A Note From The Director...
“A strong woman looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink.” –Gina Carey
Legally Blonde is the well-known story of a young woman who gets herself into Harvard Law School to win back the “love of her life” only to find out that she is much stronger without him. This story, while superficial on the outside, is actually a story of empowerment, of strength, and of finding love within yourself. It’s about a woman who went searching for her knight, but actually found her sword. It speaks to all young women out there that we do not need anyone else to help us achieve; we only need to love ourselves and speak our truth in order to express the true courage and power we all have within.
“A successful woman is one who can build a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at her.” –Anonymous
Elle Woods did not have an easy journey. She faced stereotypes, adversity, sexual harassment, bullying, and many other issues that are real for young women (and men) in our current culture. However, she persevered. While she may have faltered a bit here and there, in the end, she took what was thrown at her and she built a stronger platform to stand on. This message is so important for young people in our generation, especially the college-aged students that are finding their way into the world as they finish their degrees and graduate. In doing this musical, I hoped to inspire many of these young women and men to never give up and to face adversity head-on, because we are all powerful and able to make a difference.
“Sometimes, you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.” –Unknown
I hope that Elle’s journey and transformation speaks to many of you as you take in our show. It was very important to me to emphasize her personal growth and strength as we built this production. It’s so easy to get lost behind all the pink and glitter and forget that Elle Woods is simply a young woman who found herself and discovered that she was so much more than just a blonde bombshell. She learned that being blonde was just part of her genetic chemistry and didn’t dictate the type of person she had to be. She learned to overcome stereotypes and embraced the understanding that nothing can hold back a person who has goals and the courage to pursue them. She pushed aside the labels and became the author of her own story…and she wrote one hell of a story! My personal hope is that this message sits deeply into the hearts of the students I’ve worked with on this production and also works its way into the hearts of those watching our show. I hope you all find the strength to love yourself and to write your own story.
“There is no force equal to a woman determined to rise.” –W.E.B. DuBois
I wish for a world where we can all support one another to rise. Where we eliminate judgment and stereotype and cheer each other on. I ask you all to think about Elle’s journey and rise.
Peace,
Jessie Doro McKay
Director
