High school drama teacher 'forced to resign after her overly racy' production of Legally Blonde musical



Ousted: Loveland High School drama instructor and choreographer Sonja Hansen said she was forced to resign after her production of Legally Blonde was deemed too racy

A Cincinnati drama teacher claims that she was forced to resign earlier this week after staging a production of the musical Legally Blonde that was deemed too risque by school officials.



Sonja Hansen said her superiors at Loveland High School informed her that she would be fired if she refused to step down on her own.



'I didn't hear one complaint,' Hansen told WLWT . 'My rehearsals are open. We rehearsed for three months, four nights a week [for] two hours a night.'



The musical is based on the novel Legally Blonde written by Amanda Brown which was adapted for the screen in 2001 with Reese Witherspoon in the starring role of Elle Woods.



The story follows Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls in Harvard Law School in an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend.

In 2007, a musical production of Legally Blonde opened on Broadway starring Laura Bell Bundy.



Although the musical closed a year later, it has spawned numerous versions in high schools around the country, among them Lewis and Clark High School in Washington, South Carolina’s Socastee High School and Deer Park High School in New York.



Scroll down to watch clips from production



High drama: The musical is based on a novel Legally Blonde which was turned into a successful 2001 movie

Stage presence: Legally Blonde the musical opened on Broadway in 2007, spawning countless versions in schools and community centers across the country

Adaptation: The novel Legally Blonde was turned into a beloved 2001 comedy by the same name starring Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods

Hansen's former students said they were upset after the musical was cancelled by the school because it was initially approved by the principal.

The school district issued a statement saying that it was still considering Hansen's employment status at the school but for the time being, auditions for the next show have been put on hold as the school is evaluating the entire drama department.



Hansen, a professional dancer and choreographer, said she was stunned by her employer’s decision because the school administration had initially green-lighted her production, which was rated PG.



The drama instructor and married mother of three posted on her Twitter page an image of a message which she claims was sent to her by the cast of the NBC musical drama Smash saying the actors are standing behind her.



Famous friends: Hansen posted on her Twitter page an image of a message which she claims was sent to her by the cast of the NBC musical drama Smash saying the actors are standing behind her