This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SMU chapter.
SMU senior Shannon Conboy has starred in multiple musical theater performances including”Bye Bye Birdie,” “The Music Man,” “The Sound of Music,” “Peter Pan,” and “Into the Woods.” But this weekend might be her biggest challenge yet with only 24 hours to rehearse scenes (including music and choreography…whew!) for Program Council’s performance of “Legally Blonde: The Musical.” We talked with Conboy about her upcoming role as Elle Woods, pre-performance rituals, and her favorite hits from the show.
HCSMU: Major/Minor?
SC: Vocal Performance and Music Education
HCSMU: Hometown?
SC: Huntington Beach, California
HCSMU: How did you get involved in the 24 hour musical?
SC: I saw the notice about it on FB, but they don’t reveal which musical they are doing until a certain date. So I was intrigued by it and talked to some of my friends who had done it in the past. When I saw the announcement that it was “Legally Blonde,” (one of my favorite musicals), I knew I wanted to do the audition!
HCSMU: What is it that you love about performing?
SC: Everything…I can’t really pin it down haha. It’s so much fun to get onstage and do what you love and to share that with an audience, whether that be dancing or singing or acting. It’s all so rewarding and enjoyable.
HCSMU: How are you planning to make Elle’s character your own?
SC: I’m not attempting to be the “cookie-cutter” image of any other Elle Woods that has performed the musical. I’m making Elle a character of my own, pulling from my personal experiences and with some inspiration from Miss Witherspoon.
HCSMU: Any pre-show rituals?
SC: I like to do yoga! If I have time to do anything before the show, that’s what I’ll be doing.
HCSMU: Favorite song from the show?
SC: “Legally Blonde.”
HCSMU: Favorite Elle Woods one-liner?
SC: “Thanks for your great tip on the ‘costume party.’ I see you came as last year’s sample sale.” (It’s two-lines but I love sassy Elle.)
HCSMU: Elle Woods is know for her amazing wardrobe, do you have a favorite costume that you get to wear on stage?
SC: I like Elle’s pink “lawyer outfit.” It fits her so much better than the navy one.
HCSMU: Who’s playing Bruiser?
SC: You’ll have to come to find out.
HCSMU: What can the audience expect from the performance? Will there be any surprises?
SC: The audience can expect an upbeat and awesome performance put on by talented people who have been working hard all weekend!!
RSVP for the show via Facebook and learn more on our events page. Photos courtesy of Shannon Conboy.