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Six-year-old Lea Sevola sat mesmerized in the audience at “The Lion King,” her first Broadway show.
And during intermission, she pointed to the stage and said “I want to do that!”
“And that was kind of it,” said the 2014 Randolph High school graduate, who went on to earn a BFA from Ithaca College. “My parents put me in all the classes and helped me audition for stuff from there. It’s really the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do, so the fact that I’m doing it is something that makes me very proud.”
And “it” brings her home to New Jersey this weekend in the national tour of “Legally Blonde The Musical,” which hits the State Theatre in New Brunswick from April 28 to 30.
Based on the iconic 2001 movie, the show “follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, sexism, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams,” according to a State Theatre release. The show also “proves, contrary to dated bias, that you can be both legally blonde AND the smartest person in the room.”
Sevola plays Vivienne, who mostly acts or is in the background before the character gets to sing toward the end of the show. That, Sevola said, allows her use her training and experience in plays and Shakespeare to make sure her character is fully realized.
At the start of the show, Vivienne is one of Elle’s antagonists before (SPOILER ALERT) they warm up to each other.
“Playing a villain is one of the most fun things, and I also get the added bonus that my character kind of comes around at the end. So she is a villain but also turns into kind of a favorite,” Sevola said from the tour’s stop in Houston.
The character arc gives Sevola a chance to stretch her acting muscles, she said.
“Something that was important to me when I was preparing for the role was thinking about ‘why are real people mean? Why would a real person act this way?’ Because I didn’t want to just play the quality of mean on stage. I was like, ‘Who is Vivienne and why is she like this? … Humanizing her has been a fun challenge.”
More:In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new Broadway musical, Cinderella has some badass attitude
Sevola, who played Wonder Woman in stops around the Middle East as part of a DC Justice League tour, said she loves being on the road with “Legally Blonde.”
“Getting to see so much of the country has been so wild,” she said. “We’re going to end up in 40-some states and 80-some cities. The coolest part is getting to do this show that people enjoy wherever we are, but getting to visit cities that I’ve never been to before and probably would never go to.”
Visit leasevola.com to keep up with her.
The touring production also stars Hannah Bonnet of Phillipsburg as Elle Woods.
Go: “Legally Blonde,” 8 p.m. Friday, April 28; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 30, State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, $40 to $98; stnj.org.
More:Young NJ actor lands royal role in ‘Anastasia’ tour. What’s her secret to fame?
State Theatre New Jersey 2023-2024 season
The State Theatre recently announced its 2023-2024 Broadway series: “Pretty Woman: The Musical,” Oct. 7 and 8; “Come From Away,” Jan. 5 to 7, 2024; “The Cher Show,” Feb. 9 to 11; “Clue,” April 27 and 28; and “Mean Girls,” May 11 and 12. Additional shows include “Chicago the Musical,” Nov. 18 and 19, 2023; “Annie,” Feb. 2 to 4, 2024; and “The Kite Runner,” May 3 and 4, 2024.
Season tickets are on sale now. Single tickets go on sale July 21.
Visit stnj.org for more information about these shows and other upcoming events, including the Free Summer Movie Series.
Ilana Keller is an award-winning journalist and lifelong New Jersey resident who loves Broadway and really bad puns. Reach out on Twitter: @ilanakeller; ikeller@gannettnj.com
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