Get ready to bend (and snap!) your expectations

Melbourne all-abilities theatre company Stars and the Moon will stage Legally Blonde: The Musical from August 16 to 23, as part of its 2026 “Inclusical” program.

Stars and the Moon was founded in 2021 by Eitan Meyerowitz and his cousin Zac Chester, an actor who lives with Down syndrome. In building the company, Meyerowitz sought to create a space where performers of all abilities could share the spotlight.

The company uses a castmate model, pairing two or more performers in each role, with at least one identifying as neurodivergent or living with a disability.

Stars and the Moon producer Michaela Raitman said the company’s productions were built around collaboration between cast members.

“Our Inclusical productions highlight the power of theatre to bring people together. Through our castmate model, the stage becomes a place of transformation where the barriers that separate people dissolve into our collective artistry.”

For performer Gabe Harari, who is part of the cast, being involved with the company has changed how he approaches performing.

“Being in the show helped me come out of my shell and be comfortable performing in front of a big audience,” he said. “Stars and the Moon has taught me that you don’t always have to be by yourself. When you have an acting partner, it makes it more fun and less lonely.”

Parents of cast members have also spoken about the impact of the program. Zoe London, whose children Tamara and Asher are performing in their fifth production with the company, said the experience had supported her children’s development in ways other settings had not.

“As their parents, we know that such significant leaps in confidence and capability are not easily achieved in traditional therapy or learning settings. The combination of friendship, genuine inclusion, and a shared challenging goal with their castmates is a magical formula that supports so many of their personal, and NDIS, goals.”

Robert and Sandra Gilbert, whose son Alexander is also part of the cast, said his involvement with the company had given him a sense of purpose.

“Not a day goes by where Sandra and I don’t feel blessed that Alexander is involved with Stars and the Moon,” Robert Gilbert said. “He is just thriving, immersed in his passion, and it would not have happened without STaM.”

This year’s musical is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film of the same name and follows law student Elle Woods as she navigates Harvard Law School.

Stars and the Moon staged Shrek The Musical in 2025 and The Addams Family in 2024.

Book tickets at starsandthemoon.org/legallyblonde