AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (KOAA) — The Bluebards Theatre Troupe Presents Legally Blonde the Musical this Memorial Day weekend. Thursday is opening night for the United States Air Force Academy's spring musical.
Legally Blonde is being put on by the Bluebards Performing Arts Program, which is made up of cadets at the academy.
Legally Blonde the Musical Show Times:
- Thursday, May 22 at 7 p.m.
- Sunday, May 25 at 7 p.m.
- Monday, May 26 at 7 p.m.
Location: Arnold Hall Theater, United States Air Force Academy
The musical is free and open to the public. However, if you do not already have base access, you must pre-register online beforehand, to be allowed on base.
The theatre program was first started back in 1963 and has been performing on the Air Force base since. The cadets part of the program shine their singing, acting, dancing and performing talent through a spring musical.
“This cast is the best I've seen in two decades. They are so driven and so talented, and they're going to blow anyone away that watches them,” said Colonel Michelle Ruehl, who has 25 years of experience as part of Bluebards theater program.
Colonel Ruehl was a cadet actor when she attended the academy. Graduating in 2003, Colonel Ruehl served in Afghanistan where she taught school girls English and performing arts.
“While I was teaching them English, of course, I could teach plays and we could do sort of communication training and during their English lessons. But one of the things I noticed with them is how much they loved ancient theater, and this is a different culture, and so, it really started to pique my interest. Wait, how has theater worked across cultures, and what can it teach us as officers for cultural communication? So, we were able to put on a small play in Afghanistan to try to explain what we were doing there as a U.S., and then what I was doing as a pilot, and what the students wanted to show what they valued in their culture,” said Colonel Ruehl.
Colonel Ruehl said she did her PhD dissertation on trauma informed theater and how you can use that to communicate across cultures.
“Whether that's locally in the U.S. or while we're deployed overseas,” said Colonel Ruehl.
She returned to the United States Air Force Academy as the Officer in charge of Bluebards. Colonel Ruehl said the theatre program gives cadets leadership and character training that they need to be an officer.
“If we're thinking of our actors as these future operators in warfare, then really we want to help theater encourage them to imagine the unimaginable. I think that's what we give to them. It's this safe place to kind of try on. Well, what does it feel like when someone says this particular thing? How can I respond? How did that work? How might humans behave,” said Colonel Ruehl. “Behind every warrior is a human and so, I hope that's what the cadets are feeling. But I think theater is one of the places where we can really teach them about that officership and future leaders.”
Several senior cadets in the spring musical said the lessons and skills they have learned from theater have prepared them for their military career.
“I think clear communication has been a huge thing that I've learned when we're backstage and we're having to move sets, you know, some things go wrong, and you might have to grab someone and say, 'Hey, I know you don't normally move this, but can you move this' or, 'Hey, I forgot this line. Can you run this line with me?' Just being able to grab anyone and communicate clearly what you need in that moment, because this set's changing, and we have to do the next scene as soon as we can. It's been very useful,” said Jacob Brady, a senior.
Brady said he has learned stronger communication tactics being a part of the theatre department. For Hailey Routson, she said got experience in problem solving.
“I've been in some shows where a set piece doesn't go on stage, or maybe, like, the lights don't come on, and how do you deal with that, like, how do you have this adversity and still work through it and take the audience on this journey and get to that final goal,” said Routson. “You can kind of see some of the relations that you may have as an officer, like we're going to have some of that adversity thrown in our way. The plans are going to change, right? Some of that fog and friction, as we say here at the Air Force Academy, and I think it's really important that we always keep a level head. We know how to think on our feet, and we know how to work together as a team while we're up there in a high stress environment."
Routson is graduating from the academy next week and will become an officer. She said theater has helped her become a better leader.
“I think it's taking a large group of diverse people, right? You have people of all ages, young, old, all different backgrounds, races, ethnicities, religions, and how do you take all of those people and put on a performance that can take everyone through that journey? That's a really critical skill for an officer, because once we step into that officer role, like we all the firsties will next year, we're expected to be able to lead people of all different backgrounds, all different kinds of stories, and so, how can we take all of those different stories and bring us together as one cohesive unit? And that's what I think theater, and specifically Bluebards here at the Air Force Academy has taught me,” said Routson.
She said theatre is integral to the military.
“It allows us to present topics that may be uncomfortable or may be challenging to talk about in a setting that could be comedic, it could be dramatic, it could be through song, it could be through dance. It can be in a medium where all different backgrounds can understand and talk about maybe these challenging topics,” said Routson.
Routson said it teaches someone how to think on their feet and work as a team.
“How do you roll with the punches? How do you deal with things whenever things go wrong, right? The audience isn't laughing, okay? How do we change the plan midway through and make it to where we still have this experience as a whole? That is a critical skill for an Air Force officer and for leaders in the United States of America,” said Routson.
Tickets to Legally Blonde The Musical are free.
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