The Blonde Leaving the "Blonde"

Laura Bell Bundy, who received a Tony Award nomination for creating the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical, performed her last "bend and snap" on Broadway yesterday. Bundy had been with the production since its early workshop days back in 2005.

Replacing Bundy in the role is the winner of the MTV talent/reality show Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods, who will not only be revealed on tonight's final episode, but will also make her Broadway debut in the hit tuner Wednesday night. Of the three finalists -- Bailey Hanks, Rhiannon Hansen and Autumn Hurlbert -- Autumn is the fan fave in a current Playbill.com poll, with over 50% of the vote, while Bailey is the frontrunner on the show's official website.

The winner will also see her recording of the Blonde song "So Much Better" released as a single and download on Amazonand iTunes – Over 2 million songs and growingthis Tuesday.

UPDATE: And the new Elle Woods is ... click here to find out, and click here to see her "So Much Better" music video.