Over 4,000 Attend SMTA's 2024 Production of 'Legally Blonde: The Musical'

• Over 4,000 viewers attended the performance.
• The cast and crew consisted of 41 students from 13 area high schools.

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Over 4,000 viewers gathered at the RiverFront on the evening of July 8 to watch the University of Nebraska at Omaha's (UNO) College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media (CFAM) proudly present the third annual display of its Summer Musical Theatre Academy (SMTA) with the highly anticipated production of "Legally Blonde: The Musical."

This free performance featured a dynamic cast and crew comprised of 41 students from 13 area high schools.

The Gene Leahy Mall Performance Pavilion came alive with the vibrant energy of "Legally Blonde," as the young cast, much like Elle Woods herself, took to the stage with the effortless attitude of "What, like it's hard?" and delivered a show-stopping performance with flair.

The students rehearsed, performed, and received training in every element of theatre, including acting, dancing, singing, costume design, set building, lighting and sound, and stage management through the program.

This year, UNOTheatre collaborated with RiverFront Omaha and the Omaha Symphony to bring the production to the Gene Leahy Mall. Additionally, they partnered with the Nebraska Humane Society, KVNO Classical Radio 90.7, and Omaha South High School.

The SMTA staff comprised Broadway professionals, UNO faculty, Omaha high school teachers, and UNO students. Omaha native and Broadway veteran Q Smith, along with Lawrence Stallings, returned to lead a series of workshops and collaborated with Legally Blonde’s directorial team of VJ Orduna, Tyler Gruttemeyer, and Julian Adair.

SMTA, which is a part of the UNOTheatre program, is a five-week, tuition-free intensive training program in musical and technical theatre, led by professionals from around the country.

In its third annual showcase, UNOTheatre's SMTA demonstrated the transformative power of the arts, education, and community partnership. As the curtain falls on another successful production, the event not only entertained but also highlighted UNO's commitment to fostering creativity and collaboration within the local community.

More About the Summer Musical Theatre Academy

The SMTA offers practical experience in every aspect of building, running, and performing a production in a professional and supportive environment. The cast rehearses 5 evenings a week from 5-10 P.M. The crew works under the supervision of the design and production team in the scene shop, costume shop, in stage management, on lighting, sound, props, and makeup. The SMTA encourages responsibility, ownership, teamwork, and personal excellence.