Narragansett's Amanda Ellis Kouri Appearing In Legally Blonde the Musical

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), the not-for-profit which brought new life to the historic Theatre By The Sea for the past five years, is proud to present their first summer production in their new state-of-the-art theatre in Warwick - the all-singing, all-dancing, feel-good musical comedy, Legally Blonde The Musical, sponsorsed by Amtrak, which opened on July 10, 2013.

Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the 2001 hit film of the same name, Legally Blonde The Musical tells the story of Elle Woods, who can handle anything. When her boyfriend Warner Huntington III, dumps her to start getting “serious,” she decides to drop everything and follow him to Harvard Law School to win him back. With some help from new-found friends Paulette, Emmett and her Chihuahua Bruiser, she learns that it's so much better to be true to yourself.

Winner of seven major awards including the coveted Best Musical 2011 Olivier Award, Legally Blonde The Musical is so much fun it shouldn’t be legal!

Ocean State Theatre Company is thrilled to welcome back Russell Garrett, who directed OSTC productions of 9 to 5: The Musical, Hairspray and The Full Monty at Theatre By The Sea. This will be Mr. Garrett’s debut as a director and choreographer at the new Warwick theatre. 

He will be joined by Justin P. Cowan, who music directed OSTC’s production of How to Succeed… last summer at TBTS. Alyssa Gorgone, who portrayed the role of Sophia in Fools earlier this season, stars as Elle Woods. She is joined by Adam Ryan Tackett, recently seen in the dual roles of Captain Orton and Sir Edward Ramsey in OSTC’s The King and I, as Emmett Forrest, Nicole Paloma Sarro, who will be making her OSTC debut, as Paulette, and Christopher Swan, who won rave reviews for his portrayals of Jack Lawson in Race and The King of Siam in The King and I as Professor Callahan. 

Local performers include Caroline Bateson of East Greenwich, Taunton native Michael J. Borges, Derek Capobianco of Cranston, Amanda Ellis Kouri of Narragansett, Brad Kirton of Coventry, Sarah Pierce of North Kingstown, Jenica Reed of Providence, and Alexis Berlinger, Sara Berlinger, Meghan Lydon and Kevin Patrick Martin, all from Cumberland.

Kouri, who currently resides in South County, received her BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Carolina University. In Rhode Island, she has performed in several Theatre by the Sea productions, including Man of La Mancha, The Drowsy Chaperone, Hairspray and A Chorus Line, and she has had a blast so far during Legally Blonde's run at OSTC.

“The combination of New York talent and local talent…I learned from the people in New York,” said Kouri. “We all learn from each other and that’s what makes a wonderful show.”

Legally Blonde The Musical will be presented at Ocean State Theatre through July 28. Shows Thursday through Saturday begin at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. 

The theatre is located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, RI. Tickets are $39-$49. Discount rates for groups of 20 or more are available by calling (401) 921-1777 x112. $25 “Rush” tickets are available on a limited basis one hour prior to curtain on the day of the performance. Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Friday from 12 noon to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 12 noon to 4 p.m., and from 12 noon until curtain on performance days. Tickets are also available online 24 hours a day at www.OceanStateTheatre.org and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (401) 921-6800.