that is not the most com important?
nt? Wh y or wh y not? Is non-conformity
importa
56 57
Legally Blonde: Further Resources Legally Blonde: Further Resources
Solicitors: StageNOTES
Association of Women
MUSIC: olic itor s.o rg.uk/ A FIELD GUIDE FOR TEA
CHERS
sical Original www.womens
Legally Blonde: The Mu
Cast Record ing , 2007 society.org.uk A Camp Broadway LLC
Publication
Law Society: www.law
Motion w. Publisher: Susan E. Lee
Legally Blonde: Original The Women’s Library: ww
M, 2001 me t.ac .uk /the wo menslibrary/
Picture Soundtrack, A& lon don Associate Editors: Rho
na Silverbush
WEBSITES: Harvard Law School Art Director: Joseph M.
for Pisarchick
The official UK website www.law.harvard.edu
sical
Legally Blonde: The Mu Contributors:
usical.co.uk Kids for Tigers:
www.legallyblondethem
www.kidsfortigers.org Judith Bendewald, Ma
Legally riana Elder, Alexandra
Lópezz
The official website for – Interview
: The Mu sic al on Broadway Fashion of Legally Blonde
Blonde ign er Sophie de
Sherri Marton, Shanno
llyb lon det hem usical.com wit h film costum e des n Morrison, Karina Naum
er
www.lega nz/article/573
Rakoff: www.thread.co. Sami Plotkin, Alexia Ver
non
-the- scenes
For a wonderful behind Beauty
out Legally Blonde Style and For Legally Blonde The
look at the show, check yle.co.uk/ Musical UK:
e Roa d to Bro adw ay” : Page www.stealtheirst
“Th
roa dw ay. com /ge n/g eneral. movies/Legally%20look
Jerry Mitchell Director/C
www.b horeographer
aspx?ci=5400 70
Heather Hach Book Wr
iter
Laurence O’Keefe Music
and Lyrics
Nell Benjamin Lyrics and
Music
David Rockwell Scenic
Designer
Gregg Barnes Costume
Designer
Kenneth Posner Lightin
g Designer
Paul Miller Lighting Des
igner
Acme Sound Partners
Sound Designer
Christophe Jahnke Orc
hestrations
58 59