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Exclusive: Laura Bell Bundy's Final Legally Blonde Performance
Nov 10, 2022
On Sunday, July 20th at 7pm Tony Award Nominee Laura Bell Bundy, Broadway's original Elle Woods, played her final performance in the musical 'Legally Blonde' It was a night of emotional farewells and tearful celebration and BWW TV was there to capture Laura Bell's last 'Bend and Snap'!
View Video Transcript
0:00
This dressing room is being packed up
0:17
It doesn't look like it used to. It doesn't look like it did in the New York Times. This is a big day for us
0:24
It's a day to celebrate, and it's also a little bit of a sad day for us. This was Laura Bell Bundy's, Natalie Joy Johnson, and Andy Carl's last show with us
0:34
Three of, you know, everybody's favorite cast members. So tonight is a night to celebrate our time with them
0:41
to celebrate the journey they've been on with Legally Blonde, to wish them well in their future endeavors
0:46
and just to celebrate and look forward to the second chapter of Legally Blonde here on Broadway
0:51
What was your favorite moment of the show tonight? I think it was, maybe it was when Laura Bell broke down during the Legally Blonde, first Legally Blonde number
1:04
I heard it over the monitor and I thought it was very, very touching. Now you have been on this journey with Legally Blonde since the beginning, so you know these three cast members very well
1:13
You were in the San Francisco process with them when everybody really became a family
1:17
What are you going to miss the most about Laura Bell? I guess her energy
1:23
and she's kind of the ringleader of all the actually shenanigans sometimes that's going on
1:28
and just her commitment to the piece I think, you know, you see that she's doing the show
1:33
usually eight times a week and she is giving her heart and soul to it
1:40
and I got to see it from the front last night and just to see her do it
1:44
that's very, very inspiring to see her give that much to it
1:49
So it just takes you right along. She gives 150% eight shows a week
1:53
It's unbelievable. Where's my grandmothers? Where's Zekina? Mark, are you okay? Mark, they're cool
2:04
They're too glowing. What has been your favorite part of the journey with these three people
2:10
You've been with them since the beginning as well. Yes, we did the workshop together
2:14
And I think that it's been intriguing to watch the journeys of their characters along the way
2:20
You know, we make adjustments as we perform eight times a week
2:25
and you find things really really funny one day and you like Oh wow I should keep that So watching Laura Bell find things along the way Andy of course he had his characters pretty much down from the workshop
2:37
and they just grew exponentially over the course of the run. Natalie, I mean, you are in the same dressing room as Natalie
2:48
We're in the same dressing room. This woman is amazing. Words can't describe
2:52
You have been with this project since the beginning. I mean, the choreography was being made, the numbers were being built, changed, rearranged
3:02
Crazy. I've been there from day one when we created the curtain pull step
3:09
the bend and snap, before rehearsals for the workshop even began. So I've been there a while
3:15
What does it feel like to see the original Elle Woods, who was also along with you guys during the curtain pull and the bend and snap
3:22
to have that leader be leaving us? You know what? It's kind of the end of an era
3:29
but it's also change is good in anything. So Laura Bell has done her duty with us
3:35
We'll all miss her so much because she's been there, like you said, from day one. I've seen her in her panties and not much else way too many times
3:43
and I'll miss that a lot. I don't think you're the only one. No
3:47
But you know what? It's exciting. You know, shows keep changing, and it's not going to be the same thing that we've all known
3:53
so it's going to challenge us all to grow and make different choices. So I think it's awesome
3:58
What are you going to miss most about Natalie Joy and Andy Carl? Oh, my God, so many things
4:05
First of all, yeah, yeah, and engagement at the top of the show
4:10
But most of all, just the jokes backstage and seeing Andy Carl's naked ass
4:16
I remember her calling me, and I was in Connecticut, and she said, Mom, I really want to audition for Legally Blonde
4:24
And I said, fine. And she said, well, I need a plane ticket
4:28
And I said, use my credit card. So that was the beginning of the long journey, and I would do it again
4:35
We love Laura Bell so much, and she is such a fearless leader for all of us
4:41
She is the person that we run to and follow because she will just lead us through eight shows a week
4:47
She is so strong, so inspirational, and that must be in great part to how she was raised
4:53
So how have you seen her grow throughout this process I sure she changed a bit Well she grown up but she has a lot of family support and we a very close family
5:10
And Laura was raised with Ruth's stability, and I think that's the key
5:16
just having your family right there behind you. And I've always told Laura that the sky was the limit
5:22
and I've given her every opportunity to fulfill her dream, and I would continue to do that
5:28
And I think the next step will be that much bigger. And she will miss Broadway
5:35
but I don't think she'll be away too long. For all of us up here
5:43
this show has been an incredible labor of love. We loved it from the moment it became our idea
5:50
to the moment we found our director choreographer who told me what he wanted me to say tonight
5:57
to our authors who are here tonight. And what, you know, as a producer
6:11
when you get to do this, you know, produce something, a new musical
6:17
to watch it actually flesh out, watch actors take these words and make characters out of them
6:25
It's just an amazing process. And for the four people who, you know, unfortunately are moving on
6:33
they literally took what was on their page and made these words and the characters their own
6:39
To Paul and Natalie and Andy, you guys are amazing. more than
6:50
make the role sort of what it is is I think in my opinion
6:57
the true definition of a star not only for what she did
7:02
on the stage but what she did backstage and how she led this company and
7:08
And I know this because people in the company have said to me, but they didn't have to because
7:21
we knew it just from watching the way you dealt with so many things from being in a workshop to out of town to Broadway you are going to be huge and when you are
7:37
I hope you remember us. And we wish you nothing, nothing, nothing but the best
7:43
I just have to say to my producers, who just sent these lovely things to me
7:52
I've been working my whole life, and no more producers' s-rails. I just want to say that it does start at the top
8:04
And it started with you guys being so passionate about this project
8:08
and hiring Jerry, Jerry being so passionate, and the creative team, and everybody being so excited
8:15
It was a lot of people's first times. I have a feeling about this world. You know, you just have a big gut instinct
8:20
that you were meant to play something, meant to do something in your life. and I really feel like it's the best experience
8:26
that I've had so far. You go say hello first and then we'll come over here
9:50
How are you? I'm fine, I'm having a bread. Oh, what a surprise. Oh, yes, please
9:54
Go over and reach the crowd and then we'll talk
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