Ike's Legally Blonde: The Musical Stars to Share Stage with Slobbery Stars

School's Legally Blonde: The Musical stars will have to learn to share the glory of the live stage this weekend with two very cute and very slobbery costars.

Reggie, a half Bullmastiff and half Bulldog will make his acting debut, along with theater veteran, Hollywood, a white Maltese.

Legally Blonde: The Musical will open March 1 at 7 p.m. and run, March 2 and 3 at 7 p.m. The final show will be March 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

While casting the show's lead actors, Director and Ike theater teacher David Springer, called on a dog grooming and training facility up the road for acting dogs to play lead character Elle Woods dog, Bruiser, and her best friend Paulette's dog, Ruffus.

Wag N Tails owner Christine Fox, who has held animal acting workshops at the facility in the past, had just the right fit: Reggie, a two-year-old rescue dog, who won over Springer's heart when he slobbered on the script during auditions, and Hollywood, Fox's own five-year-old Maltese.

The cast, made up of about 80 students, along with the two dogs, have been practicing for the play since January.

"It was cool to see how it's all piecing together," said Senior Tony Gicona, who play's Kyle, Paulette's love interest in the play.

Springer, who is directing his first play at Eisenhower since taking over the department in 2011 after teaching drama at Stevenson for 12 years, said he was blown away by the talent pool.

"The talent across the board has been amazing," he said. "And working with the dogs has been a lot of fun."

Wag N Tails employees and dog trainers Laura Byrd and Patti Debono said Reggie has been conditioned to only play with his owners on stage, Gicona and Paulette, played by Katie Riamondo.

The rest of the cast members have been instructed not to pet Reggie so that he knows he's in work mode, and not there to play.

"That's why when there are 30 people on the stage running and dancing around him, Reggie can just lay and sleep because he know's they're not going to give him attention," said Dibono. 

Byrd added that after the last perfromance, the cast will get a chance to have a "Reggie pet fest."

Springer is hoping to fill the 700-person auditorium every evening.

For more information, call 586-797-1300.