Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods

Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods
Official logo art for the show
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	8
Production
Running time	60 minutes (44 without commercials)
Release
Original network	MTV (2008)
Original release	June 2 – July 21, 2008
External links
Website

Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods is an MTV program created in order to cast an actress to replace Laura Bell Bundy in the role of Elle Woods in the Broadway production of Legally Blonde: The Musical. The show debuted on June 2, 2008.

The winner of the show, Bailey Hanks, in addition to being cast in the role, was given the opportunity to record her own single of the musical's first-act closer, "So Much Better". The show concluded on July 21, 2008. Autumn Hurlbert was the runner up. She served as Hanks' understudy and performed in the ensemble of the show (replacing Becky Gulsvig who left to join the tour). Bundy's last performance in the musical was on July 20, 2008. Hanks began performances on July 23, 2008 and remained with the show until it closed on October 19, 2008.

Two other show finalists — Rhiannon Hansen and Lauren Zakrin, performed in the "Legally Blonde" national tour. Hansen played Margot in the musical and Zakrin performed in the ensemble as well serving as understudy to Becky Gulsvig as Elle Woods.

The show began with 15 contestants. All except the winner were eliminated over nine episodes, in which they performed songs and faced other challenges. A three-judge panel made the elimination decisions. Most episodes involved a small prize for the winner of the challenge.

In each episode, the contestants met different cast members from the Broadway cast of Legally Blonde: The Musical. They also studied a song from the show and faced various tests and challenges that were evaluated by the panel of judges. Most weeks, the challenge winner received a prize.

50 contestants traveled to New York hoping to star as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. An initial dance audition ensued, and the field was narrowed down to 15 girls. After learning the song "So Much Better" and a dance, the girls auditioned for the judges. Five were eliminated, leaving 10 remaining contestants.

Episode 2 focused on acting auditions. Scene partner Nikki Snelson (who played Brooke Wyndham in the musical) purposely drops a line during the contestants' auditions to see how the contestants react. The girls learned the song "Delta Nu Nu Nu". The challenge winner, Hanks, won personal time with Nikki Snelson. She shared the prize with Ridgway.

After a grueling vocal workshop on spin bikes to test the contestants' stamina, Cassie S. isolates herself from the other girls by complaining to the judges that the other contestants failed to give their all during her rehearsals. The episode also focused on the song "Omigod You Guys". The prize was a manicure and pedicure with Orfeh (who played Paulette in the musical), won by Zakrin and shared with Silva.