Standing out in the parking lot with his friends, Adriano Robins, continuously refreshed his Google Classroom, eagerly waiting to see the casting list. Finally, the list appeared. 

There it was: Adriano Robins, male lead.

¨I saw that my name was at the top of the list, and I’ve probably never screamed harder in my life because I love this show,” Robins said. “I was very ecstatic.”

Robins, junior, along with his cast members, auditioned for three days for the first Marquette Theatre Company (MTC) production this school year: “Legally Blonde.” 

Robins has participated in the multiple MTC shows and was Mr. Wormwood in Spotlight’s, a Rockwood and Parkway theatre group, Matilda show over the summer. 

In preparation for this role, Robins watched the “Legally Blonde” movie and the show recording on YouTube to look over the characters and see what he wanted to audition for. He also met up with his vocal coach to practice technique. 

“I kinda had an idea of what the characters felt, and what their experiences were,  so it was also easier to portray that,” Robins said. 

The story of “Legally Blonde” follows the bubbly main character Elle Woods as she goes through Harvard Law School, originally trying to win her boyfriend back. Through the journey, she learns about herself and her ambitions while maintaining her optimistic persona. 

Rebecca Blinduaer, theater director, said the cast is excited to finally start rehearsing. 

Some COVID restrictions, like limited in-person rehearsals and no live performances in 2020, were reduced, which allowed for in-person rehearsing and performances in masks this year. 

Looking back, Blinduear said this year should be significantly easier than last year when COVID limited rehearsal. 

Blinduaer said the two leads – Robins and Sarah Henderson, are both likable and hard working students who have worked with her on past MTC shows. 

¨I think we feel really confident in everyone that we cast,¨ Blinduaer said. 

Blinduaer said this year there is a record high of 16 boys out of about 40 students, with special appearances of Associate Principal Dr. Tracey Waeckerle and social studies teacher Justin Spurgeon as Elle´s parents. The marching band and even some Mystique members are participating this year as well. 

Waeckerle is set to play as Elle’s mother in the musical. Blinduaer had emailed her about the part because Waeckerle was the principal assigned to the performing arts department.

Waeckerle has been exposed to a lot of theater because her brother is a theater director. She said that this exposure helped influence her decision to be in the musical as well as working with students.

“I thought it would be fun and I would be able to work with students in a different way,” Waeckerle said. 

Before Sarah Henderson, senior, was casted as lead, she participated in the Muny Teen Ensemble shows for the 103rd season this past summer. She said it was a great learning experience. She got to see how professional theatre looks compared to community theatre. 

However, the Muny had to cancel the last three performances because a few cast members contracted COVID.

“So it was really not good news, but then that night we got the cast news and that definitely lightened my spirits,” Henderson said. 

In preparation for her role in MTC’s play, Henderson watched many versions of the “Legally Blonde” show and evaluated how different people performed the character. From that, she made her own interpretation of Elle Woods. 

¨I think it’s important to definitely be prepared if you have time to know the show beforehand,” Henderson said. “That’ll make you stand out from people who haven’t seen the show and haven’t learned the songs.¨