Lindsay Mapes Stars as Elle Woods in Arts Center of Cannon County's LEGALLY BLONDE

Lindsay Mapes takes on the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, The Musical, the next production at Woodbury's Arts Center of Cannon County. Directed by Mary Ellen Smith, the Tony Award-nominated musical runs July 6-21.

Legally Blonde is part of the Arts Center's 2012 Centerstage Series and features Abbey Kairdolf, Alanna Woodard, Allison Barnett, Blair Allison, Caleb Marshall, Cody Rutledge, Cora Frye, David Cummings, Drew Jenkins, Grant Kairdolf, Hanna Nokes, Hayley Orozco, John David Welch, Josh Ball, Kate Byrd, Kerri Kairdolf, Lance Chandler, Maggie Richardson, Matt Henry, Matt Hunter, Michael Adcock, Miranda Vaque, Natalie Madigan, Zachary Fraizer, and Rachael Parker.

This show is produced by Matt Smith with choreography by Maggie Richardson and music direction by Allison Barnett.

According to the press release: "The show's heroine, Elle Woods, is naturally blonde, (an important distinction). She's also super-popular, an honor student, president of her sorority, a runner-up for Miss Hawaiian Tropic, and Miss June in the CULA campus calendar–and her signature color is pink. She's led a wonderful life (she was in a Ricky Martin video!), but she's not a clueless, spoiled brat–Elle, like her hair, has a heart of gold, and it belongs to her totally cute boyfriend, Warner.

"When Warner asks her to dinner at their special place, she assumes he's going to pop the question and finally place "The Rock" (a six-karat Harry Winston diamond) on her freshly manicured finger. Instead, he dumps her saying she's "too blonde" and not "serious" enough for his future political career, and Elle is devastated. Determined not to give up, she decides to prove she can be what he wants – she'll attend Harvard Law School herself. Legally Blonde takes you from the social whirl of a California campus to Harvard's halls of justice with the bright new heroine, Elle Woods. The verdict? This fun shouldn't be legal!"

The performance schedule for all shows is Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2  p.m. Tickets are $12 with discounts available for students, seniors and groups, and are available by calling the Arts Center box office at (615) 563-2787 or (800)235-9073, or online at www.artscenterofcc.com. "The Blue Porch @ Arts Center" restaurant is now open before all performances.

The Arts Center is located on 1424 John Bragg Highway, just west of Woodbury, approximately 20 minutes from Murfreesboro, Manchester, and McMinnville and one hour southeast of Nashville. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Photo of Lindsay Mapes by Russel Mobley

Jeffrey Ellis is a Nashville-based writer, editor and critic, who's been covering the performing arts in Tennessee for more than 25 years. He is the recipient of the Tennessee Theatre Association's Distinguished Service Award for his coverage of theatre in the Volunteer State and was the founding editor/publisher of Stages, the Tennessee Onstage Monthly. He is a past fellow of the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center and is the founder/executive producer of The First Night Honors, held during Labor Day Weekend, which honor oustanding theater artists in Tennessee in recognition of their lifetime achievements and includes The First Night Star Awards and the Most Promising Actors. Midwinter's First Night, held the first Sunday in January after New Year's Day, honors outstanding productions and performances throughout the state. Further, Ellis directed the Nashville premiere of La Cage Aux Folles, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and An American Daughter, as well as award-winning productions of Damn Yankees, Company, Gypsy and The Rocky Horror Show, with Ellis honored by The Tennessean as best director of a musical for both Company and Rocky Horror.

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