Marriott goes 'Blonde' for 2012 season

Marriott Theatre's 2012 season will mix crowd-pleasing favorites with a quirky new musical about, of all things, an aspiring comic book artist.

The Lincolnshire theater kicks off the season in January with “Legally Blonde,” the hit musical based on the popular movie. The tale of a pink-loving sorority girl at Harvard Law School will run Jan. 18 to April 1.

Next up will be “Pirates of Penzance,” the beloved 1879 comedic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan. The swashbuckling tale runs April 4 to June 10,

The new musical “Hero” — conceived and written by local talent Aaron Thielen (“For the Boys”) with music and lyrics by Michael Mahler — makes its world premiere at Marriott next summer. Running June 20 to Aug. 19, the musical centers on a comics store worker with a less-than-super life finally trying to pull it all together. Following that is “Dreamgirls” (Aug. 22-Nov. 4), a musical favorite about the triumphs and heartbreak of a 1960s girl group.

The season wraps up with “My One and Only,” (Nov. 7-Jan. 13, 2013). With a score by George and Ira Gershwin, the tap spectacular revolves around a barnstorming aviator who falls in love with a swimming star.

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