By Dawn Krebs
dkrebs@hometownnewsol.com
ST. LUCIE COUNTY -- To entertain county residents, the Port St. Lucie High School drama department has spent months practicing their latest musical, "Legally Blonde."
The group will perform the musical for two weekends, beginning Feb.1.
"The students started practicing the beginning of the year," said Patrick Madden, drama director for the school.
Approximately 40 high-school students from all grade levels will be in the play, said Mr. Madden and a lot more are contributing to the production in other ways.
"In addition to the cast, their will be a student orchestra playing the music for the play," he said.
"Legally Blonde" first aired as a movie about a decade ago and became a musical on Broadway in the last few years.
The show centers on the character of Elle Woods, who, when dumped by her boyfriend for "someone serious," picks up the law books and manages to keep the fashion and the fun moving.
Mr. Madden, who has taught at the high school and has overseen performances there for the past 24 years, said he wanted to do something this year that was a little more current.
"People may have seen the movie, but the musical is new," he said. "This is something the kids are excited about."
In the past, the school has showcased a variety of other musicals, including, "Grease," "Beauty and the Beast" and last year's "Singing in the Rain."
"Last year's show, 'Singing in the Rain,' sold out before it even opened," Mr. Madden said. "We've been lucky we've done so well, and I'm very appreciative of all the support the community shows."
Last year, more than 10,000 people came to see the show, and the money raised by the performances goes back into the school's drama department for future shows.
The shows will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 1; at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 3.
The following weekend, the shows will be at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 8; at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 and on 2 p.m. Feb. 10.
The show will be performed in the high school's auditorium, 1201 S.E. Lennard Road in Port St. Lucie. Tickets are $15, and are available at the following Port St. Lucie locations: Tin Fish, at 327 S.E. Port St. Lucie Blvd.; Jay's Fine Jewelry, at 1625 N.W. St. Lucie Blvd.; Perkins, on U.S. 1 and at Port St. Lucie High School. They can also be purchased at Joy's Ice Cream Plus, at Midway Road and U.S. 1 in Fort Pierce and at Honeybaked Ham, at U.S. 1 and Britt Road in Stuart.
For more information, call (772) 337-6043.