VALDOSTA —
Though Peach State Summer Theatre’s “Legally Blonde The Musical” has been playing for nearly a month, Krista Severeid makes her debut tonight.
In many ways, it will be an entirely new “Legally Blonde” opening in Sawyer Theatre. Severeid plays the leading role of Elle, a character who is on stage almost every moment of the show, the character that made Reese Witherspoon famous in the movie of the same name, the character played by Andrea Rouch in the PSST! production until now.
Shortly after “Legally Blonde’s” early June opening, Rouch received an offer to play a leading role in a nationwide tour. It was an offer she could not refuse but she had to report to New York before the end of this month.
Rouch accepted the job but stayed with PSST!’s “Legally Blonde” through this past weekend. With help from Matthew McGee, PSST! discovered its new Elle in Severeid.
A Valdosta State University Theatre & Dance graduate and a PSST! veteran, McGee plays Professor Callahan in “Legally Blonde.” He also runs Florida’s Show Palace.
Last year, Jacque Wheeler, PSST!’s artistic director and the director of “Legally Blonde,” performed in the Show Palace’s “Steel Magnolias.” As that show came to a conclusion, Severeid prepared to play the Judy Garland role in the Show Palace’s “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Wheeler and Severeid met at the Show Palace.
From there, Severeid performed in a series of shows on a cruise ship. The ship returned in the spring, arriving too late for Severeid to audition for any summer shows. McGee knew Severeid was idle for the summer until preparing for a national tour of “White Christmas,” which will also play the Kennedy Center, later this year.
So, as easy as you can say, the show must go on, Severeid became PSST!’s new Elle.
Since Severeid’s arrival a little more than two weeks ago, Rouch helped her prepare for the role. Severeid also prepared and has performed a part in PSST!’s “Go, Dog. Go!”
“Andrea was wonderful,” Severeid says of Rouch. “She worked through the blocking with me, the choreography. She ran lines with me; Andrea played every other character while I played Elle. So, Andrea was a great help.”
Managing Director H. Duke Guthrie says finding a replacement is rare during the Peach State season but a regular part of the theatre business.
“In the theatre, it is not at all uncommon for an artist to leave a show for another,” Guthrie says. “Despite a perception held by some that union contracts are really tight on this issue, all the theatrical unions allow it in the case of more remuneration. In Andrea’s case, a year-long contract on national tour is an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.”
As for Severeid, she has previously worked as a replacement. She stepped into several roles in a handful of simultaneous roles on the cruise ship.
She has a wealth of theatrical experience. Having worked professionally for several years, Severeid has performed in shows ranging from “Camelot!” to “Brigadoon,” from “A Little Night Music” to “Annie Get Your Gun,” from “The Phantom of the Opera” to “The Tempest,” in regional theatre, dinner theatre, tours, cruises, cabarets, and in New York. She will appear in “White Christmas” with her husband, Tom Lawson, who currently alternates as a replacement for the title role in “The Music Man” in Washington, D.C.
She has also been a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, for the past six years.
She will need all of these experiences.
Given PSST!’s non-stop schedule of presenting three musicals in rotating repertory, the only chance Severeid and the cast have the opportunity for a full run-through rehearsal of the show will be this afternoon, just hours before playing a sold-out audience this evening.
The show must go on, and PSST! believes it has the person to keep that old theatrical promise.
“We feel so very fortunate that Krista was available on such very short notice and has been a real trouper learning ‘Go, Dog. Go!’ in under a week and have very few opportunities to work with the ‘Legally Blonde’ cast as they were all in rehearsals for ‘The Light in the Piazza.’ Krista’s professionalism has really shown through.”
Reservations, more information: Call (229) 259-7770; or visit the website www.valdosta.edu/psst
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Dean Poling | The Valdosta Daily Times Krista Severeid is ready for her debut tonight as Elle in Peach State Summer Theatre’s ‘Legally Blonde The Musical.’ Severeid is replacing the previous actress in the role.
Discussion
The show must go on
New ‘Legally Blonde' actress makes debut tonight
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