Dean Poling | The Valdosta Daily TimesElle (played by Laurana Layton) is surrounded by admirers in the Valdosta Middle School production of 'Legally Blonde Jr.'

VALDOSTA – Directing one middle school cast for a stage production of “Legally Blonde” would be work enough but two casts, well, that inspires the same reaction as the musical’s opening number: “OMG!”

But Valdosta Middle School Players Director Toni Jarvis continues her tradition of presenting two casts of principal characters so more students have a chance to participate in live theatre. She also assigns roles to a large supporting cast for the same reasons.

Two casts of principals means there are two Elles, the character made famous by Reese Witherspoon in the movies; two Warners; two Viviannes, etc. 

The sixth- and seventh-grade cast performs the Thursday evening public show. The eighth-grade cast performs the public show Friday evening. They also split the performances for the elementary schools – an estimated 2,300 young students will see “Legally Blonde Jr.,” Jarvis said.

The junior designation means the shows have been abridged and adapted for younger performers for younger audiences. So, some audiences familiar with the full stage performance will be glad to know certain scenes with more risque themes have been omitted from the junior version of “Legally Blonde,” she said.

“We are also hosting a silent auction both nights of the performance for Broadway Cares/Equity Fight Against AIDS,” Jarvis said. “We have signed and unsigned memorabilia straight from Broadway that we will be auctioning off. I don’t currently know which shows we have items from, but in the past, I have seen auctions carry items from ‘Phantom,’ ‘Les Mis,’ ‘Book of Mormon’ and ‘Hamilton.'”

Peach State Summer Theatre presented the show a few years ago. It provided a synopsis for “Legally Blonde”: “Sorority star Elle Woods doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. So when her boyfriend dumps her for someone ‘serious,’ Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law. Along the way, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style.”

As long as Jarvis continues directing large numbers of students, her tradition of having a double cast of principals will also likely never go out of style.

THE CAST: Laurana Layton, Brawdy Gupton, Toni Salami, Devan Bush, Jaclyn Taylor, Jalen Merriweather, Elena Martinez, Hillary Hutchinson, Lulu Marshall, Thaisia Jones, Vanay Bryant, Katie Flythe, Keith Sayre, Kenzie Eikenberry, Emery McKinnond, Abbi Long, Devin Burke, Lizzie Eldridge, Nadia Yankovskyy, Morgan Wynn, Brenya Lockhart, Ivy Pettigrew, Kat Hazelhurst, Alden Myddleton, Gretchen Stubbs, Riley Kennedy, Vivian Thomas, Charlotte Cochran, Maryelysie Wilson, Niara Walker-Potts, Katie Ortmeyer, Karsyn Boyd, Mackenzie Robinson, Kylie Lewis, Allie Green, Gwyneth Steel, Janyia Davis, Nikayla Gray, Kelvin Potter, Tyler Montogomery, Anitra Ashmore, Kheniya Bussey, Lauren McTier, Greha Patel, Emma Herring, Tedarrium Deas, Emily Asola, Julia Sherwood, Shomari Bailey, Niyah Johnson, Zain McGlamery, Adrianna Breeden, Nicolas Sherman, Nemiah Hobbs, Lauren Johnson, Amari Bell, Ashunna Russ, Billy Hampton, Jamal Awad, Adrianna Bhan, Jeon Bivins, Donnie’ga Gethers, Tristan Glover, Kyle Henshaw, Jadah Knight, Ke’Leicia Lewis, Daniya McKiew, Halle Shealy, Anthony Tong, Jada White, Sanoi Burke, Asianna Campbell, Alyssa Cobb, Marisa Day, Shania Dennard, Hannah Elbridge, Jamiyah Felton, Aniyah Fulton, Katie Goodwin, La’Charise Haynes, Taryanah Henley, Shante Horton, Nyloni Inman, Makenna Karmann, Raina Knight, Isabel Mcloughlin, Mahi Patel, Hayleigh Phillips, Shaydrianna Sharp, Zoey Watson, Meghan Barfield, Tamia Beamon, Karsyn Boyd, Kyla Brown, Julia Camp, Syteria Carter, Aaliyah Daniels, Hollee Hennly, Chance Knowles, John Nelson, Maddie Niemi, Savannah Oelkers, Audry Rhoads, Ja’mya Smith, Raziyah Walton, Mirycle Wilkerson, Kehmya Williams, Karizma Wright, Brianna Arnold, Jeneen Awad, Corrina Cash, Dalphane Davis, Ronnekia Leggett, Adison Lieupo, D’shonti Phillips, Kaliyah Straughter, Melissa Walsh, Mya Brown, Jamal Awad, Shomari Bailey, Jeon Bivins, Kyle Henshaw, Kelvin Potter, Nicolas Sherman, Anthony Tong, Michellangelo Brown, Brawdy Gupton, Devan Bush, Chance Knowles, Jalen Merriweather, Devin Burke, Billy Hampton, Elliot Lane, Zain McGlamery, Keith Sayre, Emery McKinnond, Dustin Cole.

DIRCETION, PRODUCTION: Toni Jarvis, director; Brianne Peacock, student director; Zachary Williams, light board;  Desmon Yearby, light board; Aniya Davenport, spotlight; Lindsay Henshaw, Deja Beckham, props; Colton Baldwin, Cam Johnson, Lindsay Henshaw, Deja Beckham, stage crew; Colton Baldwin, curtains; Aniya Davenport, publicity.