Laura Bell Bundy

Yep that’s right, the ‘Legally Blonde’ movie is now a musical and opening night was yesterday starring Laura Bell Bundy as Elle Woods and a rescued chihuahua named Chico playing the part of Bruiser.

We found out the following info about Chico:

The little dog with a much larger-than-life presence – an 8-pound Chihuahua named Chico – makes his entrance in the first scene when Elle’s Delta Nu sisters are looking everywhere for her. Still at a loss, they consult the one source most likely to know her whereabouts: her dog. They ask Bruiser a series of questions, and to each one he barks a response like a canine oracle. It’s a showstopper of a scene.

Chico’s own life story has elements of real drama. Frightened and shy, he showed evidence of having been abused. But that didn’t deter veteran Broadway animal trainer William Berloni from recognizing true star quality – and adopting the little guy on the spot from the Associated Humane Society of Newark.

In fact, Berloni has a policy to find and adopt all his performing pets from animal shelters, and he calls this Chihuahua “one of the best dogs I’ve ever trained.”

While actors aren’t generally required to sleep with their co-stars, to reinforce the onstage bond between Elle and Bruiser (aka actress Laura Bell Bundy and Chico), the feisty pup alternates bunking between Bundy and Berloni.

“He just loves to cuddle,” Bundy says. “He fits right in the curve of my stomach.”

For more info about the movie, check out the official website.

For more info on Laura Bell Bundy, view her official website.

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