Sit down with Elle Woods’ leading man

Omigod, you guys! Everyone’s favorite blonde sorority queen and her pet Chihuahua will come to Orange County next month, when “Legally Blonde: The Musical” makes its debut.

The musical is on tour following a yearlong run on Broadway.

In the show, when ultimate California girl Elle Woods is dumped by her boyfriend, she decides to follow him to Harvard Law School to win him back. Along the way, she meets Emmett, played by Broadway actor DB Bonds. Emmett is a teaching assistant who teaches Elle about a lot more than torts and precedents.

The Independent interviewed Bonds about the character, the show, and the future of musical theater.

HBI: What made you audition for the show, and did you always have Emmett in mind as the character you would want to be?

DB: I hadn’t seen the show in New York, and a lot of my friends who had seen it all were coming to me and saying, “Have you seen this show? Because this is you. This part is you.” A lot of times, when a handful of people say this to you, it’s the kiss of death. I actually didn’t see the show until my agent called me with an audition for the tour. I never auditioned for the show in New York. And then, when I saw it, I thought, “This part is really great for me.” It normally doesn’t happen so quickly, but from first audition to finding out I had the part, it was probably three or four days.

HBI: Was this role a big departure from others you’ve had?

DB: I get cast a lot of times in the leading man role, but I think Paul Newman said one time that he felt like he was a character man trapped in a leading man’s body — and sometimes I feel that way, too. This character — the great thing about it is — he’s sort of a hybrid. He is the leading man, but he gets to be quirky and funny. It sort of has the best of both worlds. It really combines everything that I like to do.

HBI: Who were your major career influences?

DB: I learned a lot from watching [Tony Award winner] Norbert Leo Butts. I stood by him in a show called “The Last Five Years” in New York, and then sort of watched him a lot in “[Dirty Rotten] Scoundrels” before I got to do the part myself. I feel like I learned a lot from watching him, as well as all performances I’ve seen on Broadway.

HBI: Is there anything new you’ve learned, or any ways you’ve developed as an actor, working on this production?

DB: In a comedy, or when you have comedic scenes, it’s fascinating when you’re touring to see how different regions of the country respond; some are boisterous, and some are reserved. The lesson there, I think, is that it’s easy as an actor to come offstage wondering what you’re doing differently. You think there’s such a difference in your performance from night to night, but you just have to concentrate on what you’re supposed to concentrate on. With comedy, the most important thing is to still try to be truthful, because audiences can really smell when you’re asking for the laugh. Of course, if the audience is loud and raucous, we love it.

HBI: You’ve been performing this role for a solid year now, right? What do you do to keep every night fresh?

DB: I think you have to try to keep it fresh. Consistent is one thing, but stale is another. I just think you have to re-up each night, and try to think before you go onstage, “I don’t know this story. I’m telling it for the first time.” If you really listen to what the other person is saying, sometimes you hear a line in a different way. I think consistency is a tricky word, because it’s great, but I also read in a book once that said consistency is the death of good acting. You have to balance the two.

HBI: What’s it like, performing the production in the area where Elle Woods is supposed to be from?

DB: It’s fantastic. Somebody said the other day that we’re bringing Elle Woods home. The sensibility of the show just really seems to fit here. We are so happy to be here, and looking forward to the next few weeks. We’re loving being in California.

HBI: What has most challenged you about the production?

DB: I think the challenge sometimes is when a role becomes too comfortable for you as a performer. That can be a dangerous thing. Nobody really wants to go and see you play yourself; even your friends. Emmett is definitely one of the more grounded characters amongst all this pink and flash and energy, so probably the challenge is to feel present; to not get lost, but also to know you’re not there to compete with all that — you’re the antithesis.

HBI: How does the musical compare to the film?

DB: I saw the movie when it came out, and that’s the last time I’ve seen it. I purposely didn’t go back and watch it again. The relationship between Emmett and Elle is bigger in the stage version, so I know that’s different, but I hear from people who are fans of the movie that the musical’s very similar. If you love the movie, you will certainly love the musical. It’s a great homage to the movie, and follows the plot line very closely.

HBI: What do you think of the trend of adapting Hollywood films into Broadway musicals?

DB: I know a lot of people have said, “Oh my gosh — why can’t we get away from that trend?” I totally understand that point of view, but I think there’s room for everything. At least it’s a new musical; lately it’s been revival after revival. A lot of the adaptations some people have in their minds were unsuccessful. But if you go and see a great piece of theater that entertains you, I don’t think it matters where it came from.

HBI: This show is really popular with the younger set. Do you think it will help make musicals of interest to a younger generation?

DB: I think it’s great. We’ve had so many kids come up to us after the show, and so many parents who say, “This is my child’s first musical.” That’s really rewarding to hear. Maybe they’re the future writers who write new musicals someday.

HBI: Do you think the show offers its viewers a positive message?

DB: If you’re ready for a message, there is one to be had: Don’t judge a book by its cover. Also, if you want to come to the theater for two hours and 20 minutes and just be entertained, and not really think about a message, certainly that element is there as well. The show has such a wide appeal. A lot of guys have come up to me and said after the show that they had more fun than their girlfriend or wife did. You see parents and kids coming together in their pink dresses, or a guy in a pink tie on a first date. I just think it’s great that they get so into the evening. And the message is a good, solid message, if you’re ready to find it.

If You Go

What: “Legally Blonde: The Musical”

When: Sept. 8 to 20

Where: Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

Cost: $20 to $80

Information: (714) 556-ARTS or ocpac.org

Song Sampler: Sounds of the Show

?“Daughter of Delta Nu”

?“The Harvard Variations”

?“Blood in the Water”

?“Chip on My Shoulder”

?“Whipped Into Shape”

?“Take It Like a Man”

?“Bend and Snap”