LEGALLY Blonde The Musical, the most successful musical show in the 2011 Olivier Awards, will make its Yorkshire debut in York this summer on its first British tour.

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Monday for the Broadway and West End hit’s two-week run at the Grand Opera House in August.

Already winner of the Best New Musical prize in the 2011 whatsonstage.com Awards, Legally Blonde was nominated for five Olivier awards, winning Best New Musical, Best New Actress for Sheridan Smith and Best Supporting Role in a Musical for co-star Jill Halfpenny at last Sunday’s ceremony at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Further nominations came the way of the Savoy Theatre show for Best Theatre Choreographer for Jerry Mitchell and Best Actor in a Musical for Alex Gaumond.

The cast is yet to be confirmed for the tour, so watch this space for news of whether Doncaster actress Sheridan Smith will be returning to her Yorkshire roots.

Based on Robert Luketic’s film starring Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, the blonde girl at Harvard, the musical version was created for Broadway by Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell and opened in the West End in January last year.

Welcoming the chance to play host to the Yorkshire premiere, Grand Opera House general manager Lizzie Richards said: “Everybody in the theatre is very excited that Legally Blonde is coming to York for the only Yorkshire date announced this summer.

“After the show’s triumph at last weekend’s Olivier Awards, this not only confirms the status of the Grand Opera House as a major touring theatre, but also shows how exciting this great city is becoming.”

Howard Panter, joint chief executive of Ambassador Theatre Group, the Opera House’s owners, said: “Ambassador Theatre Group’s co-production of Legally Blonde The Musical is enjoying great success on the West End and we’ve now decided to take it out on its first ever UK tour so regional audiences who can’t make it to London can experience this fantastic show.

“I’m sure Yorkshire people will take Elle Woods to their hearts and give her the warm welcome that the city of York is famous for.”

Legally Blonde The Musical will run from August 9 to 20 with performances at 7.30pm, Monday to Saturday, plus 2.30pm matinees, Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets cost £18.50 to £45 on 0844 847 2322 or online at grandoperahouseyork.org.uk